Too Close to Home

It's been four years since Sylvia came to England. At this moment, she wishes she came more often. She looks out the window, just as she had when she had that trip. But the site was not of green fields. Sylvia and her family were in a grave yard for her brother, William's, funeral.
None of it made any since to her. From what she heard, it was a gas explosion. Sylvia did not think so. She saw the site. It didn't look like an explosion made from gas. Others were killed in the blast, including his friend Derick.
"We're here," said her father. His voice was soft and weak. Her mother couldn't speak at all.
They exited the car and walked up the path that would take them to where her brother was to be buried. Words were being said, but Sylvia did not hear them. She thought more about what she heard compared to what she saw.
Words said to her long ago came to her mind, "There's a wizard out there killing people."
'Was it him? Was this wizard the one that killed her brother along with the others? Or was it a follower?'
Deep down, she knew that she had to find some answers to those questions. And there was only one way she can find out.

****

Sylvia walks down the pavement in her green jacket. It took her a while, but she found the place in London that she was looking for. "The Leaky Cauldron"
She looks at the sign nervously. She never seen anything else besides Hogwarts, and she doesn't know how to get about things without attracting too much attention.
Taking a deep breath, Sylvia opens the door and enters.
The room was packed with people in all sorts of clothing. Some in the style of the middle ages, and others in a style that would date back to the 1800's. Sylvia didn't feel too much out of place with her jacket on. The room was buzzing with excitement.
At first Sylvia didn't know as to what to do till the man behind the counter spook to her. "What can I do for you?"
Sylvia smiled at the man and went over to the counter, "Um, I was.. I was wondering if you might know where I could get the news paper."
"News paper? You mean the Daily Prophet?"
"Yea."
"Sure thing. I'll let you have my copy of it. I'm done with it anyways." He reached under the counter and pulled it out, "More than happy to spread the news. Perhaps it would put a smile to your face. Would you like anything to drink?"
Sylvia took the paper, very much glad to get one, "Yes, um.. What do you have?"
The man gave off a listing of what they have. Sylvia was at a complete lost as to what to have. All of them sounded interesting. "What do people usually have?"
"Butterbeer is a popular drink. Would you like that?"
"Sure."
"Just five knuts."
"Knuts?"
Sylvia can tell that the man figured that she didn't know what she was doing. He leaned in, "You don't know all that much about this world do you?"
Sylvia felt foolish, "Only how to get in."
"I see, well, the names Tom," said Tom as he reached out his hand to her.
Sylvia shook his hand, "Sylvia."
"Sylvia? That's a pretty name. I'll let this one be on the house. You'll have to go to Gringotts to get your money exchanged." Tom turned to get her drink.
"Where would that be?"
Placing the bottle on the counter, Tom replied, "It's down Diagon Alley. When you're ready I'll show you how to get there."
"Thank you." Sylvia was very glad that Tom was willing to help her out. If he was anything like the people that were giving her dark looks, like they were about to place a cures on her, then it would have been a different story.
Sylvia couldn't find an empty table. So she figured that it would be best to find a friendly face and ask if she could sit with them. Even that proved to be a problem. It seemed as though everyone else had thought way ahead of her and took up all the seats away from dark faces.
"My bad for coming at noon."
Finally she spotted a possibility. At a table in the corner of the room was seated a man with graying hair. He was smoking a pipe and looking around the room with suspicion on his face. He had the whole table to himself and there were two chairs there.
Sylvia wasn't sure if it would be a wise move. It could be that he's waiting for someone. She took another look around the room, and walked over, "Excuse me."
The man immediately looked right at her with the same expression.
"Hi, can I sit.. use one of these chairs?"
The man pulled the pipe out of his mouth and used that to point at one of the chairs. "Go ahead."
"Thank you."
Sylvia relaxed a little when he said that. She sat down and began reading the paper. It wasn't long before she found out what all of the excitement in the room was about. The wizard she had heard about was destroyed. It went on about a boy named Harry Potter and that it was because of him that "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" was gone. What was really interesting was the fact that the boy is a baby. Seems like there was more to the story.
Sylvia took notice of the date. It was the night before her brother was killed. She searched the paper more, but didn't see anything about any kind of explosion. The only other interesting things in there were about how the Aurors were tracking down Death Eaters. It didn't take long for her to figure that the Aurors must be the wizards' version of police and the Death Eaters must be the followers of that creep.
Sylvia put the paper on the table with disappointment and opened her drink.
"Didn't find what you were looking for?"
Sylvia looked at the man with a surprised look, "How did you know."
"You had the look of someone on a mission," said the man with a look of amusement, "I noticed your conversation with Tom there."
"Lip read?"
"Of coarse," a smile popped onto the man's face, "I didn't get all of it, but from what I did get was that you had no idea as to what you were getting into, but you seemed determined to not be frightened away. Am I correct so far?"
Sylvia took another gulp of her butterbeer and was very glad that it tasted sweet. "Are you one of these Arro guys they mentioned in the news paper? Oh, sorry.." she lifts the page, "Auror."
The man chuckled, "Alright then Sylvia what's this you're after?"
"Hold it. You know my name but I don't know yours."
"Forgive me, my name is Alastor Moody."
"Now, why are you so interested in why I'm here?"
"I have my reasons."
"Such as."
Alastor leans in to get closer. Sylvia leans in as well to hear what he has to say.
"It's because I thought it to be rather interesting for a muggle to come walking into a place like this not knowing what to ask for, just four days after You-Know-Who was brought down. And seeing that your eyes are dark and red, something had happened that made you cry."
Sylvia had the sudden urge to hit this guy over the head with her drink. Who is he to comment how she looks?
"Further more, you put down the paper as though disappointed. Anything you were looking for?"
With a lot of sarcasm, Sylvia said, "Yea, anything on an explosion that took out eleven people?"
"Twelve," said Alastor as he leans back.
"What?"
"Twelve people were killed in that. One was a wizard. Anybody you knew was in there?"
Sylvia was surprised at this information, "My brother."
"I see."
A knot was building in her chess, "Do.. do anybody know how did it?"
"Yes we do," said Alastor. Sylvia can tell by the look on his face that there was a lot of disappointment involved, "Sirius Black."
"WHAT!?"
"I will take it that you knew him as well," said Alastor as he rose from his seat, "I must be going now. Good day to you." He walked across the room towards a black wizard that was standing by a door.
'Good day my eye,' thought Sylvia. She was not at all happy with what she had just discovered. Not paying to much attention, Sylvia rose from her seat and was going for the door. She shoved past a wizard that was just getting to his feet.
"Excuse me. Just what do you think of shoving me like that?" said the wizard in the rudest ways ever.
Sylvia was taken aback from the statement, "I'm sorry, but the place was crowded, and I needed to get by."
"So you think that you have the right to push me?"
"No."
The man stepped forward to tower over her, "I can smell muggle filth a mile away." Sylvia felt her face flush with rage as he spook, "You best watch your step or"
"Richard!" hissed a wizard that was still seated.
Richard turned and saw that Alastor and the man he was with were looking at him, and had their wands out. With one final look, he went on his way. Sylvia at that moment noticed that she left her drink at the table and went back to get it and the paper. She glanced at Tom while she was heading out and can tell by the look on his face that he was relieved that nothing happened.


****

"That was a close call for her." Said the black wizard Alastor was talking to.
Alastor said, "Perhaps a little too close. Let's head on back now."
The two went over to the fireplace and used the Flu Powder to get back to the Ministry.
"Just when exactly do we bring him in?"
"As soon as we get enough evidence, Kingsley. I don't' intend to bring him up to court only to have him get through our grasp like so many have already. Now don't say anymore till we get upstairs."
They stepped onto the lift and pushed the button for level two. Some wizards and witches came on and off, along with some owls carrying memos. The owls perched themselves on polls that lined the sides of the lift.
Level two came and they stepped off the lift. They went down the corridor to the one that lead to the Auror Headquarters. There they came to the room that was filled with cubicles.
Alastor went into his cubicle to look at what mail had came in. It wasn't long till he started hearing Kingsley. "Ag, why do they have to do their droppings here? Don't they have a place to go to to do this sort of thing?"
Alastor just ignores the droppings the owls would leave behind. He just went through the mail to find out if there was anything interesting. There was nothing of the sort so he just tossed them to the side.
Kingsley peered over into Alastor's cubicle, "So what are we going to be doing about Mr. Qwall?"
Alastor had Kingsley enter the cubicle before answering. "The bad part to all of this is the fact that we do not have anything to go on. As of right now that is."
The look in his eyes showed that he had confidence that they would be able to bring him in.
"Hey Alastor," said a man that just popped his head around the corner, "You have a moment?"
"Right with you Evan," Alastor rose from his seat to find out what he has to say.
Kingsley said, "Guess what Rosier."
"I know, I know, I owe you 50 G. That would be the last time I make a bet with you."
Kingsley chuckled.
Alastor followed Evan to a corner of the room.
"You found anything?"
"Not yet," said Evan, "But I have some bad news."
"What's that?"
"Someone had stolen some files."
"What!" Alastor almost hissed the word. "Someone has been breaking into the file cabinets?"
"It appears that way. Cause I know that I've put some in there last night and now their gone."
This was almost too much for Alastor. Death Eaters are slipping through his fingers and files are disappearing. "How in the world is this happening?"
"I don't know."
"It must be an insider. Investigate into this you hear."
"I will."

****

Sylvia never felt more frustrated in her life. Well, except that time with her ex. She thought for sure that she would feel better knowing what really happened. But what she found out only made her madder.
Sirius Black was the very same boy that helped her out back at Hogwarts. He did not at all strike her as the sort of person that would go out and do a mass murder. But then she remember some words she over heard.

"But he almost got a student killed."

He never did tell her what happened. Sirius said that it concerns a friend of his. As Sylvia thought more and more on the matter, the more she feels that it could not have been him. But that man, Alastor, seemed so convinced. Did he really do it, or did he not? Sylvia knows that this is going to bother her for some time.
Sylvia looks down at the Daily Prophet that sat on the table in front of her. The Aurors are tracking down the Death Eaters that are still at large. A feeling filled inside her. The need to do something. Sylvia wanted to help them track down these people.