Chapter 4: Malfoy Manor.
Remus arrived at Kingsley's office to be greeted by a very...well...sleepy sight.
Kingsley Shacklebolt sat on his chair, legs crossed on his table, a magazine in his hands to cover his face, head dropped low as he slept. His appearance would have fooled anyone if not for the loud snores Remus could hear.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE" Remus shouted.
Kingsley jumped and fell back as his chair toppled. When he regained his composure, wand in hand, he saw Remus at the door, a smile plastered across his face.
"Merlin Remus, you could've just woken me up. No need to give me a heart attack." Kingsley said. "For a moment, I thought Moody was back...than a rational side of me argued that I was being attacked"
Mad-Eye Moody was one of the many order members lost during the war.
"Work, Kingsley. We need to check-out the Malfoy Manor." Remus said moving into his office and standing in front of his table putting his hand on its rim.
"Malfoy Manor?" Kingley echoed as he looked up at his colleague.
"Yes, Malfoy Manor. Dora detected some Dark Magic there." Remus replied as he stood up straight.
"Malfoy Manor?" Kingsley said, his face showing a look between surprise and confusion.
"Come on. We need to check it out!!" Remus said getting impatient.
"Malfoy Manor?" Kingsley asked yet again, this time bearing a stupid expression.
"Yes, Malfoy Manor. WHY do you keep saying that?" Remus asked now completely irritated.
"But Remus...Malfoy Manor has been uninhibited since three years. And who'd go there...I am sure that's the first place aurors would check if anything suspicious happens." Kingsley answered putting tow and two together.
"Well, because it IS uninhibited and no one WANTS it, whoever it is thought it was the best hideout. Apparently, they weren't smart enough to realise that we cancelled the anti-detection spell on the Manor. Now don't just stand there, come on." Remus answered trying to make the other man understand.
"OK," Kingsley said taking his cloak although still unconvinced. "Let's take Severus too. He'll know what sorts of charms are placed on the Manor."
"Let's go." Remus said disapparating with a pop leaving Kingsle behind in an extremely confused state.
A minute later, both Kingsley and Remus were standing in front of Severus's cottage at Hogsmeade.
"Severus open up!!" Remus yelled while banging on the door.
After about five minutes of banging, shouting and kicking, Severus appeared looking, quite...err...dishevelled.
"Sorry to disturb you Severus, but we need to go to Malfoy Manor. NOW!!" Remus said in urgency.
"And what's so important may I ask, Lupin?" Severus snapped clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
"No time to explain now. Now come on." Remus said disapparating also leaving Severus in a very confused state.
Kingsley looked at Severus with an apologetic and curious expression before following Remus' example and disapparating.
Severus shook his head took his cloak and gave Linda a goodbye kiss before too he disapparated to the Malfoy Manor.
Remus was waiting impatiently for Severus to arrive, and when he arrived, Remus started moving towards the Manor, wand out, and said,
"Now Severus, Dora detected some Dark Magic here at the Manor..."
"And how exactly did she do it? Malfoy..."
"We cancelled the anti-detection spell when we raided the Manor," Remus snapped. That shut Severus up.
"Severus, if there's a secret passage inside..." Kingsley asked.
"Yes, there is but it will be heavily guarded." Severus said, his voice making it clear that he thought this was ridiculous. "The meeting room is right in front of it."
The three then checked the front porch, and on not finding anything dangerous, decided to go in.
"Alohomora." Remus said opening the door and walking in.
"Hard to believe that they left the front door unguarded," Kingsley said, "Let's split and check out the Manor. I don't think anyone has been here." Kingsley finished, running his finger along the living room table covered in dust.
Nearly two hours later, they had checked the Manor, but did not find any signs of life...unless you count the rats and bugs.
"I guess Tonks was wrong then. Honestly, who'd return here...to practice Dark Magic nonetheless. Everyone would know this is the first place aurors are supposed to check. Anyway, if you excuse me, I have to return home" And with that Severus left for home.
"I have to go too Remus, maybe Tonks just made a mistake." With that, Kingsley left.
Remus knew there was something wrong. Tonks could not have been mistaken...not with the fear in her eyes. He had no evidence yet, but he knew it was not a mistake. After all, absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.
"Well maybe they did know this was the first place we'd check..." Remus said trying to convince himself that it was a mistake.
As he left, Remus could have sworn he heard a voice...a human voice.
Back in the Manor, as Remus left, a voice said, "And that's why we needed to prove that there cannot be any Dark Activity here..."
With that, the anti-detection spell was put back on.
A/N: Here's Chapter 4. Thanks for the reviews.
Keep 'em coming.
Take care, bye.