Chap. 19: Mürren in the morning, the tail, and the Wild-Goose Chase.

Tuesday, April 25, 2000

Harry and Daphne awoke the next morning, at 8:00 AM, with a slight hangover. Luckily, Daphne had thought to bring several doses of hangover potion. They both drank one, and lie back down for fifteen minutes until the potion relieved their symptoms. Once feeling well enough, they both bathed, and dressed similar to how they had arrived yesterday, wearing jeans and sweaters, as well as their new ski jackets, and made their way down for breakfast.

As they passed the lounge, Daphne noticed two men that weren't at the hotel yesterday, but she and Harry walked past them to the Sall restaurant, to find a table. As they sat down, Daphne noticed the two men enter, and walk toward the far end of the restaurant. She also overheard one of them speaking Ukrainian.

Daphne took a pen and a small scrap of paper from her purse, wrote a message to Harry, and slid it across the table.

.

I think we have a tail.

Don't look up.

Two men in the back.

Ukrainian.

.

Harry nodded that he understood, just as the waitress came over. They asked for the same breakfast, which was "fresh croissants, Swiss müesli, mountain cheese, bacon and eggs, salmon, yogurt, and a glass of prosecco," though both also ordered a cold glass of fresh milk. It was a common Swiss breakfast.

While they were waiting, Harry turned his head to the left to look out the large windows at the Eiger, Mönch, and the Jungfrau across the valley, which had clouds around the peaks. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied the one facing them, but could only see the back of the other's head. However, he remembered everything that they wore, so he could spot them if they were, indeed, tailing them.

Harry noticed that they were served their breakfasts about ten minutes before the two that he was keeping an eye on, which meant that when they left, the two should stay seated to finish theirs, unless they were up to no good.

Harry and Daphne ate, enjoying their breakfast, and finished their glass of prosecco just as he motioned for the bill. He quickly signed it and stood, along with Daphne. They started making their way back into the hotel, while covertly keeping an eye on the other two as they left the Sall.

Sure enough, as the Potters made it to the doorway, the one who Harry had been keeping an eye on, cursed, threw down his napkin, whispered something to the other, quickly stood, and pulled out a wad of cash, throwing some of it on the table.

As Harry and Daphne walked around the corner, leading to the hall, Harry grabbed Daphne around the waist, turned on his heel, and disapparated almost silently, back to their room.

"Harry!"

"We do have a tail, Daphne," Harry explained. "This could work to our benefit, especially over Seamus' operation tonight. I need to call HQ quickly.

Harry took out his secure flip-phone, and hit the speed dial button for Seamus. It only rang twice before Seamus picked it up.

"Seamus?" When Seamus answered, Harry told him his plan. Next, Seamus put Tracey on to make their arrangements. Once done, Harry ended the call, closed the phone, and put it back into his jacket pocket.

"Here's the plan, Daph," Harry began. "We'll let them tail us, and we'll make a merry wild-goose chase out of it. While their eyes are on us, today and tonight, Seamus will carry out the operation. This way, they'll see us here when it all goes down. I'll also make them spend a little extra if they intend on following us everywhere, and especially tonight, as we'll stay in a suite at the Hotel Regina, across the valley in Wengen. Besides, you did want to sightsee, didn't you?"

The suite that Harry asked Tracey to reserve, ran at about £1,000 per night, which was 200 galleons. Harry wanted to see how deep the Ukrainian's pockets were that were trailing them. He fully intended on making it hard on them, and their boss question them on the expense of it. Harry also remembered Dumbledore telling him of Dawlish's antics, when the auror tried to follow the old wizard.

Daphne cackled out at this. It was not just over what they were planning on doing to their unwanted guests, but that she would get another night in the Bernese Alps with her husband over it.

I'm going to rock Thunderball's brains out tonight, Daphne thought, as she was already squirming in her seat at the idea of the sex that they would have. She was quite randy on this trip, and she had an itch that only Harry could scratch.

Harry stood, and waved his hand, muttering "pack," causing all their belongings to make their way into their backpacks.

"Harry, we have a leak," Daphne stated, as she thought it over, "and I don't think it was from HQ. Someone at the prison has told Shevchenko that we're here."

Harry thought it over, and remembered that the two guards were with the warden when he told them that they were staying at Mürren. Loose lips sink ships, Harry remembered.

"I'd say that you're correct, Daph. Now, here's what we're going to do..."

At 10:30 that morning, Harry and Daphne checked out, walked down the steps of the hotel, and across the street to the Lauterbrunnen–Mürren Mountain Railway station, so they could catch the train to the Grütschalp station. Harry and Daphne noticed the two men tailing them board at the last second, and sit in the back.

"Still following," Daphne muttered.

"Yup," Harry replied, and put his arm around Daphne's shoulders.

Once they arrived at the Grütschalp station, Harry and Daphne made their way over to the funicular, where Harry paid. They boarded it, and sat at the front, behind the engineer. Again, their uninvited guests boarded at the last minute, and sat in the back.

As the funicular started clacking and clanging downhill, Daphne leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear. "They're not too smart, are they? They stick out like a sore thumb, and for that matter, they remind me of Crabbe and Goyle."

Harry chuckled, turned in his seat, and gave Daphne a peck on the lips. He would have done so anyway, but this hid what Daphne had whispered to him. Let them think that she was whispering sweet nothings in his ear, and that they were ignorant of their tail.

Once they reached the bottom, they deboarded, and made their way across the street in Lauterbrunnen to the rail station. Harry paid for he and Daphne to take the Wengernalp cogwheel train up to through Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg. Again, just like clockwork, the two men waited until the last second to board the train. They also boarded the same carriage as the Potters, and sat in the back.

"I've got to give them credit," Harry muttered, "they don't give up."

Daphne chortled and shook her head, as she looked out the window at the station.

The train left the station, and made its way up the windy mountain path, where it went through a tunnel, gaining altitude. Harry was ready for anything to happen during this, and kept his wand out, but under his jacket. Daphne did the same. Luckily, there wasn't a duel on the train.

When it reappeared from the tunnel, it finally pulled into the Wengen station, where some boarded and deboarded. The Potters noticed that the two were still sitting in the back, when the train started to move again.

As the train made a curve, and started going uphill on a long straight stretch of track, it went by the Hotel Regina, which Harry pointed out to Daphne, telling her that it was where they would be staying the night.

"Look at all those chalets," Daphne said, looking out over Wengen. "I wouldn't mind having one here."

"The Swiss are very picky about who they sell to around here," Harry explained, "unless you're Swiss. I've been told that anyone else has to jump through hoops to buy one as a vacation residence. I've seen some listings where it states 'Swiss only.'"

"Really?" When Harry nodded, Daphne harrumphed.

"They say Grindelwald is more open to buyers," Harry explained.

This caused Daphne's eyes to light up, as Grindelwald was in the valley on the other side of the pass that they were going up to. She could see it now, two vacation homes, one here for winter play, and another as their Jamaican residence. Of course, she would have to learn to ski, as Hermione had claimed that it wasn't hard to learn. Hermione had told her of going to the French Alps, with her parents, on vacation. If Daphne only knew about the many broken legs that came from the sport.

As they neared the top, more snow appeared, she noted, when the train was going under a snow shed, which was open on the outside toward the valley. These were built in problem areas over snow and rocks blocking the rail line. She also noticed some strange things along the tops of some mountains and hills, which were peeking out above the snow in rows, so she pointed those out to Harry.

"Those are avalanche barriers," Harry explained. "They keep the snow from wanting to slide, so it can melt. That is why you see a pipe mounted close to the edge of the roofs on the chalets. They're called snowguards. A deep pile of snow sliding off can damage a terrace, or even kill a person, especially here.

"In other places," Harry continued, "they drop explosives out of helicopters, which cause an avalanche. Of course, they clear everyone away before they do it. If they didn't break up the packed snow, it could break free and kill the skiers."

"How," Daphne wondered, "do you know all of this?"

"I saw it on the telly when young," Harry replied. "That was when I was allowed to watch it, which wasn't much."

Daphne scowled at this, remembering how the Dursleys treated Harry. Petunia and Dudley may have changed, but the fat lummox that she was married to sure hadn't.

The train traveled on, until it started to level out in the pass, where it finally rolled to a stop at Kleine Scheidegg. Harry and Daphne deboarded, and so did the two idiots following them. Harry grinned, took Daphne's hand, and made his way over to the Hotel Bellevue des Alpes. Here, they entered and ordered two coffees to go. Next, they went outside, and found a seat on the deck, with a good view of the Eiger. They were sitting almost in the same spot as George Kennedy had done, in the Eiger Sanction, when he was watching the climb.

"The north face of the Eiger is wicked looking up close, isn't it?" Harry looked it over in wonder, pondering how people were crazy enough to try to climb it, while knowing of the many lives it claimed.

Both noticed their tail coming back outside, and one was cursing over the cost so far. Harry and Daphne chortled at this.

Daphne took several photos of the Eiger, and each took a photo of the other standing before it. A Chinese couple was good enough to help, and used Daphne's camera to take a photo of the two Potters before the mountain. Once done, they walked back to the patio, and sat back down at their table to discuss the rest of their excursion.

"Daph," Harry said, "how would you like to go up to the top?"

"Of the Eiger?"

"Close," Harry replied. "There's a station up there, inside the mountain, under what they call the Jungfraujoch, which is that sag between the Jungfrau and the Mönch. The research station is called the Sphinxstollen, I believe. There's an observatory up there, a restaurant, and several gift shops, as well as tunnels one can look out from. One can even go outside at the top of the glacier."

"Really?"

"Really, really!" Harry grinned.

"Let's go then!" Daphne lit up like she did when she was much younger, before her and her husband acquired all the worries of adulthood. She was truly enjoying herself, and she noticed that Harry was too, despite being tailed by two mafia thugs.

Both stood, still drinking their coffees, and made their way back to the station. Out of the corner of their eye, both Harry and Daphne noticed the other two stand, and follow them. This would cost them even more.

"They think that they're unshakable," Harry commented under his breath, "but we're not up there yet."

Daphne chortled at this.

Harry paid for the trip on the Jungfraubahn, and he and Daphne boarded the train. They noticed that their tail had made it onboard, but that they were now arguing. Daphne bet that they weren't expecting the costly expense involved.

Off they went, up toward the Eiger, where it passed the Eigergletscher station, and entered the Jungfraubahntunnel. Not long after, someone came to punch their tickets. It would stay underground like this all the way, except for the stops at the windows, with one at the Eigerwand station, which is a window stop that appears at 9,399 feet above sea level. Here, the train stopped for five minutes, so that the passengers could take their photos through three large panes of glass from inside the Eiger. The other stop was at Eismeer, at 10,367 feet.

From there, the train traveled under the Mönch to the Jungfraujoch station at 11,332 feet, where it came to its final stop, and everyone deboarded. Here, they walked through a tunnel into the "Top of Europe" shops, where one could eat, buy chocolate, clothing, collectibles, and watches of every kind. They went outside here, which was a flat on the ridge, and also took a tunnel to the lift, up to the Sphinx Observation Deck, or the Sphinx Terrassen. Daphne took plenty of photos at the top of Europe, especially of the Aletsch Glacier below, while she and Harry made good use of the tourist crowd as cover. They also found out that this site was very popular with the Bollywood (Hindi cinema) crowd.

Where the glacial snow and ice met the rock far below them, they had a place where tourists could pay to go outside, and slide around a course on automobile inner tubes. One could also pay for a quick helicopter ride around the top of the Eiger, Mönch, and the Jungfrau. They also had a very good view of the south side of the Eiger, which was said to be the easier climb. What they didn't know, was that the number of tourists were starting to dwindle, as the ski season had began to end a few days beforehand, and many had already left.

Back inside, Harry and Daphne led their two tailing guests through the Eispalast, which is a tunnel within the Jungfraufirn portion of the Aletsch Glacier, and mainly for kids. The floor of the tunnel consisted of solid ice, and the Potters had several good laughs at the Ukrainians expense, as they were wearing slick, leather-soled, shoes, and trying to stay upright on the slippery floor. Both men fell twice, on the slick surface, and were cursing loudly in Ukrainian, while trying to keep up with the Potters. Crabbe and Goyle, indeed.

"We'll ditch them after we eat," Harry commented.

When Harry and Daphne left the Eispalast, they made their way through several shops, where Harry bought Daphne a new wristwatch, and finally to the Sphinx Bar and Restaurant, where they took a seat and ordered a late lunch around 1:30 PM. While eating, the Potters talked about the places that they had been, which were used for the Bond movies, as well as the Eiger Sanction and a few others.

When finished, Harry made sure that when they were leaving, they would make a route by the seated Ukrainians, forcing them to stay put as they walked by. As they did, Harry waved his hand, as if in saying hello, which was what the tourists and employees thought. Harry, though, had wandlessly confunded both of their unwanted guests, so he and Daphne walked off to catch the train back down to Wengen, leaving their two tails there, and utterly confused about their surroundings. Some of the employees thought their behavior was due to too much alcohol, and the very thin atmosphere. It would be another thirty minutes before the two Ukrainians came to themselves, and were forced to wait for the next train down.

When the cogwheel train stopped in Wengen, Harry and Daphne deboarded. Harry took Daphne's hand, and they began their walk through town, meandering their way uphill along Schonegg St., and discussing the chalets and tourists until they came to the Hotel Regina at 3:15. Just as they started to leave the sloping street, for the hotel's walkway that curved around the hotel to the front, which was on the south-west side toward Lauterbrunnen, another train came down the tracks just over from them, and the Potters noticed the two Ukrainians in one of the carriages. Both of the Ukrainians had a startled look, when they noticed the Potters, and they began another argument with each other, waving hands and all. Harry and Daphne chortled at this, turned at the green painted handrail, and proceeded along the walkway to the oak revolving door, at the entrance of the hotel, to check in.

When Harry walked up to the front desk, the receptionist spoke English, though it was with a Swiss German accent.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I am Commander James Black, and I was told that I have a reserved suite here, for my wife and I, tonight."

"Just one moment."

The receptionist looked it up, and sure enough, the "Maximilien suite," their best, had been booked and paid for via a British credit card. At this, she retrieved the keys, and handed them to their guests after they signed in.

"You can find your suite upstairs, on the fourth floor, and to the front, here, on the right-hand side. You will have a grand view of the Lauterbrunnen valley from the sitting room and bedroom's balconies, as well as the Jungfrauregion, and the falls down in Lauterbrunnen.

"Can we help you with anything else, Commander Black?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Do you have a good year in Bollinger champagne on hand by any chance?"

"Yes sir, we do."

"Please send up a bottle," Harry replied, "and we may order room service for our supper later on, though we have a reservation at Chez Meyer's."

"We will sir, and thank you for staying at the Regina! Enjoy your stay!"

The hotel was one of a handful sprinkled around the resort towns, which had an old world class, and was decorated with Victorian furniture throughout. The Potters preferred this, as a travel website that they viewed before they left, showed the majority of the hotels having the same cookie-cutter type of plain rooms, regardless of the price.

Harry had stayed at the Hotel Belvedere, also in Wengen, which was furnished similar to the Regina, when he made his first visit to Nurmengard. They always stayed in Switzerland, instead of Austria, because it was a neutral country. Plus, the DOCS had a hidden expense account in a bank located in Bern, Geneva, and Interlaken. This account would probably allow him to purchase a chalet, as the ability to purchase real estate by a foreigner was all based upon money, blood, and culture over Switzerland's laws.

Harry and Daphne made their way through the wood paneled lobby, which had an oak herringbone floor, and several pieces of nice Victorian furniture. Next, they went up two steps, through an archway, and past an antique sleigh, to the staircase that led up to the rooms above. Neither Harry nor Daphne wanted to be confined in an elevator, when they were being followed as they were. They both wanted to be able to move, if they had to fight.

Harry opened the door, and stood back so Daphne could enter first. As he closed the door, the living area consisted of a round dining table, with four high-backed chairs. Past that was a writing desk behind the sofa, and on the other side of the sofa were two very nice stuffed chairs, and a large telly, which sat at the door to the balcony.

The first door to the left was a large walk-through dressing room, and past that led to a large brown marbled bath, which had a large clawfoot tub similar to their own. In the right-hand corner was a shower, and in the left corner, on the other side of the sink, was a private loo, behind a door.

As he walked on through the sitting area, there were two arched doorways that led to a study, with a desk and another telly. He walked through the room to a set of double doors, which were open, and that led to a large bedroom. The bed's headboard was in a satin black, and the duvet was black and bronze stripped. There were two extra bronze-colored throw pillows lying against the two bed pillows. Another sliding pocket door led back to the bath, in the left-hand corner.

Harry noted that Daphne had already opened the glass door to the bedroom's balcony, so he walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and put his chin down on top of her shoulder, admiring the view.

"Beautiful place, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," Daphne said in a sultry voice. "Play your cards right Mr. Potter," Daphne continued, as she wiggled her hips against Harry, "and you may just get lucky again, tonight!"

"I was hoping that you might say that," Harry roguishly remarked, and kissed Daphne on the temple.

Not five minutes later, they heard a knock at their door, which Harry answered, and it was room service with their champagne. It was going to be a grand night, Harry thought!

After having two flutes of champagne, while sitting out on the balcony, they made their way into the bath, where they bathed together in the large clawfoot tub, and enjoyed the play they had between each other. Once dry, they made their way to the dressing area, and retrieved their shrunken leather garment bags from their backpacks, which had extension charms on them, and removed their fine dining apparel to wear.

Harry dressed in a fine tailored black tux, and wore a white bow tie with a crisp white dress shirt and cufflinks. He also put on a pair of shiny black brogues to finish it off the look. Concealed under each sleeve were both wands, and he was also wearing his Beretta under his jacket.

Daphne wore a dark blue satin evening dress, that was very form fitting, and around her neck she wore a three-strand pearl necklace from Tiffany's. For shoes, she wore a pair of classic pointed-toe white pumps, and she was carrying a white clutch purse, which also had an extension charm on it. Inside of her purse were her wand and her Walther within easy reach.

It was 7:00, so Harry stood, and held his arm out for his wife. They made their way downstairs, to Chez Meyer's, where Tracey had made a reservation, which was a quaint restaurant set up along a wide hall. It overlooked the terrace, and the upper end of Wengen, which was the side where their room overlooked. At the 15 Gault & Millau point, gastronomic restaurant, the Potters ordered a four course supper, and the best wines to go with each dish, ending the dessert with champagne. Money was no object to Harry, when it came to his wife.

Harry also noted that Daphne was wearing her new Cartier wristwatch, which he just paid 2,000 galleons for, from the Kirchhofer shop at the Jungfraujoch. Of course that amount didn't as much as make him flinch.

The two Ukrainians found that they were uninvited at Chez Meyer's, as they had no reservations. Harry and Daphne dined, exquisitely, having a candlelit supper for two, where several toasts were made to their friends, as they looked out over Wengen and the Jungfrau.

"Do you think the two gits," Daphne wondered, "will still be here in the morning?"

"If they are," Harry replied, "it will be easy to ditch them. I have to make another portkey in the morning, and we'll take it from our room after breakfast."

Once the two agents of intrigue were finished, they made their way over to the bar adjacent to the terrace, which was close by, for a few drinks before bed. While there, both Harry and Daphne told the bartender about Thunderball Rum, and made sure to imply its connection to James Bond, which was a good sales gimmick in this area. Of course, Harry mentioned speaking to the bartender at the Hotel Eiger, and that they were very interested in obtaining it.

That night, the sex started in the sitting room, on the sofa, and after their completion and a snuggle, they made their way to their bed, where the orgasmic bliss occurred two more times before they fell asleep in each others arms.

Tomorrow would be another day for the two married agents of intrigue, and they would take a new portkey back to Docs HQ, only for Harry to have to apparate to Surrey, and pick up Dudley for his part of their training program.

-=QE=-

AN: For the Jungfraujoch, where Harry and Daphne visited, do a search for Jungfraujoch Map on Google. Look for the cutaway view of the joch and station.