Book Three

21. Dressed to Kill

Beollan was just as emphatic and obsessive toward practice as ever. He listened carefully as Harry retold the whole story of his fight in the tube station with the three wizards. He took careful notes, and rolled the whole thing over in his mind several times before giving Harry suggestions to improve his performance.

"Good use of the columns to divide the attackers," he said. "But think about what you would do if there were no columns to hide behind."

Beollan had been giving Harry quite a bit more of his time than the other students. He explained this was necessary to properly train with the two wands, but Harry would have to start coming an extra day each week to train so as not to short the other students. On this day Harry shared time with Ron and Lance in single wand exercises. He could tell Ron was finally learning to relax and was getting much faster. Lance was beginning to have trouble with Ron's new skills, and Ron seemed to love it. After a good workout, they all hit the shower before returning to the cubicles. Harry noticed a note on his desk. Opening it, he could make out Hermione's handwriting and she was requesting his presence as soon as he had free time. He ran his hands over his still wet hair and walked down the hall to Hermione's office and poked his head in the door. She looked up at him with a wide-eyed expression and a little smile. She had no doubt heard his footsteps as Hermione's eyes were normally glued to some book, paper, or report. The little smile grew wider as he plopped down in the hard wooden chair.

"I think we've got them this time."

"Oh really, the Malfoys you mean," Harry said as he raised his brows.

"Yes. They'll be calling Lucius Malfoy in for a hearing very soon. From what I hear, it's really just a formality. With the evidence we have now and his prior record, a trial should almost be guaranteed."

"So the manifests confirmed the ship's involved?"

"More or less. The stolen items ended up in most of it's ports of call. The other items could have been smuggled into shipments we tracked originating from those ports."

"Well, I guess your right. I just wonder if that Razvan guy I met with in New York might be mixed up in this. He was a pretty creepy dude."

"Wah yeah, he might, but we know Malfoy was trying to cover up his connections with the Carpathia," she said getting a little agitated now.

"Oh sure. You're right. I just think sometimes we lean toward the Malfoys a little too quickly."

"Harry what are you saying?" Hermione said in a louder voice now.

"Did I miss something," Ron said poking his still wet head in the doorway. Neither Harry or Hermione paid any attention to him.

"Harry – all of us here would be dead if Lucius Malfoy had his way that night in Malfoy Manor. And you want to cut the man a break?"

"She's right Harry," Ron piped in.

"No, of course not. I'm just saying we shouldn't jump to conclusions. We need to look at all the angles."

"Whatever Harry – yeah I guess you're right. Just don't expect me to feel any sympathy for the man."

"I think I'm headed to the canteen. You guys feel like lunch?" asked Ron, in hopes of drawing them out of the argument.

"I'll be down shortly Ron. Just a few minutes okay?" Hermione pleaded.

"Sure," Ron said waving as he went out the door.

"Harry what's the deal with this inquiry into the dance club? The Caverns?"

"Apparently this is where Mundungus is hiding out now. He's working there or something. Did you find anything out about the place?"

"Yes I did. The London authorities had this to report," she said throwing the report to him over the desk. He picked up the report and read a few lines from the first paragraph.

The Caverns:

An Underground night club in a run down area of Islington. A seedy establishment which advertises it's music as mixed rock with a heavy emphasis on Gothic style dress. The Caverns has long been suspected to be involved in the local drug trade and petty crime. Several arrests have been made in or on the premises.

"Charming place I'd say." Harry handed the report back to Hermione.

"The Ministry has inserted a note of it's own in the file for the Caverns. Says it's a big hangout for Vampires – thus the Gothic dress code I'd imagine."

"That might explain why they would need someone like Mundungus around, someone with magical skills to settle Vampire disputes and such."

"May be, but I don't think you'd be welcome there with your blue blazer and khaki trousers Harry."

"No, they'd be running out the back as soon as I walked in the front. I'd definitely need to go Incognito," he said smiling

"Are you kidding? You'd actually go there. We probably have enough evidence here, without Mundungus," she said, laughing at the thought of Harry dressed to go to a Gothic dance club.

"You have paper evidence. We need to drag some people to the stands if we want to put Malfoy away for sure. I thought that's what you wanted," he said as if he had just won his case.

"Well, maybe you got a point there. So you're going then?"

"Yeah. You and Ron can come along. I bet Ron would like a Gothic dance club," he said, and they both belly laughed.

"I don't think so Harry. I bet Ginny would go. If she were here. Have you sent her an Owl lately?"

"A little while back. She said things are fine."

"So how are things with you two?"

"Fine. As I explained before, we agreed to see others?"

"You didn't waste a lot of time, did you?"

"What do mean by that?" Harry knew exactly what she meant, but was hoping she might reveal her source and how much she knew. She ignored the question and sat there quietly with a smirk look on her face.

"And since we're on the subject. How are things with you and Ron? It's nearly impossible to get the two of you out anymore." The smirk look vanished immediately.

"That's bollocks! We get along fine," she said defensively.

"Lance is at your door every morning. I can't say for sure, but Ron doesn't seem the same," he said drilling the point home. She looked down and sat in silence for a few moments.

"A few years ago, things were so simple. Good and bad, black and white. Simple choices really. Now, there's too many shades of grey – know what I mean Harry?"

"Yeah Hermione, sure, we were kids then. Our choices were simple because we were kids. Ron's waiting on you. I better go," he said rising from the chair.

"See ya Harry," she said managing a smile.

"Later," he said with a wave.

The day moved as slow as possible and Harry left a little early to enjoy a beer at the Leaky Cauldron. The evening crowd hadn't settled in yet so Hannah came by his table immediately.

"What'll you have Harry?"

"Let's start with a butterbeer Hannah." Before he could look around for any familiar faces, Hannah had returned with the beer.

"Work keeping you busy Harry? It's been a little slow around here."

"Ah, it's just the new school term starting. Things will be back to normal in a week or two."

"Yeah. I hope you're right. It's been downright quiet around here during the day."

Harry had been so occupied talking to Hannah he hardly noticed the footsteps behind him. He was scolding himself something fierce as he turned to face the footsteps.

"Thought I might find you here... Potter." Harry recognized the voice immediately. He didn't believe it, but he knew the voice clearly and turned in his chair to face the wizard.

"I didn't think you'd lower yourself to come to a place like this. What brings you so far from Wiltshire?"

"A little business in Diagon Alley – and the hope I'd find you."

"Knockturn Alley is probably closer to the truth. What's on your mind then?" Harry asked, as the left hand inched closer to the black wand in his right lapel pocket.

"It's about my father, Potter. This business is not what you think."

"He'll have his chance to explain it to the Wizengamot. You know I can't change that," Harry said almost touching the handle of the wand.

"Is this what we can expect from the Ministry from now on? Constant harassment?"

"It's not harassment Malfoy. If your father is innocent, then there's nothing to worry about."

"Even you're not that simple minded Potter. It's not that easy and you know it."

"I've said all I can say, Draco," Harry said, almost pulling the wand.

"Well, you're looking the wrong way. I can tell you that. And that's all I have to say," he spit out the words venomously, and turned to leave.

"If you know something, then you should tell it Draco."

"Good day Potter," he said walking toward the rear door to the yard.

The incident ruined the taste of Harry's butterbeer. The Malfoys must be desperate to try this kind of ploy, he thought. Or were they? He ordered a sandwich and ate quietly as he noticed a few of the regulars were beginning to drift in. What if Malfoy was somehow telling the truth? He was more determined than ever to find Mundungus now. They were going full guns at Lucius, and he wasn't sure if they were solidly prepared for the whole thing. Spotting Dedalus drifting his way, he'd better have an excuse to leave or it might turn out to be a long night.

‡‡‡‡‡

Kreacher had a nice breakfast prepared and Harry enjoyed his second cup of coffee while glancing over the Daily Prophet. An amusing thought had come to him in the shower and he couldn't get it off his mind. He put the paper down to allow the thought to roll by again. Being so busy lately, he hadn't made any plans for the weekend. He would go by Sandy's desk this morning. He was overdue to stop by and check on her anyway. He would ask her out for Friday after work. They could go out for beers, or perhaps he could drop by her terrace with a bottle of wine.

At a good stopping point in his reading assignments, he left for Sandy's desk. He was feeling a little anxious as usual and still having trouble pinning her down long enough to ask her.

"Well, sure we could do that. But why don't we go out for something to eat, since I don't have anything at home, and we can grab a bottle of wine for later," she said smiling as if she's just solved a difficult problem.

"That'll work. I'll stop by Friday," he said, turning toward the archway, and he quickly looked back to catch her eye.

Friday's practice with Beollan was intense as ever. They had been going at it furiously with both wands. With only a few short breaks, Beollan finally called a halt as they had been at it for nearly an hour.

"Good Harry. Very good," he said stepping forward to offer his hand in the customary handshake. Harry shook the hand and managed a slight bow with his head. "We're working very hard still. Why? This is where many wizards have failed using two wands, Harry. They begin to take it for granted at this step. They believed they've mastered the division of energy between the two wands. But if the concentration is not maintained, failure is almost certain," he said with a very cautious tone.

"Thank you sir, I won't forget."

Friday afternoon came around quicker than Harry expected. He had big plans for the weekend and getting to Friday was just a small part of it. Waiting for Sandy to finish up, he sat patiently in the lobby until she had finished re-shelving all the folders and files. They grabbed a short dinner at the pub they visited on their first outing together. Harry had a house ale and began to unwind and felt very comfortable around Sandy. Her beauty was no longer making him nervous. They chatted lightly and Sandy was giving him curious eyes and asked him what he had wanted to talk about.

"Better wait till later," he would only say smiling. Sandy agreed and shook her head with a little laugh. They grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay and quickly headed to a little alley to disapparate from. Settling with a swish onto Sandy's terrace, the leaves of the large plants were swaying to and fro.

"I'll get a bucket for the wine. Have a seat," she said coming back a few moments later with the bucket. Harry didn't sit, but walked to the railing around the terrace to get a look at the community around the terrace. There was just enough light to make out a few details between the huge leaves.

"It makes it a little easier to come and go the way we do, the big plants," she said sitting down two glasses and a corkscrew. "I'll be back in a minute."

The air was a little cooler as autumn weather was finally setting in. Harry was comfortable in the jacket and opened the wine when Sandy reappeared in casual dress. She was wearing the same shredded jeans and a snug fitting cardigan. Harry poured them each a glass and Sandy moved up close to snuggle shoulder to shoulder.

"Now, are you going to tell me what's on your mind?"

One look at Sandy in the sweater in the cool air was making it difficult to concentrate. He carefully handed her the glass.

"Yes, I guess it's time I did," he said looking her over. "I may have mentioned Mundungus Fletcher. Did I?"

"You may have. Who is he," she asked and sipped the wine while maintaining eye contact.

"Well, he was a member of the Order. But he was always a bit dodgy. He might be able able to help us. Trouble is... all I know is where he's working."

"And where is that Harry?"

"The Caverns. It's a dance club in a seedy area downtown. Heavy metal, Gothic dress, stuff like that. Hermione says it's a big vampire hangout. Sound interesting?"

"Interesting... yeah, but for what?"

"We could go there. We could go there tomorrow night and find Mundungus," he said pleading. A huge smile began to appear just before Sandy let out a huge belly laugh.

"Are you kidding? We would go dressed in Gothic I take it?"

Harry scratched his head and pondered the answer, "Well yes, I think we have to. Otherwise we run him off as soon as we get in."

Sandy was stifling the laugh with her hand to her mouth.

"So you're serious then? How will we ever find a way to dress Gothic by tomorrow?" She asked with a quizzical expression.

"The Ministry has a wardrobe department for undercover operations. We might be able to find what we need there. If not, we can rent it and charge it to the Ministry."

"Well, it seems you've thought this one through," she said coolly. Harry smiled and couldn't take his eyes off the sweater. His hands went out to her with a mind of their own. He pulled her in to him. She felt great under the sweater and was still giggling when he kissed her.

‡‡‡‡‡

Harry and Sandy met at the Ministry the next afternoon to go shopping through their wardrobe department. Harry had searched the internet for Gothic dress styles and had a few ideas of what might be suitable. They found most of what they needed there in the way of black leather trousers for Sandy and black canvas ones for Harry. The canvas ones were loaded with pockets and straps which would be convenient for carrying the wands. Harry found a black leather waistcoat that more or less fit. They needed boots or some kind of footwear they would be appropriate. There was a pile in the corner, but nothing turned up that worked for Harry. Sandy said she had something more suitable at home. They inventoried their findings, and were coming up short on a complete outfit for Sandy.

"Leave it to me. I'll find something," she said.

"Are you sure? You need me to go with you?"

"Nah, just be at the terrace on time. I'll be ready," she said confidently.

Harry found a greyish cropped Tee shirt in the dresser to the wear under the leather waistcoat. The wands were placed in the thigh pockets of the black canvas trousers. Normally he wore the wands 'crossed' in his jacket. The left hand wand under the right lapel and opposite for the right hand. Tonight, with the thigh pockets, he would wear them directly under the hand they were intended for. Hopefully this wouldn't cause a problem. Hopefully he wouldn't need them. The boots felt awkward and uncomfortable. His hair was almost black enough, but he applied some oily hair dressing to darken and give it a slicked back look. With a quick check in the mirror, he confirmed he was sufficiently awful looking, but was worried Sandy wouldn't be able to complete her Gothic kit convincingly. They would just have to get by the entrance gate somehow and then find Mundungus. Being almost eight, he made his way to the kitchen to leave out the back door. Kreacher spotted him and grunted something unintelligible before leaving the room as fast as his large spatulate feet could carry him. In a few seconds he was out the back door and with a little whoosh was resting solidly on Sandy's terrace.

It was well after dark on the terrace and he could see movement inside as he neared the door. Sandy jerked the door open just as he prepared to knock. She stood in the doorway, arms outstretched at shoulder level; her palms facing Harry while giving him a good look at her outfit. He stood there for a few moments motionless, unable to move or speak. The black leather trousers were skin tight and the cuffs covered most of the boot tops. She was wearing a black leather bustier as tight as a corset and accented with sections of red trim. Her red hair was magically colored coal black and pulled behind her in a plait. Even the fringe was pulled back somehow. She reached into a bag by the door and grabbed a handful of gold accessories.

"Went to the costume rentals for all his stuff. For insurance with the vampires, I'll start here," and she slipped a small cross on a long gold chain over her head. The cross slipped into a little neither region of cleavage and bustier. "I think these other things go with the genre," she said pulling a pentacle necklace over her now raven hair. "You can have this one," she said, and handed him a Ankh on a heavy gold chain. Harry's eyes were still affixed to the tight leather bustier as he slipped the necklace over his head.

"I hope you don't fall out of that," he said with a wry grin.

"Just don't hit me in the back, okay?"

"You look lovely."

"Don't get any kinky ideas. This mess is coming off as soon as we finish."

Harry laughed and reached for Sandy's hand, "If you say so. I have a little alley down from the club picked out. You ready to go?"

"Let's do it."

They were pulled through the blackness of the night sky, and in an elastic snap and settled in a little alley just out of sight of the dance club. The air was immediately different in smell. The alley had a scent of stale beer and urine with no breeze to rid the air of staleness. They felt their wands through their clothing as a last measure of safety and proceeded toward the entrance of the club. The club looked ragged in appearance and was on a low let property with the rear of the building tucked under a motorway flyover. The electric sounds of music was deafening as they neared the door. Harry had used Ministry connections to acquire member passes. They drew strange looks from the tall and unhealthy looking door attendant. He looked at the passes and then looked back at them. With a puzzled look he shook his head and clicked a button allowing Sandy and Harry to pass through a turnstile and into the club. Harry was momentarily repulsed. The senses were made useless by the pounding of the electric din and the intermittent pulses of strobe lights. He reached for Sandy's hand, looking back to confirm it was hers through the flashing of the strobes. The place was very dark and even the strobe flashes were not very bright. Probably better for the vampires, he thought. Looking through the strobe flashes, he looked around for a good place to get away from the crowd. Spotting a dimly lit corner bar in the back of the club, he pulled Sandy by the hand. Harry looked back to check on Sandy as they made their way through the sweaty crowd toward the corner bar. His senses were getting overloaded and he had to get to the corner and survey the situation as calmly as possible. They made it to the bar and enjoyed the somewhat consistent lighting. Harry looked back toward the crowd. The dancing, if you could call it that was more like shuffling.

"Looks like we can hang here for a minute," he said still looking toward the crowd. "You care for a beer?"

"Yeah... I think I do," she replied looking around. Harry waited at the bar several minutes before he could get the attention of a barman. He ordered a couple of beers and paid the inattentive barman. As Harry turned to face Sandy a tall rangy and very vampire looking man was trying to chat her up. He had very long black hair and an extremely pale complexion without the assist of makeup.

"How long have you been haunting this place darling?" he said while looking down her cleavage.

"Not long," she said, pulling the little cross out of it's hiding place to give the vampire a full view.

"Ugh... You don't have to be nasty," he said, immediately turned to disappear back to the crowd.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that. Now, every vampire in the place knows we're straight," she said.

"They probably knew already. You want to sit?"

They found a tactical table to sit at and observe the crowd. Sandy sat on the right, where she could watch a back door coming out of the bar and Harry took the other side to observe the floor opposite the bar.

"Your cross," he motioned with his eyes toward her chest. She looked down to see the cross still dangling in full view. She smiled and dropped it back down in the little warm hiding place beneath the bustier.

"Should we ask the barman about Mundungus?" Sandy asked, leaning toward Harry to be heard.

"Couldn't hurt I suppose."

Harry went back toward the bar and Sandy kept a close eye on the floor. There was some nodding and shaking of heads and Harry came back to the table a few minutes later.

"He wasn't much help, but there's an office in the corner along the other wall," he said motioning with his head.

"Let's try it then," she said nodding.

Harry led the way through the crowd and reached back again for Sandy's hand. They drew wild stares as they inched their way across the floor. He continued to work their way through the crowd and Harry would look behind him through the strobe pulses. As they neared the stage, Harry paused to admire the lead singer. She was gorgeous with fire red hair and rivaled Sandy in beauty. She sang in beautiful clear notes and moved with a silky fluidness.

"Do you think we should keep our mind on business?" she yelled in his ear. He smiled and pulled Sandy by the hand toward the opposite wall. A door was barely visible in the far dark corner. Still more evil stares were visible between the strobe flashes from coal black eyes. Harry knocked on the door and then cracked it open. He looked around the dimly lit office to see at last a desk partially obscured from view by a tall bookcase. He looked back nodding at Sandy and pulled her by the hand in the office. There behind the desk was Mundungus Fletcher.

"How are things Dung?" he asked to see Mundungus casually look up and then change his expression to astonishment.

"Bleedin' hell. What are you doing here?"

"We need to ask a few questions Mundungus," Harry said, finally letting go of Sandy's hand.

"I got an honest job here. What you want with me?"

"Just questions Mundungus – about some of your business associates... that's all."

"What kind of business?" he asked innocently. Harry was getting annoyed and almost didn't hear the tromping of heavy booted footsteps of a vampire running in behind them. When his head snapped around he saw a grey-ish white vampire running toward him with long and shiny edged weapon of some sort. It looked as big as a guillotine, but was actually a Falcata or something like it with a gleaming blade and a flaired end. Harry's hand went immediately to the inside of the waistcoat for his wand. Everything started to occur in slow motion, as the realization hit him. The wand was not in his coat pocket! As slow as everything seemed to be occurring, he didn't know if his hand could get down to the thigh pockets before the Falcata cleaved his head. Sandy was standing to the other side of the action and was pulling something, other than the cross, from beneath the cleavage. Fumbling around for the handle, he was fairly certain he couldn't get the wand out in time. He was about to offer his left arm to the long blade when he was engulfed in a bright flash of light. A flash brighter than hundreds of light bulbs; a light brighter than then the sun itself. The Falcata went ringing on the concrete floor as it slid to the far wall and stopped. The sunlight appeared to diminish back into Sandy's wand. The vampire, or what was left of him lay in the floor as a pile of white power, burned to cinders. Harry, recovering from a state of near shock finally managed to pull his wand. Everyone looked at each other blankly trying to regain function in their eyes. After a few moments, Sandy magicked the door shut with a slam. Harry collected his senses and took a deep breath before speaking.

"You were doing some business with wizards in Knockturn Alley. I found a few things there a couple months ago that belonged to Sirius' mother. I'm not after you, unless you're mixed up in this business; I'm after information on those men," Harry said calmly as Mundungas sat there still stone faced. "Look, we haven't got all night," Harry said.

"I didn't really know that bunch, you see. It was just business Harry. And you two best be clearing out before the other vampires see what you've done to their mate."

"You've got two choices Mundungas. You can go with us tonight... or stop by the Ministry first thing Monday morning and make a statement."

"No problem Harry. I'll stop by Monday and tell them everything I know. You two can slip out the back door," Mundungas said pointing to a narrow hall behind the office.

"You had better show up Monday. If you don't, I'll find you. And I promise you, It'll be Azkaban the next time. Do you understand?" Harry said pointing his wand.

"Okay Harry, sure I'll be there."

Harry pulled the black wand out of his trouser pocket and and reached back for Sandy's hand as they disappeared down a narrow hall. They followed the hall by wand-light to the end where an old metal door to the alley was locked from the inside. Unlatching the lock, they slipped outside to the dank alley behind the building. They could hear booted footsteps coming around the building. Harry put one wand away and squeezed Sandy's hand.

"You drive," he said. Sandy looked his way for an instant and then they both were shot into the blackness toward Sandy's terrace. Settling down with a little whoosh, Harry took a deep breath.

"I didn't know if we would ever smell fresh air again," he said.

"I need a beer," Sandy said, producing a key from a pocket in the leather trousers. She disappeared in the flat and came back out with a couple of beers and a candle. She lit several other candles on the terrace and pulled the padded chairs to the table. Harry took a long pull on the beer, relishing the wetness on his dry mouth and throat.

"Oh, thanks by the way. I thought I was bloody dead back there," he said taking off the chain and ankh and laying it on the table.

"Do you think we should have brought him in?" Sandy asked after taking a slug from the beer.

"He knows damn well I'll find him again. I don't think he'll let us down."

"Harry turn your head this way again." Harry looked puzzled and turned the left side of his head toward Sandy. Sandy stifled a laugh and said, "There's vampire dust on the side of your head. Get up – let's see," she said rising from the chair.

"We'll have to make a report of this mess. Beollan will kill me for this cock-up," he said getting out of the chair and easing toward Sandy. She dusted his hair with her fingers, and he found himself swimming in her sea green eyes.

"That's a little better," she said smiling. He sat the bottle on the table and put his hands on the sides of the leather bustier and gently pulled her nearer. His mouth fumbled for hers and he could taste the beer on her lips. He began to tug at the zip-fastener on the bustier playfully.

"What are you doing," she pulled back to ask.

"Well... you said you were getting out of this stuff as soon as you got back," he said just inches from her lips.

She said nothing, but gently placed her hands on his back and pulled him into her for another long kiss.

:

A/N: Another fun chapter to write. One day, about halfway into the story, I was returning from lunch with a co-worker, and Rob Zombie was playing on the radio. I couldn't help but visualize the famous bar scene in the Matrix. It came to me, pretty hard that day, that Harry and Sandy should visit a dance club somewhere. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. With so many clubs in London and with music so infused in the culture, it just felt natural that their investigation should take them there.

I began to do a little research into the whole History of Rock music while hoping to find the inspiration for the story. (Very Interesting) Finally settled on Gothic music and the Vampire thing for the type of club that Harry and Sandy would visit. Originally the name of the Gothic club was something other than The Caverns. Heroine of the Valley said it didn't sound like a Gothic club in one of her reviews and at the same time I realized that while the name was okay in American it implied something vulgar in the British Vernacular. The Caverns was finally settled on because I think there was a Gothic club called the Cave - and that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds played there - among others of course.

While doing this investigation - first into Rock music in general and then finally into Gothic, I came upon a group that appealed to me. I can say that this group has been a loose model for this chapter and also 'The Wizards of Malta' where the lead singer was a model for the character, Penny Penthane. I say a loose model because there's no exact comparisons. (Maybe more on this later)