Author's communicate: This chapters are still being fixed, so it'll be constantly updated. Many of the characters here belongs to JK Rowling, which I kindly borrow. They're not mine. For the originals (created by me) any similarity with anyone you know… Just coincidence!

Author's communicate2: As the chapter is very large, it didn't fit in here, so I had to break it in two.

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1.2. The Starless Sky

- Did you find anything ? - asked Mr. Mills.

Mr. Mills was the man in charge of the control of the other workers at the Ministry. Of course there was no such section nor such duty, but still he would do it anyway. He was the kind of guy always ready to please the Minister - he had a deep thirst for power, they said - and was always around the Ministry up to find anyone who might be working badly or even breaking a simple rule as for walking by the Ministry in bare feet. He would certainly take the unhappy news directly to the minister, Jonathan Brownswille. Mr. Taylor didn't bother raising his eyes from the mysterious parchments. He had been working on that all day, and even so he had found nothing.

- I'm afraid I didn't, Mr. Mills. It's complicated dark magic as I've never seen before. - Philip said, still examining the words he could not figure the meaning.

Mr. Mills smirked. He liked to taunt people when no one in higher position was listening.

- What, Mr. Taylor, have you lost your touch ? I think your wife might be draining your energy away from you… Or should we blame your son ? Yes, I heard he was born last night. - he said, his eyes shining with excitement.

- It seems, Mr. Mills, you've been well informed on the subject. - Philip said, still not looking up at Mills.

Though inside he wanted to jinx the guy, he wouldn't do it. He knew it was exactly what the man wanted. Mr. Mills seemed quite disappointed now.

- With some luck, you might find out what's this rubbish all about - he said, motioning the parchments Philip was working on.

- Don't worry, I'm a lucky man. - Mr. Taylor replied.

Mills shook his shoulders - probably proving himself he did not care - and left. Taylor sighed in relief.

- Was he giving you a hard time ? - asked Nathalie Cork, who was assistant to the Minister. Mills wanted to take her place.

- As always. How are you doing, Nathalie ? - Taylor asked. Nathalie smiled. It made no sense for the two of them to be so formal, since both of them had worked together several times.

- I'm fine, Philip. Actually, what brings me here is to congratulate you for your recently born son. - she said.

While she spoke she organized the fat pile of reports he wrote about other dark magic artifacts during the week. Nathalie had this ability of doing both things - organizing and talking - at same time, as a Dark Wizard has the ability to lie and betray. Philip smiled:

- I thank you. I didn't expect this news to spread so fast.

He finally rose his eyes to meet hers. Nathalie smiled while she read his report about "Cursed Book of Curses - The Curses the World Forgot" - it had a bunch of valuable information about ancient curses, those no one else used any longer. Because of that, many forgotten curses had no shield nowadays, for the counter-curse was forgotten as well.

- It's not only bad news which spread that fast! - she said.

Then her expression became more serious.

- Philip… You found the book of ancient curses in the house of Phyleas Monarsin ? - she asked.

Philip took the report and read it again.

- Yes, I did. Why ? - he asked, curious.

He handed her back the report. She sighed:

- It's just odd. That man used to come to my house when I was fourteen years old. Dad and he used to be friends. Are you going to take him to Azkaban ? - Philip looked at her.

- Well, not without a deep investigation. He's forbidden to leave the country, though. - he replied.

- Good… I'll talk to dad about it. - she said, adding the Monarsin report to the pile - Wow… You've been busy.

- Oh, yes. There's a lot more over there. - he said, indicating a large cabinet which seemed to be extremely full with books and artifacts of all kinds.

She looked surprised.

- Well, I'll leave you to your work then. Good luck with those parchments. - she said, setting off with the reports to the Minister.

Philip looked at his watch.

- Ah, I'm late! - he snapped.

He put the parchments back to the vault safely and left his office, knocking at Weasley's door. George opened the door and smiled:

- You're leaving ?

Philip nodded.

- Yes. Please, warn the guards. - he asked - I'm going home - he added, a pleasant expression on his face.