FIVE YEARS LATER
It was one of those cold early autumn days that was so grey and foreboding that everyone who encountered it wished, somewhere in a vague primordial part of their brain reserved for the sixth sense, that they had never gotten out of bed and had the vague sense that this was all some nightmare of a normal day with the potential to turn really rotten at any moment. In other words, it was not pleasant. It hadn't really started raining yet and the skies looked like they really wanted to get it over with rather than wait around, but out of a perverse sense of amusement were enjoying watching everyone debate whether they should take an umbrella or not. It was the sort of thing bad British weather was likely to do and good British people were likely to complain about.
All in all, it was perfect weather for nasty doings, which is just what the six black robed men were planning while they enjoyed skulking in the alley behind Al's Grocer And Produce. It wasn't a great alley for dark deeds, being rather too wide and well lit, but one took what one could get. And it wasn't a total loss. It was, after all, nicely supplied with plenty of scenic empty cardboard packing boxes and went mostly unfrequented. And the only people who would be frequenting the alley at this time of day were exactly the ones whom the dark robed men were waiting for. Or rather, one of them was the one they were waiting for.
The back door of Al's opened and a dark haired young man stepped out followed by a blonde man who appeared to be about the same age.
"You didn't have to wait for me you know." The dark haired one was saying. "Today's your day off and what do you do? Follow me to work to see what the produce industry is like? If you're so crazy about it you could stay home and weed the garden!" His tone was amused.
"As if even you would work outside today. Besides being muggy enough to attract all the blood sucking vermin for miles around, it's going to rain any minute now." The blonde scoffed.
The men crouching behind those oh-so-convenient boxes waited excitedly for the dark haired one to near. While the two young men were clearly not enjoying the weather, their would-be-attackers were feeling very inspired by the darkness. They hadn't done any dark deeds for awhile and were relishing the idea of practicing their rusty skills on the blonde to satisfy themselves since they had been ordered to capture the dark haired one, not kill him. To be honest, they hadn't known he was here but they had been sent searching the world for him with very explicit directions. They were very disappointed with those explicit directions. They went something along the lines of "thou shalt not kill" which had always raised considerable moral and ethical dilemmas for these men, resulting in the fact that they were currently hiding in an alley in nasty weather planning on killing someone.
The dark haired target stepped into range and the black robed figures stepped into sight, revealing themselves.
"Hello Potter." It was said in the most menacing and sinister voice the head of the little group could manage and he was very proud of himself.
Harry Potter looked vaguely surprised but not at all threatened. The lead robed man was very disappointed. "Hello. And who are you? I mean, it goes without saying that you're a Death Eater, but what's your name?"
"I'm not going to tell you my name! I'm going to take you kicking and screaming to my master!"
"It's Rolf Nix, Potter. Say Nix, did you ever stop wetting the bed?"
Nix spun to face the blonde, having expected a common muggle but having received the metaphorical bucket of cold water upon hearing the familiar voice. "Malfoy?! You're supposed to be dead!"
The blonde smirked and turned to the other five Death Eaters. "Death. It's overrated I think. You'll have to tell me how you find it. Flagrate!"
Without missing a beat Potter had also drawn his wand and smoothly shot off a curse at Nix. A second later Nix' head was lying on the cement surveying his still standing body with dismay. That's the problem with British weather, he thought sourly. You think it's telling you it's ok to go ahead and make plans to go have fun and the whole time it's lying through its teeth. And that was the last thought he had.
Malfoy's victim was still cheerily burning while running around screaming and dripping fire. It had started raining and the little drops hissed spitefully as they evaporated in the heat of the flames but they didn't do any good. After having deposed of two more Death Eaters both young men turned to the hapless remaining one.
"You can kill me but my master will kill your little redhead friend!" This one expected no mercy and threw one final spiting comment before succumbing to superior spellcasting.
In the light drizzle that was finally starting to fall, the blonde turned to his companion. "We're ready. Is it time?"
A nod of assent. "It is time."
"I'm coming."
"I know."
And then the suddenly rainswept alley was bare.
Author's Notes: Not much in the way of notes for this chapter except I hope you continue to review. Thanks!