Chapter 9
"Voir Dire"
By Old Scout
Mrs. Peach had followed Inspector Clayson into the van assuming he would make the proper choice. She'd been in shock. She'd just watched two girls in her care, her girls, involved in a deadly fight. She knew at least one of them had actually killed a man. How had this happened? Why didn't any of them see this coming? Somebody should have noticed before now what these little girls were being taught at that horrible school.
Then they started talking about wizards and magic. What? The inspector was playing along with them seeing where this strange woman, Buffy Summers, what kind of mother actually named her daughter 'Buffy' was taking them. Her strange story about wizard cops called "Ours" and evil wizards called "Death Eaters" made no sense at all. Why would these people be attacking a bunch of young women at a funeral? She still hadn't figured out what happened to Ms. Rosenberg or that little girl but things had become so confusing they could have gone anywhere.
Now here she was standing in a phone box with seven other people. How they could all fit into the box, she had no idea; it had to be some kind of optical illusion.
"Watch your hands and elbows." The woman with the crutches said. What the hell did that mean? The floor of the phone booth dropped away carrying the group with it.
"—"
The wooden desk shuddered and stretched as Minister Fudged held out a satchel of scrolls placing them on the newly expanded top. He sighed as he watched a gold emergency tube zip through the impossible twists of the run as it carried the report of the latest prank. It came to the end of its run with a woosh and a pop and flew across his office. Landing with a loud clang it rolled the final meters coming to a rest at his feet.
The report made no sense. Details were still sketchy but apparently Death Eaters had attacked a muggle funeral. Why would they do such a thing? The magic detection spells had picked up numerous aparations into the muggle cemetery and even, dear Merlin, a killing curse. An Auror First Response team was already en route but it was going to be awhile before their first reports would be posted.
Fudge paced across the old stone floor of his office, the leather soles of his purple shoes making a soft scuffing noise until he reached the area rug under his desk. He read the scroll for a third time before removing his bowler and holding the hat out toward the rack. One of the carved wooden birds perched on the rack woke up and took the hat in its beak.
A crystal ball rolled from its ring and crossed the desk, thumping over documents and crushing a half of a peanut butter and pumpkin sandwich he'd been saving for later. The ball rolled directly in front of him and started to glow.
"This had better be good." Fudge nearly growled at the ball. "You just ruined my lunch."
"Sorry sir," The face of a young Wizard appeared in the ball. Fudge thought he recognized him as the new Watch Wizard training in the visitors' atrium. "You, ah, have visitors who insist on seeing you right now."
"I don't remember having any appointments scheduled for today."
The minister paled when he heard the next words out of the ball. "Tell Fudgey we're coming up like it or not, unless he wants to do this here in the lobby."
"Send them up."
"But, Sir, they're…" the Watch Wizard started.
"I know who and what they are. Get an Auror to escort them and send them up." Cornelius Fudge sat heavily into his chair and tapped the crystal ball with his wand. "Mrs. Sapoesser, there are some people coming up to visit me, please show them in as soon as they arrive."
"Yes, Min…" The Secwitchtary started to reply but Fudge tapped the ball cutting her off and sending it rolling back to its corner.
Fudge looked at the report still clutched in his hand and back at the crystal ball. Were Miss Summer's visit and this attack somehow related? He remembered reading a report that a local slayer had been killed recently, but that was their lot in life. He really didn't pay much attention to it. He had more on his mind; some of the elite Wizarding families had been putting pressure on him to quiet the rumors of recent Death Eater attacks against muggles. Many wanted him to declare that acts against muggles should not be referred to as attacks at all, it made Wizards sound uncivilized which, of course, was unthinkable.
According to the old blood Wizarding families, the word "prank" was much better for describing these rare and random incidences against muggles. In fact there were efforts to make the change official. If passed, the word "prank" would be used in all Ministry communication concerning ALL magical encounters between Wizards and muggles. There was even a defamation of family character suit pending against the Quibbler for using the word "attack" in a story about a convicted Death Eater hexing muggles.
What would Miss Summers think of the new terminology? Not much he guessed. Muggles like Buffy Summers and her ilk took things too literally and rarely tried to see things from another's point of view. In the small Wizarding world, society and family reputation meant something and the impact of a poorly chosen word could ruin a family's reputation for generations. Loss of reputation would affect social standing and one's ability to earn a living. A family name was guarded and protected vigorously and to infer that a family was lowering itself to acknowledging that muggles were relevant enough to do something more then play a prank of them was just unthinkable.
Commotion could be heard outside the office door. Finally Mrs. Sapoesser pushed the door open and stepped in to the room. "Minister Fudge, your visitors have arrived."
The first through the door as expected was Miss Summers, but what he wasn't expecting was the number of people following her. First in was the other Chosen One, Faith; she was walking with a crutch and had one of her legs in a cast and an arm in a sling. Next to Faith was a short thin man with closely cut hair; he wore a long back trench coat over a dark suit. The next pair was a man and a woman also in muggle clothing. The man was older then the others with closely cropped salt and pepper hair; he wore a tan trench coat over a dark suit. Next was a middle aged woman with plain brown hair tied back away from her face. She wore a dark brown suit. Finally came two young women he recognized from their first meeting not so long ago. Great, he had four slayers and apparently three muggles standing in his office. How could this get any worse? Mrs. Sapoesser was closing the door when a gloved hand reached through the opening and stopped her. As she stepped through the opening, ice blue eyes peered out from a slightly cocked head and stared at the Minister. Yes, it could get worse.
Why was this group, except for the creature, all wearing black? Fudge looked at the report he was still holding. Great.
"Hey, Fudgey." Miss Summers said. "Can you guess why we're here?" Her words were light, but her tone wasn't.
"Miss Summers, what were you thinking exposing more muggles to our world?" Fudge replied. "We have an agreement, there are procedures."
The group was spreading out into the room. The one least interested in the conversation was Illyria. She immediately broke off and began examining the contents of nearby shelves.
"Excuse me." One of the muggles held up a badge. "I'm Inspector Clayson with the London police department. I need answers and I need them now. What is going on here? Who are you people? And what do you have to do with the attack at the cemetery and the death of Miss Sarah O'Malley?" Ever since they got into the van, these people had been telling him about witches and wizards. He still didn't believe them, but as he looked around this strange office he was starting to have his doubts.
"Miss Summers, we can't have this." Fudge said turning back to the blond. He didn't know what to do. How'd he get stuck in here alone with four slayers, three muggles and the creature?
"This is the Ministry of Magic." The slayer named Faith informed Inspector Clayson.
"And he is?" Clayson turned to Agent Johnson.
"Oh, sorry I forgot the introductions." Buffy said. "Everybody, this is Cornelius Fudge, he's the Minister of Magic. He runs this loony bin that's supposed to protect us from the idiots who attacked the funeral and kidnapped one of my girls and my best friend."
Minister Fudge picked up his wand and tapped the crystal ball. "Mrs. Sapoesser, get Director Bones in here now!"
After a few minutes a plump middle aged witch with salt and pepper hair and crisply pressed robes rushed into the minister's office. She immediately stopped and scanned the occupants. "Minister Fudge, Miss Summers, Miss ..ah… Faith." She acknowledge the ones who in her point of view were the most important of the gathering, plus she didn't remember the other two slayer's names. "To what do we owe the honor of such a…unique gathering of people?" Director Bones asked. She knew. She'd just received the latest report for the scene and knew there was a survivor at Saint Mungoes. But she sure didn't want to volunteer the information to all these….muggles.
"This is Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Minister Fudge said to the three muggles who wouldn't know her.
"Finally." Inspector Clayson said. He held up his I.D. again to show Director Bones. "I'm Inspector Clayson with the London police department. I've been investigating the death of Sarah O'Malley. Miss Summers here and her friends of indicated that you might know what exactly happened to her."
"I am not familiar with the name." Director Bones replied crisply.
"She was found about…." Clayson started but was interrupted.
"Miss Summers." Director Bones had turned to Buffy Summers. "Why have you brought these people here? I was sure our agreements were quite clear about whom you may and may not expose to our world."
"Excuse me Ms. Bones." Clayson said loudly. "I was not finished..."
"Inspector," Director Bones said icily. "I am the Director of Magical Law Enforcement. I am the one who asks the questions around here. Not a…" she seemed to struggle for the word. "…you."
"If you do not wish to speak to me here," Clayson said clearly. "You, Mister Fudge and everybody else can all just come down to the station with me and we'll sort it out there."
"Miss Summers, you have breached every protocol our community is based on by bringing these people here. Therefore we are not bound to our agreements with you as well. Everybody you brought here today who is not directly a member of your….team has to submit to a memory charm and be returned to muggle London as soon as possible."
Why did they keep turning to Miss Summers? Clayson thought dumbfounded at how this woman kept ignoring him. And what was a memory charm? He didn't like the sound of that. He watched this "Director Bones" more closely. She had gotten quite pale since arriving. Was she starting to sweat?
"I don't think so." Buffy finally said. She was grinning like the cat that ate the canary. She turned to Clayson. "Inspector, if you could give me a few minutes I may be able to convince the Minister and Director here to share their information with us."
Buffy turned to Director Bones. "Director Bones," Buffy glanced at the parchment the woman was holding. "I assume that is a report about the attack."
"Ms. Summers." Bones said between clenched teeth as she looked at all the people in the office. "I think Minister Fudge would agree with me when I say your behavior breaking our agreement is totally unacceptable."
"Well, Ms. Bones," Buffy replied with the same fake smile but a more controlled tone. "I know everybody would agree with me that your ability to perform your one task of tracking down and stopping Death Eaters is totally unacceptable."
Bones paled and started to sputter. "How dare you?"
Buffy held up her hand briefly and moved her thumb and fingers together like she was working the mouth of a puppet. "Yea, yea, we've already covered how I dare. Been then, done that, got the shoes." She stepped toward Bones who immediately took a step back. "Did any of our cowardly friends survive the festivities?"
With a quick nervous glance down, bones tried to conceal the scroll in the folds of her robe behind her back.
Buffy held out her hand.
"This is a Ministry matter." Bones whined. "It does not involve you."
Kennedy and the other young slayer had stepped forward to either side of Buffy. Bones could even see she had the attention of the creature from where she stood examining some trinket she'd found on a shelf.
"How many survived?" Buffy asked.
"Just one." Director Bones straightened her shoulders to stand up to the slayers. "She is at Saint Mungoes in protective custody."
"Protective custody?" Inspector Clayson asked. "Don't you just mean custody?"
"Inspector, we don't even want to go there." Buffy said to Clayson. Turning back to Bones, "Fine, you will take us there. I need to speak to the bwitch."
"Miss Summers, I absolutely can not, and refuse to, take you and your….party to Saint Mungoes to interrogate a member of one of the oldest and most influential families in the Wizarding community."
"Ah, excuse me, Miss Summers." Agent Meyers finally spoke up. "As intriguing as this situation is, Faith and I have got to get going. We have some business to take care of before we leave tonight."
"Ah," Faith pouted. "This was just getting good."
Buffy pondered for a second. "Fine, Inspector," she turned to Clayson. "Give Kennedy the keys." Then to Kennedy "Inspector Clayson, Illyria and I will stay here. You take everybody else home." Then to Mrs. Peach, "Mrs. Peach, I'm sure I don't have to ask you not to talk about this to anybody at least until after Inspector Clayson and I have a chance to talk to you later."
"Who would believe me?" Mrs. Peach whispered; a look of relief in her eyes at the mention leaving this bizarre place.
"Now wait a minute, I'm not going anywhere until they tell us what happened to Willow." Kennedy said as she stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest.
Buffy was immediately in front of Kennedy. "Do you really think I would do anything to jeopardize Willow?" She reached out, took the keys from inspector Clayson and pressed them into the other Slayer's hand. "Do what I ask. I need to make sure these people don't get to Mrs. Peach or Agent Meyers. Don't let me down."
The brunette huffed and turned toward the door. "Okay people, lets go, we have our marching orders." Kennedy bit her tongue as she turned toward the door. Once again she'd been summarily dismissed by Queen B. she smiled to herself, or was it Queen Bee? She knew if it wasn't for her relationship with Willow, she'd have been relegated to Cleveland or some other out of the hole. It didn't matter that she'd been one of the first potentials to arrive in Sunnydale and followed Buffy into hell. Now she was just another slayer. She knew in her heart that she was next in line. If the First hadn't struck and they had not been activated she would have taken Faith's place. She'd heard her watcher talking; there'd been plans. Now she was just another slayer and would never know if she actually would have been chosen.
"What about the memory charm?" Minister Fudge demanded we can't have these two muggles parading around with everything they've seen here."
"Never." Buffy said. "If you were so damned concerned about exposing your world, you would do a much better job of controlling your people." She turned back to Bones. "Now, are you going to escort us to the St. Mungoes or should I just send Smurf over to make first contact?"
Illyria looked up after hearing the odd title these creatures often used for her. She met the strange magic user's eyes. The male creature's pasty skin paled even more and his body temperature and heart rate increased. She tilted her head at it and raised an eyebrow in responses to its stare causing it to break eye contact.
"Fine." Fudge said. "Take them."
"What?" Bones couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Take them, get them out of here." Fudge turned his back on the whole room and walked over to his desk.
Director Bones looked at Buffy Summers who now had her arms folded across her chest and very smug look on her face. She looked back at Minister Fudge who was not sitting at his desk looking a scroll. "Minister, you couldn't possibly.."
Fudge looked up from his desk. "Are you still here? Was there anything else you needed Miss Summers."
"Not for now." Buffy turned to the door.
"Very good." He turned to the directory of Magical Law Enforcement. "I'll expect a full report when you return." With that he turned back the scroll.
"—"
"I'm supposed to do what?" Inspector Clayson looked at the line of fire places in the Visitor's Atrium. He had seen them on the way in but really had paid attention; there were other things on his mind.
"Humph." Director Bones sighed. She just could not relate to muggles and their petty view on the world. "It. Is. Simple. Just toss the floo powder as you step into the fire place and state your destination loudly and clearly. It is so simple, even a muggle could do it."
Clayson glared at the woman. "Apparently I am a muggle."
"I will do it." Miss Burkle said. What else did they call her? Illyria? The woman in the strange leather suit and blue hair scooped a handful full of floo, making no effort at neatness, and stepped into the burning fire place.
"No you're suppose to.." Director Bones stopped her warning as she watched the creature stand in the fire and turn to look at her. "Never mind. Throw the powder and say Saint Mungoes."
Illyria cocked a brow at the Director, tossed the floo powder and disappeared in a flash of green and blue smoke without ever saying a word. The three remaining people stared at each other.
"I wonder where she went?" Inspector Clayson asked. A smile came to his face as he saw the look of panic on the witch's face.
"By Merlin." Amelia Bones gasped. "I've never seen that before." She turned to Buffy. "Where'd she go?"
"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." Buffy grinned. She was a bit concerned about where the former god king had made off to, but at this point she really didn't care.
"We can't have this." Bones said. "It's not acceptable to have that creature wondering around unescorted." She looked at Buffy. "You're responsible for any damages she does. I'll expect your council to take full financial responsibility for that creature's actions."
Buffy held the palm of her hand to the Director as the woman went on about restitution. "Yea, yea, what ever." She turned to the fire place. "Now Inspector, just follow me and do what I do." She looked back at Director Bones. "Remember what I said about memory charms." Buffy tossed the powder as she stepped into the fire place called out Saint Mungoes and disappeared in puff of green smoke.
"Well, I suppose if she can do it, so can I." Clayson stated as he stepped toward the fire place.
It was an odd rushing sensation as if following through a smoke filled tunnel face first. His body twisted as light rushed toward him. His feet hit the ground feeling like he'd unexpectedly stepped off an over tall step. The back side of the fireplace came into full view, then the room beyond as he stumbled out. He would have fallen if a strong hand hadn't caught him. Buffy had caught his arm, kept him on his feet and pulled him away from the fireplace.
"Look out for more in coming." The petite blond warned just as a wooshing sound came from the fire place and Director Bones stepped out. Bones immediately stepped to a nearby mirror and gestured at herself with her wand. The dust and ash from the fire place promptly disappeared. The woman's hair was also quickly fixed.
Turning to Buffy and Inspector Clayson she said. "Let's get this over. I still don't know what you hope to accomplish. We have already interviewed her and she's claimed to have been under the imperious curse which means there's very little we can charge her with."
Buffy crowded close to the witch and leaned in close to her ear. "These people took one of my girls; I don't care about laws or rules of evidence."
"But we can't just force someone to talk; there are rules and laws…" Inspector Clayson agreed.
"Think about it, Bones." Buffy nearly hissed at the director. "How were they able to grab one of my girls?"
"I have no idea." Director Bones crossed her arms in front of her try to get some distance between herself and the slayer.
"Think about it."
"I don't know. She was support staff?" The look on Buffy's face told her that wasn't true. "She wasn't at full strength?"
"Wait a minute." Inspector Clayson said. "She's the one who was being guarded. Why was she being guarded you said she was special?" And what was so important about Buffy and 'her girls'? The inspector thought. And what did she mean by not at full strength. Why was that important?
Buffy stepped away from Bones and pointed at the Inspector. "Got it in two."
"You need to guard one of your….girls?" Bones couldn't believe it. "Why? What's wrong with her?"
"Let's just say that if we don't find her within about, oh, twelve hours, you're going to find out why." Buffy turned and exited the replica of an old Victorian sitting room with way too many fireplaces. She entered a replica of a nineteen ancient times hospital with noisy chrome gurneys, brass delivery tubes and scrolls instead of charts and clip boards. She stopped in mid stride, looked around and frowned. "Okay, where am I going?"
"Humph, Miss Summers." Director Bones grumped. "This way." The woman said as she walked past the petite slayer. The woman led the small group through the twists and turns of the old hospital. Some of the hospital staff appeared like they were going to ask if they could help but quickly backed down when they caught sight of the stern look from the Director. They finally came to a hallway guarded by two tuff looking wizards with very serious frowns on their faces.
"Gentlemen, we are her to see Ms Dracheauge." Director Bones stated as she approached the two men without slowing.
"Ma'am, aren't these muggles?" One of the men asked as he started to step in front of the director effectively blocking the hallway for Buffy.
"Yes they are." Bones admitted. "Even though the accused is part of the fine Dracheauge family, she is still accused of crimes against muggles. Because of that, we have no choice but to allow the involvement of these…muggles."
"That's outrages." The other stated as he step forward blocking Inspector Clayson.
Buffy sidestepped the Auror blocking her path and continued down the hall.
The Auror drew his wand to stop the unauthorized muggle until he was able to clear this with the Director; which included verifying this woman really was Director Bones. "Hold it right there miss!"
"No don't!" Director Bones sounded almost frantic.
He glanced at the Director then something hit his chest hard enough to lift his feet off the ground and slam him hard to the ground. A vise like grip clenched his wand hand and when his vision cleared he saw the young woman looking at him with a knee on his chest to hold him down. She squeezed his hand and took the wand.
"Never, ever point one of these things at me." She said with a fake smile. "They just make me sooo nervous." The young woman stood up, handed the wand to Director Bones and headed back down the hallway toward the next set of guarded doors.
"Ma'am, are you sure this is a good idea?" one of the Auror guards asked as they entered the room. It had only taken a few minutes of explanation at the door for the next set of guards to let them in. The woman in the old style hospital bed appeared to be in her mid thirties but could have been much older.
Analyse Dracheauge looked up as the group approached and smiled. Bringing these muggles here would be the last straw. When word of this got out more people then ever would join the cause. The master's ranks would swell and they would finally be ready to take over. All proper Wizards would insist on it.
"Hi, Annie." Buffy said in greeting as she approached the bed. She looked at the bandaged shoulder and splinted hand. "How's the arm?"
"It's Lady Dracheauge to you." The woman sniffed at Buffy.
"Lady, you ain't a Lady." Buffy laughed. "You're lucky your not worm food."
"How dare you come into my hospital room and talk to ME like that?" Analyse couldn't believe this mere muggle, even if she was this alleged 'slayer' was talking to her like that.
"I dare because you attacked me at a funeral." Buffy replied and pointed at the side of the large bed. "Mind if I sit down?"
"Yes." What audacity. "And legally I did not attack your little gathering because I was under an imperious curse."
"Thanks." Buffy sat on the bed next to the injured woman. "First of all, if this Lord is so great, why do you people never admit to following him, why do you always hide behind that stupid excuse?" The woman just glared at her. "Second I need to know how to find my girl. Where did they take her?"
"I don't know, I couldn't tell you if I did."
"And Willow?"
The woman smiled and it was wicked. "That was inspired. We didn't want to deal with your friend if she was even half as powerful as the rumors said. So a port key was made to send her far away."
"Where?"
"I don't know, and couldn't tell you if I did." The witch smiled triumphantly.
Buffy turned to Director Bones. "What does she mean by couldn't? She seems pretty confident in that."
"There are spells that make it impossible for someone to repeat a secret or betray a trust. We can definitely read the traces of one of those spells on her, but not the imperious, which is much easier to hide."
"Listen to me carefully." Buffy said speaking very evenly and calmly to the injured woman. "Remember how easily we took your people down." Woman began to speak but Buffy just motioned for her to wait. "The girl they took was on medication that makes her weak. She needs it because she has little control over what makes us what we are. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, so?" Analyse Dracheauge continued to glare at the muggle 'Slayer'.
"Think about it." Buffy continued. "They're holding her like a normal person. What will happen to your friends and family when her medication wears off?" She leaned down to whisper to the woman. "What will happen when somebody without a conscience gets the strength and skills of a supernatural predator?"
Inspector Clayson watched Buffy lean over and whisper something to the woman. The woman paled looked at the Inspector and Director, whispered something to Buffy then closed her eyes and turned away from everybody.
Buffy got up and headed for the door.
"What happened?" Director Bones asked. "What'd she say?"
Buffy kept walking.
"Miss Summers, what did she tell you?" Inspector Clayson pushed. "You have to tell us."
"No." Buffy said coldly. "I'm done talking."
"—"
Warm sun beat down on her face. The soft grass and earth cradled her like a mother with an infant. Willow took a deep breath breathing in the clear mountain air. A cool breeze rustled her tangled hair. As she slowly stretched her arms over her head she tried to remember what she was doing. Keeping her eyes closed Willow tried to remember where she was. Did she fall asleep in the park? Perhaps the back yard? Wait, she remembered; the funeral. The smile fell from her lips and her eyes snapped open.
Sitting up, Willow looked around the valley. A child's singing came from behind. The little girl sat by the creek playing with something in the grass. After struggling to her feet, Willow walked over. The girl had made a small figure out of grass and sticks and decorated it with little flowers. She looked up at Willow her sad eyes betrayed the game she played with her makeshift doll. "Can we go home now?" She asked. "I miss my mommy and I'm sure she misses me too."
Willow sat down next to the girl. "I need to rest first. My name is Willow. What's yours?"
"I'm Debbie." The girl declared.
Putting a hand to the ground to hold her self up, Willow continued the conversation. "Well, Debbie, that's a pretty little dolly you made there." She had to concentrate. This little girl should not be left to her own devises for the sake of a nice long nap in the warm sun.
"It's just sticks and grass." Debbie said quietly.
"Yea, but the little flowers are still pretty." Willow felt the warmth in her hand as she started absorbing magic from the earth. Concentrating on the magic and keeping the girl company was going to take time. She felt the power slowly building but fought the urge to draw it in any faster, the change to her appearance might spook Debbie. She'd have to do it slowly.
"My mommy says I'm her little flower."
"I like flowers….."
To be continued….