Chapter 10
Sophie Storms looked quite out of place inside the Hogshead pub indeed. In her lavender robes and trendy hat, she stood out not only apart from the clientele, but from the general color scheme of the tavern as well (which was mostly drab browns and reds). She paced to the back of the bar and slid into the booth across from Lexie.
There was a moment in which Sophie and Lexie simply looked at one another. Immediately Sophie saw how disheveled her young Auror was as she noted her appearance. She frowned slightly as she took in the drink in Lexie's one hand, cigarette in the other. She pursed her lips and reached across the table to snatch the cigarette out of Lexie's hand. She snuffed it out in the ashtray at once. Lexie made to object, but it was too late.
"Rough first week?" Sophie asked in a sympathetic tone.
Lexie sighed, "You could say that."
"I thought as much." Sophie said seriously. "You haven't answered any of your pages."
"Huh?"
"Your pages?" Sophie said, a hint of irritation hovering in her voice. "The coin that we gave you… to alert you as to when Snape leaves the castle…?" Sophie cued her.
Inwardly Lexie smacked herself in the forehead. She'd completely forgotten about that. When Lexie had first started shadowing Snape, the ministry had issued her a coin. She was to keep it with her at all times. It glowed red and heated up the moment that Snape left the school grounds. That was her sign to apparate to the edge of the castle grounds and follow him…wherever he was heading.
"Oh Merlin!" Lexie said aloud. "Sophie, I stuck it in my trunk while I was packing and I forgot to take it out again. I'm such a screw up! How many times did I miss him?" she asked, wondering exactly how much trouble she'd be in for this.
Sophie eyed her curiously. "Only twice." She said, reaching across the table, picking up Lexie's half empty glass and taking a swig. She set the glass back down in front of Lexie, for she seemed to be of greater need.
"What happened? What did I miss?" Lexie asked curiously.
"Well…" Sophie began, making herself comfortable in the booth. "He left the castle on Thursday night. When you didn't respond to your page, I called in Jess to cover for you. She followed him to the Malfoy house." She said significantly.
"The Malfoys?" Lexie repeated, stunned.
"Mm…" Sophie confirmed. It was well known that Lucius Malfoy had supported Voldemort during his reign but had managed to weasel out of the charges brought forth against him by the Ministry by claiming that he was under the influence of the Imperius curse at the time he committed his crimes. Everyone at the ministry figured he was probably lying, however, there was not enough information to make a solid case against him, so he was let off on a technicality. The office of Aurors was certain that he was still supporting the Dark Lord, even in his absence.
"Well what happened?" Lexie asked, anxiously.
"Well, Jess managed to levitate herself up to the window of Lucius' study and was able to witness them speaking. However, she felt it was too risky to charm the window open to hear their conversation. But she did say that Malfoy used the Cruatius on Snape."
"What?" Lexie gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.
"Snape left some ten minutes later and returned directly to the castle." Sophie finished.
"I can't believe he used the Cruatius on Snape!" Lexie said, still stunned. "Isn't that enough evidence to bring charges against him? We could at least get him into court for that couldn't we?"
"Well, Jess didn't actually hear him say the curse, she only recognized it's effect… so, unfortunately, it's only circumstantial evidence. And furthermore, she was trespassing on private property. Since she didn't have a warrant to be on their grounds, all of the evidence she obtained is inadmissible in court anyway." Sophie said, letting out a sigh.
"Damn." Lexie said, disappointed "Malfoy cursed Snape… why would he do that?"
"It's well known that since You-Know-Who's demise, that Lucius Malfoy has been first in command, even if he was self-appointed. I suppose he reckons he can do as he pleases with the other Death Eaters as far as discipline's concerned. And I wouldn't put it past him to take a simple reprimand and turn it into full out torture, just because he was in the mood." Sophie sighed.
"Anyway, tonight, we couldn't get anyone to cover for you on such short notice. Kingsley Shacklebolt's got most of the office out working the Sirius Black escape case. That man's like a damn ghost. Every time we think we're getting close to catching him, he disappears into thin air." She said rubbing her forehead in disgust.
"Have you tried scrying for him?" Lexie suggested. Scrying was a method taught at her magic school in the states, in which if you could obtain a bit of blood or a personal object belonging to the person you wanted to locate, you could track them. You needed a map, a crystal and a string as well. If you dipped the crystal in the blood, and dangled it over a map, it would magnetate to their location.
"We've thrown around the idea, but we've never been close enough to get a bit of his blood… if we had, I'd like to think we could've caught him by now. And as far as his personal items go, he doesn't seem to have any. Which is something that's been giving us some 'serious' headaches… no pun intended. I just can't fathom how he's survived this long, on the run, without leaving something behind." Sophie said, and Lexie could see the frustration forming on Sophie's fine face.
"Anyway, I want to hear all about what you've learned this week. And I'm not talking about schoolwork!" she said eagerly, leaning closer to her Auror.
Lexie told her about how her roommates hero-worshipped Snape, the conversation she'd had with them about Snape recruiting Death Eaters from the school that night in the pub. She also then had the displeasure of having to admit that she'd landed herself in not one but two detentions with Snape, himself, neither of which did she learn anything useful about him.
"Oh!" Lexie suddenly exclaimed. "I almost forgot! I saw Snape in the alley tonight! I managed to get close enough to eavesdrop on him. He was with my roommate. And he flat out asked her if she had made her decision about joining the Death Eaters!" Lexie said excitedly. It had suddenly dawned on her, "Is that enough intel to get me out of this blasted school?" she asked hopefully.
Sophie, while looking highly impressed during the recounting of the night's events frowned. "Well, it's a good piece of intel to be sure!" she said certainly. "However, we have no proof that he's the one who's actually doing the recruiting. We need proof that he's actually running an academy there. You must find a way to find out." She said seriously.
Lexie bit her lip. "Well… once Natasha had gone, he did say something about 'one down two to go'… maybe he's meeting another student soon?" she mused.
"Perhaps." Sophie agreed. "Keep that coin on you at all times! I don't care if he sneaks out in the middle of your Potions lesson! FOLLOW HIM!" she said sternly.
"Don't worry Sophie… I won't let you down. I'll find out what he's up to… somehow."
