Chapter Three
"I don't know what you're going on about - Genevieve is getting better isn't she. It's a good thing they came."
"Perhaps but they make me nervous." Harry could hear voices in the hallway but was unsure whether or not he was dreaming.
"Why Nica? We couldn't have done it alone."
"I was figuring out how we could. But now that a Potter is in this house there is no way we can convince her to stay. She'll go back to England and we'll never see her again!"
"Shh, keep your voice down or you'll wake Harry. Besides, we could still see her and what's so bad about her going where she'll be happy?" That was definitely Rebecca's voice.
"You saw her fears as clearly as I. She's terrified of them Becca and only going back there to alleviate her guilt."
"You don't know that. Mr. Black and Harry seem to genuinely care about her." Harry kept his eyes closed and perked his ears to hear Rebecca and Veronica better, but their conversation has momentarily quieted.
"Do we have any idea yet who attacker her Nica?"
"Alice remembers them briefly, but it's nothing more than we already know. Six men in black cloaks, hoods covering their faces, and British accents." Harry opened his eyes when Sirius' voice joined the others.
"Pardon the interruption ladies but I couldn't help but overhear. If you ask me, they sound like Death Eaters, wizard followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort."
"We didn't ask you." Veronica answered him with a glaring tone.
"You didn't ask about Genevieve's current condition either, but I'll tell you anyway. She's awake and wants to talk to you." Light footsteps retreated down the hall and Harry sat up in time to see Sirius slump into a la-z-boy.
"Feeling rested Harry?" Sirius asked.
"Yes" Harry replied stretching. Only then did he notice that someone had covered him in a soft handmade patchwork quilt.
"It seems we never get a break," Sirius sighed, "and we won't get one for a while. If Death Eaters are here I've got to find out why. Will you stay here while I see what I can dig up around town? Rebecca said the community center up the street hides an entrance to McNally Alley. Maybe someone there has a piece of the puzzle."
Sirius sighed again before extricating himself from the lounger and knocking on the first door down the hall. "Ready Elden" he called into the room. The door opened to reveal a cloaked Elden with his hood already up obscuring his face. Sirius pulled up his own hood and left with only a brief wave behind him to Harry.
Harry sunk back into the couch finally able to look around this room in detail. Plush couches lined three walls. Two stacks of boxes labeled baby toys/clothes cluttered the other wise empty center floor. The focal point of the room was an extended entertainment center which consisted of two bookshelves between which hung a huge flat screen television on the wall. The book shelves held mostly movies, tapes and DVD's in addition to the hardware to play them but there were some books. To the right of the book shelves was a life-size framed muggle poster of a man wearing a multicolored jester costume frozen in mid-juggle. "The Amazing and Hilarious Harrison- Jester/Magician. To perform Feb 4, 5, and 7 . . ." A billing poster for Genevieve's late husband.
"Get away from there" Veronica pulled Harry away from the poster then examined it somewhat suspicious he damaged it in some way.
"Ahem. Nica." Rebecca walked up behind Veronica and gave her a reproving look. Veronica forced a smile at Harry before going to the door.
Rebecca put a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder and fixed him with a kind smile. "She's sleeping now. If she wakes up you can call us on the cell at this number." She handed him a scrap of paper before following Veronica out the door.
Harry slowly pushed open Genevieve's door and sat next to her bed. She lay still and restful but he was uncomfortable and bored. On the bed side table were several books Harry found himself perusing. They were photo scrapbooks of wizard origin and Harry was soon engrossed in the pictures which started their documentation process back when James and Genevieve were children.
Pictures of James and Genevieve on the floor would have looked like normal baby pictures had Genevieve not constantly changed from a little girl to a puppy then a beach ball in succession. There were pictures of them laughing and playing, others of them studying, but always together.
When James looked about 8 a new figure held a pre-dominant place in the photographs. He could be none other than a young Sirius Black. The trio seemed inseparable and their antics caught on film made Harry laugh out loud, particularly one in which an entire crate of filibuster fireworks had accidentally gone off. Sirius ran to the left of the frame while being pursued by a glowing blue star, but he succeeded in finding shelter behind a tree. James and Genevieve weren't as fortunate and were dodging the flashes of light from every direction. Suddenly an unexploded rocket was flung toward James' head. Genevieve saw it in time and jumped in front of it, taking the brunt of the blow before she transformed into a boulder James could hide behind. 'I guess she has been protecting Potters for a long time,' Harry mused, 'even from themselves.' As the subjects in the pictures aged their antics evolved into good natured pranks. Only one picture stood out in stark contrast to the others in this book. The last one was pasted on gray paper and featured a black car by which stood James and Sirius. Their emotions seemed a mixture of excitement and sadness as they loaded up their Hogwarts trunks and bid farewell to Genevieve.
The next book held less pictures and more letters. Some of them from James others Sirius writing to Genevieve, keeping her up to date on their latest exploits. A few pictures of the 'Marauders' showed how quickly they aged while away from home. Pretty soon a fifth figure became ever present when referring to the Marauders, Lily Evans, to whom James was quite attached. Christmas break of James' seventh year held the largest section in this book. The central figure in these pictures however was a small baby boy with dark hair. At first Harry thought this was his own baby picture until he realized the timing would be wrong. Who was this child every one fawned over so many years ago, Harry asked himself.
Genevieve began to toss and turn in bed. He laid the book, still open to that page, on the bed stand and leaned over for a closer look at her fluttering eyes.
"James." Genevieve whispered. "I'm so glad you're here." Her eyes opened and closed several times before she bolted out of bed and ran out of the room. Harry followed her into the couch lined entertainment room to find her pacing the floor deep in thought and muttering to herself.
"Where is Becca and Nica, are they ok? What happened.Death Eaters, yes I remember they wanted the watches and the coins." She stopped in front of the bookcase before realizing Harry stood next to them. "Oh Harry. What are you doing here? Never mind, no time for that now. Come with me." Instead of heading for the front door she pulled an old and dusty book off the shelf which unlocked a secret passageway behind the poster of Hilarious Harrison and she forged the way inside.
This hallway was short and narrow, leading directly to a circular room with eight doors. Upon each door was a frame that held only black canvas, or so it seemed. When they approached the one Genevieve wanted the faint outline of an old wizard guarding a rickety bridge came into view. As it solidified and gained detail the wizard looked the worse for it. His long gray hair was matted with leaves and sticks. One green eye and one blue eye stared at them unable to focus properly and his voice crackled when he spoke.
"What is your name?" it asked sharply.
"King Arthur of Camelot." Genevieve replied to Harry's surprise.
"What is your quest?" The picture inquired.
"I seek the Holy Grail." This time recognition dawned on Harry as he remembered these lines from a movie he'd seen years ago.
"What is the average velocity of an un-laden swallow?"
"African or European?" Genevieve answered the question with another.
"I don't know?" The old wizard said before being flung into the air and into a deep ravine. The door clicked open to admit them.
In answer to Harry's inquiring eyes Genevieve just laughed. "Can you think of better way to keep muggle hating wizards out than to base the password on muggle pop culture and movies?" Harry shrugged and inwardly laughed as he imagined Draco Malfoy trying to answer those movie referenced questions correctly.
The room behind the door held the perfect blend of magical objects and modern technology. Stacks of computers, fax machines, and palm pilots covered a large table. Interspersed between them were objects that would have felt at home in Dumbledore's office. Harry recognized a pensieve, several sneak-o-scopes, and a moving model of planets and stars in addition to other objects he'd never seen before. A shiny orb that hovered over the table changed colors periodically.
Genevieve passed these objects with out a second glance while heading straight for the book shelf on the opposite side. Harry watched closely as she opened book after book before each fell to the floor in frustration. When the pile reached her shins she gave a victory yell.
"They didn't get them!" The 'Complete Works of Shakespeare' she held up had been hollowed out to allow just enough room for several objects. Four traveler's watches, a small vial holding brown liquid, and the glass box in which she kept her most powerful coin disks were tucked safely inside. She put them down next to a computer and logged onto the internet giving Harry a few minutes to look around.
What most intrigued him at the moment was an ornate frame whose still pictures rotated every ten seconds. It showed Harrison on stage performing to a large audience who seemed to be enjoying themselves, followed by more of him in this apartment playing with a small baby. Then the subject changed completely to a Christmas scene. These were the pictures he'd seen in the scrapbook by Genevieve's bedside. Harry let out an audible gasp which caught Genevieve's attention.
"What is it?" Genevieve swiveled around in her chair in time to glimpse the holiday picture. It was followed by one of a younger Genevieve tickling a black haired two year old on the ground, laughing hysterically herself.
"Freeze picture." She commanded, and the slideshow paused on this one.
"That's not me is it?" Harry asked, though he knew it wasn't.
"No." Genevieve took a deep breath and let the air out with an audible sigh. "That was Justin. He would have been your uncle, your dad's half brother by Mr. Potter's second marriage." Genevieve was still tired and weak, but met Harry's curious gaze and could not refuse him information about his past, no matter how painful it was to remember or how long she'd spent trying to forget.
"I didn't know I have an uncle on my dad's side." Harry said returning to the photo.
"Voldemort killed him and your grandparents before you were born. My parents and I were at Lily's birthday party. Mr. Potter insisted we stay and help while he went home. How I wish we hadn't listened to him that time." Genevieve's voice had risen in pitch considerably since the beginning of the story.
"After they..died the ministry accused us of supporting Voldemort because of it." Her breath came in gasps now as she fought back tears. "I think I told you the rest last year." She turned away to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
"Yes, you did." Harry tried to sound consoling, but didn't have the best track record in the area of soothing crying women. "Thank you."
"What for?"
"For treating me like an adult and not hiding the unpleasant things in my past from me."
"Well, if I may quote your mother, 'people make better decisions coming from a position of information'. Besides you've been through more in the last five years than most adults do in a lifetime. I don't know any other way to treat you." Harry smiled adoringly at this woman, glad that he'd given Sirius his blessing to date her.
"Sirius said he'd be back by midnight, but it fifteen after." Harry changed the subject to more pressing matters. "I'd like to go after him, but I don't know where this 'community center' is."
"That walk would be too far for me, but I'd rather not be alone right now." Genevieve faced the computer again and quickly produced a map to lead Harry from the apartment building to their destination. She pulled one of the travelers watches out of the book, placed it on a long chain which she hung around Harry's neck. "Use this only in case of emergency by imagining this apartment and clicking the button." She opened the watch, it read 11:00, then shut it again.
Harry followed Genevieve out of the secret room and to the refrigerator where she found and drank more of her orange potion. She grabbed her black bag and cloak from the hall closet before shape shifting into a walking stick. Harry was impressed with her creativity as the stick was finely carved in a pattern of ivy interwoven with Calla lilies. He fastened the clasp on his own cloak before taking the walking stick in one hand and the map and his wand in the other, prepared for most anything.
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Sirius, following Elden, moved quietly in the dark of night toward the community center. He knew the plan in theory but wasn't sure it would work. It was his job to sit inconspicuously by while Rebecca and Veronica made their appearance, then watch out for Death Eaters. Elden would use his 'people skills' to make inquiries around then they would meet back at the apartment in two hours for a debriefing. Sirius knew the plan was full of holes and dangers, but hadn't been able to think of a better one so Veronica took charge. She hadn't let him call her by the nick name 'Nica' like everyone else and seemed to keep him as far from her as possible at all times.
Why is Genevieve such good friends with a vampire anyway, Sirius thought to himself, at least he didn't remember saying it out loud. Ahead Elden stopped short and grabbed Sirius' arm when he caught up.
"You of all people should understand that, young man." Elden resumed walking as though he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.
"W-w-what is that supposed to mean?" Sirius was bewildered.
"Genevieve's friendship with Veronica, and Rebecca for that matter!" Elden answered. Sirius felt as though he had walked into some one else's conversation at the end, with no back ground information, only the punch- line.
"It's good for her to have friends." Sirius tried to say nonchalantly. Elden tapped the side of his nose and raised his eye brows, giving his walking companion a knowing stare.
"If it makes you feel better, she did not seek out magical friends. In fact, she was vehemently opposed to the idea in the beginning. She didn't want anyone to find out about what she was. But life tends to draw similar things together, doesn't it." Elden stopped to look up at the sky. "There is a beautiful order to life and a delicate balance that the earth seems to keep in check by maintaining that order. In our case life grouped four misfits and outcasts to create a safe place for all who find themselves in a similar situation. Those three have been united in bettering the lives of people around them for nearly twelve years. That is why they are 'such good friends anyway'."
Sirius accepted the explanation with new appreciation for what Genevieve had done since leaving England, but was unnerved by Elden's timing for bringing it up. 'I must have said it out loud. For an old wizard, he has excellent hearing', Sirius was thinking to himself again while making a conscious effort to keep his lips shut. Next to him Elden laughed.
The community center was a large building with attractive architecture. A curved wall covered in glass beautifully reflected the city lights below them while the multi-tiered roof blended delightfully with the Rocky Mountains behind. Around back sat an unused trash bin behind a gate. Elden ignored no trespassing signs by stepping through a crack in the gate and then through the back wall. Sirius followed relieved that the wall gave way like the platforms in Kings Cross station. McNally Alley would have been better called a dead-end. Only four shops faced him, a robes shop, and a bookstore on the left side of the street; a catch-all knick knack shop and a bar on the other. They went into the bar and sat in the darkest unoccupied corner.
"I'm supposed to be on the look-out for something strange in this lot?" Sirius whispered to his companion, motioning to the other patrons in the bar. Indeed they were a varied bunch. One witch in a well pressed red business suit sat at the bar, while a group of wizards in their early twenties dressed all in leather except for their extraordinary amount of metal piercings argued over a scantily clad witch sitting among them. A hag hunched over a table across the room snored loudly causing the twigs and moss in her hair to vibrate.
Five wizards with their hoods up were playing poker with a sixth man wearing a zoot suit. Sirius could barely make out a man in the opposite corner from him. His cloak was exquisitely made, which is the only reason he gave this man a second look. The table he sat at, like Sirius', was as tall as the bar surrounded by stools. On the table was an wizard's chess set and the man walked around it playing both sides.
"The girls are almost here, get ready." Elden relaxed into his bar stool. A loud cackling laugh started outside the door and didn't stop as Veronica and Rebecca made their way to the bartender.
"Hey Reg, do you have what it takes to make me happy?" Veronica flirted with the bartender.
"Sure thing Nica." The man reached beneath the bar smiling and extracted a glass containing red liquid. To dark to be a Bloody Mary, Sirius thought to himself. Reg then poured some apple cider for Rebecca without her having to make an order or take his eyes off of Veronica who leaned forward and whispered in his ear.
"Tempted to take a bite Nica?" A voice sneered from across the room. One of the heavily leathered wizards approached her. "Or haven't you the stomach for it?" Veronica's previously playful attitude disappeared.
"Buzz off Rick, I'm not in the mood."
"And what would it take to get you in 'the mood'. Perhaps a little nip." He pointed to his neck and straddled the stool next to her. "Oh, I forgot, Little miss Never-Drank-Human-Blood. Let me guess, rat blood?" He sniffed her glass critically. "I thought being a vampire would loosen you up, but you're still the ice-queen you where when mortal. Social worker in life, muggle lovin' protector of the innocent in un-death". Rick leered at her.
"Since 'rat' blood is on my diet I'll feel free to get it from you." She smiled mischievously baring her fangs. "Then again, doing so would surely give me the plague." Rick backed off the stool and retreated to his friends making obscene gestures behind her back.
Elden left a few minutes later to try his avenues of finding information. Veronica and Rebecca sipped their drinks and talked absently of trivial things while scanning the crowd and watching the door. What were they waiting for, Sirius shook his head. Did they think that the Death Eaters would just walk up and introduce themselves? The wizard in the suit playing poker lost his fourth straight hand and the witch in the center of the wizards in leather left, followed by her drooling groupies. Sirius looked at his watch, two and a half hours had passed and besides Rick, no one had come near the women.
Just as Sirius was preparing to leave, several things happened at once. The door opened and Harry walked in setting off a screaming alarm that yelled, "Underage wizard, Underage wizard!" The hag by the wall woke up with a start, but in her drunken stupor only managed to fall off her stool into the chess playing wizard. As she fell grasping at thin air she uncovered six wizards who'd been conversing quietly under an invisibility cover. The men, startled out of their conversation, stared at the hag who now held their secret cloth, then at the wizard underneath her who still clutched the red queen. His hood fell off and Sirius recognized him instantly as Lucius Malfoy.
Sirius raised his wand and sprang out of his seat, causing Death Eaters to scramble for the door. Lucius shouted curses behind him and Sirius was able to dodge all but one that flung him across the room like a rag doll. Harry had backed out of the doorway after he triggered the alarm so all he could see was Sirius hitting the wall and sliding down to the floor. Lucius was as startled as Harry to see each other standing in the street, but Malfoys are known for thinking quickly on their feet. "Petrificus Totalis."
Harry was paralyzed and soon found himself floating down the street, dragged by a silvery glow emitted by Mr. Malfoy's wand. Out of the corner of his eye Harry could see Genevieve in human form peek inside the bar before running after Mr. Malfoy. As she did so her robes changed from black to blue and from her face grew long entangling white hairs. "Finite Incantatum," bellowed the voice of the pseudo Albus Dumbledore.
Harry dropped to the ground and ran into the shadows as Mr. Malfoy turned around. His already pale face grew paler when he saw the image of the headmaster and he began to run. Sirius, Veronica and Rebecca tripped out of the bar in time to see the last of the retreating Death Eaters disappear into Muggle Colorado, closely followed by a sprinting Dumbledore and Harry. The three of them ran as well and found themselves retracing their exact steps to Waterfall Drive.
"Master, we must go back to the manor." Harry heard these words, but didn't process what they, or the growing pain on his forehead, meant until he turned the corner into the alley in which he had arrived the day before. Standing in a circle were the cloaked Death Eaters, each clinging to the rumpled newspaper page. At the head of them, Lord Voldemort himself stood, one hand gripped the newspaper the other hand pointed his wand right at Harry.
When he recognized his target the Dark Lord laughed maniacally "Avada Ked", but he stopped mid word. His eyes grew large when he saw the white beard and blue eyes he knew so well. Before he could finish his curse the paper portkey pulled the group away from the scene.
Panting heavily Sirius, Veronica and Rebecca came up behind Harry who could only stand there stunned. Genevieve shed her headmaster façade and slumped to the ground exhausted. Harry clutched his chest desperately, his breathing becoming sporadic. Sirius rushed to him.
"What curse did they hit you with?" He demanded. "Maybe we can counter it." Harry shook his head, slowed his breathing and looked at Genevieve.
"I'm sorry Genevieve. They took the watch."
"I don't know what you're going on about - Genevieve is getting better isn't she. It's a good thing they came."
"Perhaps but they make me nervous." Harry could hear voices in the hallway but was unsure whether or not he was dreaming.
"Why Nica? We couldn't have done it alone."
"I was figuring out how we could. But now that a Potter is in this house there is no way we can convince her to stay. She'll go back to England and we'll never see her again!"
"Shh, keep your voice down or you'll wake Harry. Besides, we could still see her and what's so bad about her going where she'll be happy?" That was definitely Rebecca's voice.
"You saw her fears as clearly as I. She's terrified of them Becca and only going back there to alleviate her guilt."
"You don't know that. Mr. Black and Harry seem to genuinely care about her." Harry kept his eyes closed and perked his ears to hear Rebecca and Veronica better, but their conversation has momentarily quieted.
"Do we have any idea yet who attacker her Nica?"
"Alice remembers them briefly, but it's nothing more than we already know. Six men in black cloaks, hoods covering their faces, and British accents." Harry opened his eyes when Sirius' voice joined the others.
"Pardon the interruption ladies but I couldn't help but overhear. If you ask me, they sound like Death Eaters, wizard followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort."
"We didn't ask you." Veronica answered him with a glaring tone.
"You didn't ask about Genevieve's current condition either, but I'll tell you anyway. She's awake and wants to talk to you." Light footsteps retreated down the hall and Harry sat up in time to see Sirius slump into a la-z-boy.
"Feeling rested Harry?" Sirius asked.
"Yes" Harry replied stretching. Only then did he notice that someone had covered him in a soft handmade patchwork quilt.
"It seems we never get a break," Sirius sighed, "and we won't get one for a while. If Death Eaters are here I've got to find out why. Will you stay here while I see what I can dig up around town? Rebecca said the community center up the street hides an entrance to McNally Alley. Maybe someone there has a piece of the puzzle."
Sirius sighed again before extricating himself from the lounger and knocking on the first door down the hall. "Ready Elden" he called into the room. The door opened to reveal a cloaked Elden with his hood already up obscuring his face. Sirius pulled up his own hood and left with only a brief wave behind him to Harry.
Harry sunk back into the couch finally able to look around this room in detail. Plush couches lined three walls. Two stacks of boxes labeled baby toys/clothes cluttered the other wise empty center floor. The focal point of the room was an extended entertainment center which consisted of two bookshelves between which hung a huge flat screen television on the wall. The book shelves held mostly movies, tapes and DVD's in addition to the hardware to play them but there were some books. To the right of the book shelves was a life-size framed muggle poster of a man wearing a multicolored jester costume frozen in mid-juggle. "The Amazing and Hilarious Harrison- Jester/Magician. To perform Feb 4, 5, and 7 . . ." A billing poster for Genevieve's late husband.
"Get away from there" Veronica pulled Harry away from the poster then examined it somewhat suspicious he damaged it in some way.
"Ahem. Nica." Rebecca walked up behind Veronica and gave her a reproving look. Veronica forced a smile at Harry before going to the door.
Rebecca put a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder and fixed him with a kind smile. "She's sleeping now. If she wakes up you can call us on the cell at this number." She handed him a scrap of paper before following Veronica out the door.
Harry slowly pushed open Genevieve's door and sat next to her bed. She lay still and restful but he was uncomfortable and bored. On the bed side table were several books Harry found himself perusing. They were photo scrapbooks of wizard origin and Harry was soon engrossed in the pictures which started their documentation process back when James and Genevieve were children.
Pictures of James and Genevieve on the floor would have looked like normal baby pictures had Genevieve not constantly changed from a little girl to a puppy then a beach ball in succession. There were pictures of them laughing and playing, others of them studying, but always together.
When James looked about 8 a new figure held a pre-dominant place in the photographs. He could be none other than a young Sirius Black. The trio seemed inseparable and their antics caught on film made Harry laugh out loud, particularly one in which an entire crate of filibuster fireworks had accidentally gone off. Sirius ran to the left of the frame while being pursued by a glowing blue star, but he succeeded in finding shelter behind a tree. James and Genevieve weren't as fortunate and were dodging the flashes of light from every direction. Suddenly an unexploded rocket was flung toward James' head. Genevieve saw it in time and jumped in front of it, taking the brunt of the blow before she transformed into a boulder James could hide behind. 'I guess she has been protecting Potters for a long time,' Harry mused, 'even from themselves.' As the subjects in the pictures aged their antics evolved into good natured pranks. Only one picture stood out in stark contrast to the others in this book. The last one was pasted on gray paper and featured a black car by which stood James and Sirius. Their emotions seemed a mixture of excitement and sadness as they loaded up their Hogwarts trunks and bid farewell to Genevieve.
The next book held less pictures and more letters. Some of them from James others Sirius writing to Genevieve, keeping her up to date on their latest exploits. A few pictures of the 'Marauders' showed how quickly they aged while away from home. Pretty soon a fifth figure became ever present when referring to the Marauders, Lily Evans, to whom James was quite attached. Christmas break of James' seventh year held the largest section in this book. The central figure in these pictures however was a small baby boy with dark hair. At first Harry thought this was his own baby picture until he realized the timing would be wrong. Who was this child every one fawned over so many years ago, Harry asked himself.
Genevieve began to toss and turn in bed. He laid the book, still open to that page, on the bed stand and leaned over for a closer look at her fluttering eyes.
"James." Genevieve whispered. "I'm so glad you're here." Her eyes opened and closed several times before she bolted out of bed and ran out of the room. Harry followed her into the couch lined entertainment room to find her pacing the floor deep in thought and muttering to herself.
"Where is Becca and Nica, are they ok? What happened.Death Eaters, yes I remember they wanted the watches and the coins." She stopped in front of the bookcase before realizing Harry stood next to them. "Oh Harry. What are you doing here? Never mind, no time for that now. Come with me." Instead of heading for the front door she pulled an old and dusty book off the shelf which unlocked a secret passageway behind the poster of Hilarious Harrison and she forged the way inside.
This hallway was short and narrow, leading directly to a circular room with eight doors. Upon each door was a frame that held only black canvas, or so it seemed. When they approached the one Genevieve wanted the faint outline of an old wizard guarding a rickety bridge came into view. As it solidified and gained detail the wizard looked the worse for it. His long gray hair was matted with leaves and sticks. One green eye and one blue eye stared at them unable to focus properly and his voice crackled when he spoke.
"What is your name?" it asked sharply.
"King Arthur of Camelot." Genevieve replied to Harry's surprise.
"What is your quest?" The picture inquired.
"I seek the Holy Grail." This time recognition dawned on Harry as he remembered these lines from a movie he'd seen years ago.
"What is the average velocity of an un-laden swallow?"
"African or European?" Genevieve answered the question with another.
"I don't know?" The old wizard said before being flung into the air and into a deep ravine. The door clicked open to admit them.
In answer to Harry's inquiring eyes Genevieve just laughed. "Can you think of better way to keep muggle hating wizards out than to base the password on muggle pop culture and movies?" Harry shrugged and inwardly laughed as he imagined Draco Malfoy trying to answer those movie referenced questions correctly.
The room behind the door held the perfect blend of magical objects and modern technology. Stacks of computers, fax machines, and palm pilots covered a large table. Interspersed between them were objects that would have felt at home in Dumbledore's office. Harry recognized a pensieve, several sneak-o-scopes, and a moving model of planets and stars in addition to other objects he'd never seen before. A shiny orb that hovered over the table changed colors periodically.
Genevieve passed these objects with out a second glance while heading straight for the book shelf on the opposite side. Harry watched closely as she opened book after book before each fell to the floor in frustration. When the pile reached her shins she gave a victory yell.
"They didn't get them!" The 'Complete Works of Shakespeare' she held up had been hollowed out to allow just enough room for several objects. Four traveler's watches, a small vial holding brown liquid, and the glass box in which she kept her most powerful coin disks were tucked safely inside. She put them down next to a computer and logged onto the internet giving Harry a few minutes to look around.
What most intrigued him at the moment was an ornate frame whose still pictures rotated every ten seconds. It showed Harrison on stage performing to a large audience who seemed to be enjoying themselves, followed by more of him in this apartment playing with a small baby. Then the subject changed completely to a Christmas scene. These were the pictures he'd seen in the scrapbook by Genevieve's bedside. Harry let out an audible gasp which caught Genevieve's attention.
"What is it?" Genevieve swiveled around in her chair in time to glimpse the holiday picture. It was followed by one of a younger Genevieve tickling a black haired two year old on the ground, laughing hysterically herself.
"Freeze picture." She commanded, and the slideshow paused on this one.
"That's not me is it?" Harry asked, though he knew it wasn't.
"No." Genevieve took a deep breath and let the air out with an audible sigh. "That was Justin. He would have been your uncle, your dad's half brother by Mr. Potter's second marriage." Genevieve was still tired and weak, but met Harry's curious gaze and could not refuse him information about his past, no matter how painful it was to remember or how long she'd spent trying to forget.
"I didn't know I have an uncle on my dad's side." Harry said returning to the photo.
"Voldemort killed him and your grandparents before you were born. My parents and I were at Lily's birthday party. Mr. Potter insisted we stay and help while he went home. How I wish we hadn't listened to him that time." Genevieve's voice had risen in pitch considerably since the beginning of the story.
"After they..died the ministry accused us of supporting Voldemort because of it." Her breath came in gasps now as she fought back tears. "I think I told you the rest last year." She turned away to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
"Yes, you did." Harry tried to sound consoling, but didn't have the best track record in the area of soothing crying women. "Thank you."
"What for?"
"For treating me like an adult and not hiding the unpleasant things in my past from me."
"Well, if I may quote your mother, 'people make better decisions coming from a position of information'. Besides you've been through more in the last five years than most adults do in a lifetime. I don't know any other way to treat you." Harry smiled adoringly at this woman, glad that he'd given Sirius his blessing to date her.
"Sirius said he'd be back by midnight, but it fifteen after." Harry changed the subject to more pressing matters. "I'd like to go after him, but I don't know where this 'community center' is."
"That walk would be too far for me, but I'd rather not be alone right now." Genevieve faced the computer again and quickly produced a map to lead Harry from the apartment building to their destination. She pulled one of the travelers watches out of the book, placed it on a long chain which she hung around Harry's neck. "Use this only in case of emergency by imagining this apartment and clicking the button." She opened the watch, it read 11:00, then shut it again.
Harry followed Genevieve out of the secret room and to the refrigerator where she found and drank more of her orange potion. She grabbed her black bag and cloak from the hall closet before shape shifting into a walking stick. Harry was impressed with her creativity as the stick was finely carved in a pattern of ivy interwoven with Calla lilies. He fastened the clasp on his own cloak before taking the walking stick in one hand and the map and his wand in the other, prepared for most anything.
**************************************************
Sirius, following Elden, moved quietly in the dark of night toward the community center. He knew the plan in theory but wasn't sure it would work. It was his job to sit inconspicuously by while Rebecca and Veronica made their appearance, then watch out for Death Eaters. Elden would use his 'people skills' to make inquiries around then they would meet back at the apartment in two hours for a debriefing. Sirius knew the plan was full of holes and dangers, but hadn't been able to think of a better one so Veronica took charge. She hadn't let him call her by the nick name 'Nica' like everyone else and seemed to keep him as far from her as possible at all times.
Why is Genevieve such good friends with a vampire anyway, Sirius thought to himself, at least he didn't remember saying it out loud. Ahead Elden stopped short and grabbed Sirius' arm when he caught up.
"You of all people should understand that, young man." Elden resumed walking as though he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.
"W-w-what is that supposed to mean?" Sirius was bewildered.
"Genevieve's friendship with Veronica, and Rebecca for that matter!" Elden answered. Sirius felt as though he had walked into some one else's conversation at the end, with no back ground information, only the punch- line.
"It's good for her to have friends." Sirius tried to say nonchalantly. Elden tapped the side of his nose and raised his eye brows, giving his walking companion a knowing stare.
"If it makes you feel better, she did not seek out magical friends. In fact, she was vehemently opposed to the idea in the beginning. She didn't want anyone to find out about what she was. But life tends to draw similar things together, doesn't it." Elden stopped to look up at the sky. "There is a beautiful order to life and a delicate balance that the earth seems to keep in check by maintaining that order. In our case life grouped four misfits and outcasts to create a safe place for all who find themselves in a similar situation. Those three have been united in bettering the lives of people around them for nearly twelve years. That is why they are 'such good friends anyway'."
Sirius accepted the explanation with new appreciation for what Genevieve had done since leaving England, but was unnerved by Elden's timing for bringing it up. 'I must have said it out loud. For an old wizard, he has excellent hearing', Sirius was thinking to himself again while making a conscious effort to keep his lips shut. Next to him Elden laughed.
The community center was a large building with attractive architecture. A curved wall covered in glass beautifully reflected the city lights below them while the multi-tiered roof blended delightfully with the Rocky Mountains behind. Around back sat an unused trash bin behind a gate. Elden ignored no trespassing signs by stepping through a crack in the gate and then through the back wall. Sirius followed relieved that the wall gave way like the platforms in Kings Cross station. McNally Alley would have been better called a dead-end. Only four shops faced him, a robes shop, and a bookstore on the left side of the street; a catch-all knick knack shop and a bar on the other. They went into the bar and sat in the darkest unoccupied corner.
"I'm supposed to be on the look-out for something strange in this lot?" Sirius whispered to his companion, motioning to the other patrons in the bar. Indeed they were a varied bunch. One witch in a well pressed red business suit sat at the bar, while a group of wizards in their early twenties dressed all in leather except for their extraordinary amount of metal piercings argued over a scantily clad witch sitting among them. A hag hunched over a table across the room snored loudly causing the twigs and moss in her hair to vibrate.
Five wizards with their hoods up were playing poker with a sixth man wearing a zoot suit. Sirius could barely make out a man in the opposite corner from him. His cloak was exquisitely made, which is the only reason he gave this man a second look. The table he sat at, like Sirius', was as tall as the bar surrounded by stools. On the table was an wizard's chess set and the man walked around it playing both sides.
"The girls are almost here, get ready." Elden relaxed into his bar stool. A loud cackling laugh started outside the door and didn't stop as Veronica and Rebecca made their way to the bartender.
"Hey Reg, do you have what it takes to make me happy?" Veronica flirted with the bartender.
"Sure thing Nica." The man reached beneath the bar smiling and extracted a glass containing red liquid. To dark to be a Bloody Mary, Sirius thought to himself. Reg then poured some apple cider for Rebecca without her having to make an order or take his eyes off of Veronica who leaned forward and whispered in his ear.
"Tempted to take a bite Nica?" A voice sneered from across the room. One of the heavily leathered wizards approached her. "Or haven't you the stomach for it?" Veronica's previously playful attitude disappeared.
"Buzz off Rick, I'm not in the mood."
"And what would it take to get you in 'the mood'. Perhaps a little nip." He pointed to his neck and straddled the stool next to her. "Oh, I forgot, Little miss Never-Drank-Human-Blood. Let me guess, rat blood?" He sniffed her glass critically. "I thought being a vampire would loosen you up, but you're still the ice-queen you where when mortal. Social worker in life, muggle lovin' protector of the innocent in un-death". Rick leered at her.
"Since 'rat' blood is on my diet I'll feel free to get it from you." She smiled mischievously baring her fangs. "Then again, doing so would surely give me the plague." Rick backed off the stool and retreated to his friends making obscene gestures behind her back.
Elden left a few minutes later to try his avenues of finding information. Veronica and Rebecca sipped their drinks and talked absently of trivial things while scanning the crowd and watching the door. What were they waiting for, Sirius shook his head. Did they think that the Death Eaters would just walk up and introduce themselves? The wizard in the suit playing poker lost his fourth straight hand and the witch in the center of the wizards in leather left, followed by her drooling groupies. Sirius looked at his watch, two and a half hours had passed and besides Rick, no one had come near the women.
Just as Sirius was preparing to leave, several things happened at once. The door opened and Harry walked in setting off a screaming alarm that yelled, "Underage wizard, Underage wizard!" The hag by the wall woke up with a start, but in her drunken stupor only managed to fall off her stool into the chess playing wizard. As she fell grasping at thin air she uncovered six wizards who'd been conversing quietly under an invisibility cover. The men, startled out of their conversation, stared at the hag who now held their secret cloth, then at the wizard underneath her who still clutched the red queen. His hood fell off and Sirius recognized him instantly as Lucius Malfoy.
Sirius raised his wand and sprang out of his seat, causing Death Eaters to scramble for the door. Lucius shouted curses behind him and Sirius was able to dodge all but one that flung him across the room like a rag doll. Harry had backed out of the doorway after he triggered the alarm so all he could see was Sirius hitting the wall and sliding down to the floor. Lucius was as startled as Harry to see each other standing in the street, but Malfoys are known for thinking quickly on their feet. "Petrificus Totalis."
Harry was paralyzed and soon found himself floating down the street, dragged by a silvery glow emitted by Mr. Malfoy's wand. Out of the corner of his eye Harry could see Genevieve in human form peek inside the bar before running after Mr. Malfoy. As she did so her robes changed from black to blue and from her face grew long entangling white hairs. "Finite Incantatum," bellowed the voice of the pseudo Albus Dumbledore.
Harry dropped to the ground and ran into the shadows as Mr. Malfoy turned around. His already pale face grew paler when he saw the image of the headmaster and he began to run. Sirius, Veronica and Rebecca tripped out of the bar in time to see the last of the retreating Death Eaters disappear into Muggle Colorado, closely followed by a sprinting Dumbledore and Harry. The three of them ran as well and found themselves retracing their exact steps to Waterfall Drive.
"Master, we must go back to the manor." Harry heard these words, but didn't process what they, or the growing pain on his forehead, meant until he turned the corner into the alley in which he had arrived the day before. Standing in a circle were the cloaked Death Eaters, each clinging to the rumpled newspaper page. At the head of them, Lord Voldemort himself stood, one hand gripped the newspaper the other hand pointed his wand right at Harry.
When he recognized his target the Dark Lord laughed maniacally "Avada Ked", but he stopped mid word. His eyes grew large when he saw the white beard and blue eyes he knew so well. Before he could finish his curse the paper portkey pulled the group away from the scene.
Panting heavily Sirius, Veronica and Rebecca came up behind Harry who could only stand there stunned. Genevieve shed her headmaster façade and slumped to the ground exhausted. Harry clutched his chest desperately, his breathing becoming sporadic. Sirius rushed to him.
"What curse did they hit you with?" He demanded. "Maybe we can counter it." Harry shook his head, slowed his breathing and looked at Genevieve.
"I'm sorry Genevieve. They took the watch."