Penny walked down the street, her bag draped over her shoulder casually. Looking ahead she saw a police car pulled over at the side of the road with a policeman performing a pat down of a grubby man in a stained shirt. Mentally nudging the policeman's attention away from her, she decided to take a detour down the alleyway. Not they would find anything out of place for a twelve year olds handbag, but as any sort of contact was avoidable she made the most of it. Pulling out a small mirror she absent-mindedly pretending to be flicking hair out her eyes as she scanned the pavement behind her. She didn't seem to be being followed. Not that she had been so far, but you could never be too careful. That's why Joe liked her, she thought proudly, unlike some of his men who were sloppy. Penny was always reliable. A few minutes later she reached her destination. A small garage with rusty letters 'Joe's' hung over the entrance as she made her way in confidently.
'Where is he?' She barked at one of the older men sat having a cigarette at the front, he flicked his ash away irritably, before taking a drag and jerking his head towards the back door. Penny touched his mind briefly, the corner of her mouth twitching as she was greeting by less than pleasant images of herself. She shot him a venomous look, she had seen him around the garage a few times and he gave her the creeps. She knew he liked young girls such as herself but her strong will and confidence was a far cry from the timid scared girls he was used to paying for. Despite his sourness she knew he was telling the truth and she promptly walked out the back of the garage where Joe was bent over the engine of an old banger, his well-muscled arms and nibble fingers tinkering. Sensing her there, he stood and turned, a smile breaking across his face.
Though well into his thirties with the odd grey hair his smile gave him a look of youth, and despite herself Penny couldn't help but think he was extremely handsome.
'Penny' He said warmly, gesturing back into the garage as he grabbed a rag to wipe his hands. Following him into his office, he closed the door behind them. 'You got it?' He asked to which she nodded. Pulling the hardback of the latest teenage bestseller out of her bag she past it to him, and placing it open on the desk he pulled out a box cutter and carefully sliced down the inside spine. As he peeled it back a thin plastic bag full of smaller bags of white powder was revealed.
'Good, good' Joe muttered examining the powder closely as he gently began to remove it.
Once the whole of the spine had been cut away Joe reached into one of his drawers and pulled a set of scales out. Placing the bag on the scale Penny glanced at the upside down number. A hundred grams exactly. Smiling Joe picked the plastic bag up and stashed it in a locked draw lined with petrol soaked rags. Leaning back against his office desk he put his weight easily on his palms.
'You've done it again Penny' He said smiling 'I was so happy to hear you'd come home, we missed you' He went on 'You are better than half the men who work for me'
'More than half I reckon' Penny shot back making the mechanic laugh.
'True' He agreed 'I wasn't sure about you when you first came here last summer, but you have certainly proven your worth. Some of these guys are dangerous men, but you seem to be able to hold your own.' He said genuinely 'That or you charm the pants off them I'm not really sure' He joked as Penny scowled.
'I'd rather take your money if that's ok with you' Penny said a little sharply, causing Joe's expression to harden slightly. However, like all the gangsters she had encountered they seemed to respond obediently to her as despite her youth and the fact they often towered over her, her demeanour of authority gave them the impression she could handle herself. And she could, she thought bitterly, if she had her wand and could use it. To avoid temptation however, she usually left it in her locked bedside cabinet at the orphanage. A thin shard of wood was a lot more suspicious than a teenage book after all.
Opening his cash tin Joe stood as he pulled out a few notes and counted out some and passed them to the dark haired girl, who had planted herself up on his desk. Flicking them she considered it for a moment, and then looked expectantly at Joe who scowled before begrudgingly handing her a few more.
'Pleasure doing business with you Joe.' Penny said pushing herself spritely off the desk, wrapping the notes in a loose hair band and pushing them into a smaller bag within her bag containing sanitary towels she didn't yet need. Striding confidently across and out of the garage she left a bemused Joe leaning against the door frame of his office, watching her go with a slightly wistful look. Maybe in a few years time, Joe thought as he went back to work.
Making her way back through the alleyway Penny was lost in her thoughts about how to spend her earnings. She couldn't exchange too much at Gringotts without arousing suspicion, it had been bad enough last year when she had just been couriering weed. Now she had earned Joe's trust she'd been allowed to fetch more valuable cargo, and the money involved had increased. Perhaps she could buy a couple of Muggle gifts for Hermione and Ginny? Penny chuckled to herself imagining explaining mobiles and the like to Ginny, momentarily unaware of the presence behind her.
Suddenly Penny's hackles rose as her mind picked up on the presence behind her. She went to turn but it was too late as strong arms clamped around her small frame, one petrol-stained hand stinking of tobacco covered her mouth. Penny struggled with all her might, her boots kicking out as she felt herself forced through one of the battered doors at the side of the alleyway, leading to an abandoned derelict building. Penny felt herself thrown to the floor and winded as her captor shoved the door closed. Trying to catch her breathe Penny rolled over to face her captor, the creep from the garage leered at her, the few that remained of his yellow teeth making Penny feel queasy as panic shot through her. Jumping to her feet she tensed as her eye darted about her, considering escape routes. This seemed to amused him, as he had the nerve to chuckle at her, infuriating the small witch. If only she had her wand, she thought angrily, cursing the Ministry's regulations.
She made a dash down one side of the man, who easily side stepped and grabbed the struggling girl, grunting as her boot made a sharp contact with his shin. Back handing her, Penny landed on the floor again, white spots appearing in her vision. Before she could gather her wits the man flattered her with his weight, his knee digging into her stomach as one hand grabbed her wrists and pinned them down roughly, the other shoving the front of her top up to reveal her small black bra. Realising the extent of the danger she was in Penny freaked out and screamed at the top of her lungs, a couple of the windows running along the top of the walls shattering. The man flinched at the sound removing his hand from her bra to hit her across the face again and then press his stinking hand over her mouth and nose, depriving her of oxygen.
'Shut up you little whore or I'll fucking kill you' The older man spat, Penny's eyes widened as she realised the man truly meant it. Taking her pause as submission he lowered his hand slightly and without thinking Penny bit down hard on his hand, causing him to howl in pain. Hitting her once again Penny was temporarily knocked out. Ripping her shirt the man took advantage of his unconscious prey to squeeze the young girl's small developing breasts. As he fumbled with her jeans, she began to stir as he yanked them down. Coming to her senses Penny struggled again feeling the man hissed as what felt like an electric shock ran through him, making his muscles spasm. Penny gasped as his filthy nails clawed into her sides. Knowing she stood no physical chance against the man she touched his mind, yelping as she comprehended the extent of his intentions. Pure terror flooded her system as the man started undoing his own trousers Penny's bright eyes meeting his.
Panicking Penny grasped his mind telepathically crushing it with all her might. She felt the man freeze one hand still down his trousers, confusion spreading over his features as he felt his limps no longer obeying his commands. Desperate Penny clawed at his mind in a frenzied attack, shredding every part of his mind she could reach. She saw his memories and many other neurotransmitters shredding into fragments as she watched the man's face as his expression began to relax, along with his muscles. Feeling him becoming dead weight Penny shoved him sideways as heard as she could, met with no resistance as he fell off her. Withdrawing from his mind Penny stared at the man, whose head now flopped uselessly to his shoulder, a trail of drool running from the corner of his mouth. Horror filled Penny as it dawned on her the extent of the brain damage she had inflicted, her expression wide-eyed. Sitting up she scarped backwards until she met a battered wall. Before Penny could gather her wits there was a loud crack as a dark bald man Apparated in front of her. Squeaking, Penny made herself even smaller, subconsciously covering her exposed flesh, shaking from head to toe as the man drew his wand, looking from her to the crippled man and back to the young girl's state of dress and her clear distress. Penny was too distressed to notice the man point his wand at her as he scrutinised her facial features with obvious puzzlement. After a minute or so he seemed to make a decision and flicked his wand and a silver lynx disappeared through the wall. Putting his wand away, he approached the terrified girl, crouching to be level with her.
'Are you ok Miss?' The dark man said in a deep caring voice. Penny looked up into his dark eyes, her own shiny as she glanced over the other man who stared gormlessly ahead.
'I..I..' Penny began stuttering, breaking as reality hit her and she broke down into tears, and began to rock herself slightly. She flinched as the dark man reached out a comforting hand and placed it on her shoulder.
'It's ok Miss' He said 'It's going to be ok. My name is Kingsley. What is yours?'
'Penny' The scared witch managed, oddly reassured by the man's deep calm tones. Touching his mind with hers however, she was met with firm walls. Raising an eyebrow Kingsley considered her.
'No need for that' He said gently but firmly. 'I mean you no harm Penny' He said standing slowly and offering his hand. Penny looked at him once again before taking it and getting to her feet. Glancing down for the first time Penny became uncomfortably aware of her clothing and yanked her jeans back up, before crossing her arms across, pulling her ruined shirt as tight as it would go. Staring at the floor she heard the man address her.
'Shall I repair that?' He asked, flicking his wand as she nodded. The buttons on her shirt repaired themselves before doing themselves up. Relaxing slightly Penny still kept her arms tight around herself for comfort as she looked at the Muggle's expressionless eyes.
'What will happen now?' Penny asked, turning her back to the Muggle on the floor. Kingsley looked down at the girl, his face serious.
'I have sent for another Ministry official to take the Muggle to St. Mungo's. You will have to come with me.' He reached out his hand expectantly, and Penny took it, confused when Kingsley shook his head. 'No, I need to take your wand off you' He said.
'I don't have it' Penny said, mildly annoyed as Kingsley looked sceptical.
'Penny, you will make it worse if you do not surrender your wand' Kingsley said seriously.
'I don't have it' Penny repeated 'It's at home, I don't carry it with me. I'll show you if you don't believe me' A hint of defiance entering her voice. Kingsley looked between her and the Muggle.
'This' He said emphasising the word carefully 'Was done without a wand?' He said, his tone partly disbelieving and partly impressed as Penny nodded. As Kingsley continued to contemplate her, another crack announced the arrival of a second man, this one considerably shorter than Kingsley, bald with enormous thick glasses. Looking at the scene around him, his mole-like eyes squinted at Penny before Kingsley spoke.
'Ah, Ogden you got my message?' Kingsley said.
'Yes Mr Shacklebolt' Ogden replied looking around to the Muggle with a look of concern. 'I'll take him now' He continued, taking the Muggle's arm and Disapparating. Turning back to Penny Kingsley addressed her once again.
'Do you live nearby?' He asked as Penny nodded 'Very well. We must fetch your wand.' Penny nodded and led the way back to the orphanage. Once outside Penny shot an odd look at Kingsley who looked questioningly at her. 'What is it?' He asked.
'How am I supposed to explain you?' Penny asked, grimacing as she imagined the various scenarios she could imagine the other girls would conclude and gossip about. Kingsley considered her briefly before nodding.
'I shall wait here. Return promptly.' He said, a slight warning note in his voice. Penny couldn't help but roll her eyes. Where did he think she could possibly go? She managed to navigate the crowded halls quickly through years of experience, brushing off the various kids and carers who were so used to her independent ways they barely batted an eyelash. Within minutes she was back outside and with great reluctance handed her wand to Kingsley, who stowed it away in his pocket. Gesturing the nearest alley Penny froze as her fists clenched. Sensing her panic Kingsley gently reassured her.
'We need to Apparate out of sight.' He said in his calm demeanour, allowing Penny to touch his mind to reassure herself. 'Have you ever Side-Apparated?' He asked as they got out of sight of the street, she shook her head. 'Just take my arm and hold on' He said as she took his arm and they turned on the spot, disappearing into the abyss.