Chapter Seven - Confirmation
A tense mood settled over the conference room. Lady Aydin observed her people with care. The past month had been spent in a fruitless effort to confirm Elder Sinclair's assertion that Riddle had been restored.
"Alright," she began, "Let's review what we know. Sir Ian what do our agents in the Wizarding world report?"
"My Lady, two of our contacts in the Wizarding world have children attending Hogwarts. At the Leaving Feast last week Headmaster Dumbledore announced Voldermort's return publicly. Thus far there has been no official word from the Ministry," Director Buford paused. "Our agents in the Ministry report that Fudge is convinced Riddle is still dead and that this is some kind of plot by Dumbledore to take over. They also report Fudge is spending a lot of time with Lucius Malfoy who we're fairly certain is a Death Eater."
"What about the death of the Diggory boy?" asked Cromwell.
"Beyond the announcement of his death during the Tri-Wizard tournament, nothing."
"Have we been able to get a hold of the Aurors notes on the investigation or a transcript of their interview with Potter?" Cromwell continued to press.
"No investigation took place," answered Director Buford. "And the Aurors never interviewed Potter. Dumbledore didn't allow them near the boy."
"What?!? A boy was murdered and the Aurors didn't investigate or interview the only witness to the crime," Cromwell was incensed.
"As I said Dumbledore didn't allow them access to Potter and Fudge's idiocy eliminated the only other witness," replied Director Buford.
"Why would Dumbledore block access to Potter?" Dr. Marshall joined in. "If he's going to announce Riddle's return publicly it makes sense to get an official record of what happened. Unless Fudge is right and he really is plotting against the Ministry."
"No," came the reply. The old man seated to the right of Lady Aydin spoke for the first time. "Whatever faults Albus has, and there are many, such petty politicking is beneath him. If he wanted Fudge removed, he would simply remove him. The man is of no consequence to Albus. No, Albus is playing his own game, as he did last time Voldemort walked openly. Lady Aydin, you should declare the Covenant void now and move against the enclaves, before more people start dying."
"Elder Sinclair, declaring the Covenant void is not an option. Surely, you of all people understand what would happen," Lady responded. "It would mean the protections around the enclaves would vanish. The Wizarding world would stand revealed for all to see. This is not a thousand years ago when only a few people might see and you can casually toss around memory charms and reseal the Covenant so the people you missed are never believed. With modern communications the entire world would know within a matter of hours. There would be backlashes against Wizards, particularly since we would have to tell the world about Riddle and the other threats from your community. It would mean the complete destruction of your world. We're trying to prevent that fate."
"I know," the Elder's voice was filled with bitterness, "but you assume my world and my people are worth saving."
"It's not just your world at stake Elder," Lady Aydin continued, "With the Wizarding world revealed it will only be a matter of time before the entire supernatural world comes out of the shadows. The world would have proof magic exists. People are not ready for that truth. They don't want that truth. No we've spent thirteen years developing the means to deal with threats from the Wizarding world short of declaring the Covenant void. I intend to use those means."
"Very well, that decision is, of course, yours. But you do have a list of suspected Death Eaters. Now is the time to eliminate them."
"Not without proof. We do not assassinate people on suspicion,"Lady Aydin was growing tired of this argument. "We don't yet have confirmation Riddle has returned. Our only evidence is what you heard the Potter boy said when he reappeared with Cedric Diggory's body and Dumbledore's argument with Fudge."
"You were fortunate I chose to attend the finals of the Tri-Wizard tournament and that my blood allows me free access to Hogwarts." A smile flickered across his face. "Not even Albus has the power to keep me out. The castle knows blood," he stopped and looked directly at Lady Aydin. "Albus is certain of Voldemort's return, that should be enough."
"I was under the impression you didn't like the Headmaster," Cromwell said.
"Make no mistake Albus is a manipulative bastard," came the reply. "Behind that twinkle and smile is man just as ruthless in his own way as Voldemort. The world is fortunate he has no interest in political power. No, as I said, he has his own games and his own goals. Voldemort is most likely nothing more than a distraction to him. But on matters like this, he is rarely wrong."
"That may be well enough for you Elder, but I need confirmation before the Prime Minister or the Queen will give me authorization to breach the enclaves," Lady Aydin shifted her attention to a different person at the table. "Talerie, have you been able to determine anything more about the means Riddle used to restore himself or any way we can confirm his return?"
"I'm not certain," Talerie answered. "The Council's report on the Ritual of D'Karsh was quite thorough. It was derived from a ritual used by an offshoot of the Druids. The Council theorized, correctly, that the dagger was meant to link the magic from the ritual back to the protective magic of the Orb of D'Karsh. However I believe it also served the purpose of making the magic drawn from the Druid ritual compatible with that of wand wielders."
Talerie paused in thought. "Their notes did indicate that the key components of the ritual were the blood of the an enemy, obviously Potter, the flesh of a servant, any one of the Death Eaters that escaped punishment thirteen years ago would suffice and the bone of an ancestor. The father would be natural choice. Do we know where Riddle's father was buried?"
"The orphanage he grew up in was destroyed in a 'mysterious' fire over thirty years ago," Cromwell responded. "The records conveniently went up in flames."
"Elder Sinclair," Talerie shifted his attention, "would records of Riddle's family be kept on file in the Ministry along with burial locations?"
"Certainly his mother's would. But his father was a muggle, the Ministry would not bother keeping such records."
"Then we will have to do a search on the name Riddle and see what we can come up with," Director Buford said. "Assuming we can find the grave Talerie, what do you plan on doing?"
"From the limited description Elder Sinclair supplied, we can guess the ritual took place at the grave of Riddle's father. There should be traces of the magic and other evidence of such a powerful ritual. Depending on what we find that should be enough for confirmation."
"Very well, Agent Cromwell initiate a search for the burial site of Riddle's father. I want that confirmation."
---
A week later Jennifer Sinclair and Agent Grayden were watching a man walk around the gravesite of Tom Riddle Sr. busily sketching away on an artists pad.
"So Grayden, how well do you know Mr. Lovat?" Sinclair asked her partner.
"This is the first time I've worked with him," he answered. "Some of the SAS guys worked with the Hunting Lodge he belongs to a few years ago. Some ex-Nazi was using a Pictish relic to summon lightening to kill various spiritual leaders. The SAS provided the muscle when the Lodge raided his headquarters. They say Lovat's a good lad."
"And you think he can get us the confirmation we need?"
Grayden nodded, "He's an Adept like myself. Only his talents lie not in feeling the magic but in seeing the psychic traces left behind by magic. His sketches of events are remarkably accurate. Unless Riddle knew how to shield the ritual properly Lovat should be able to see everything that happened here."
"Its unlikely Riddle shielded the ritual from such a person. Until I moved out into the real world I didn't even know magic left behind such obvious signatures. You can actually tell when someone has been under the influence of an Imperious curse or whether a particular item has been charmed and with enough practice the type of charm. Talerie is right, for all my people's skill, they are incredibly ignorant of how magic truly works. Are your senses picking anything up?"
"Yea, I can feel magic all over the place," he responded. "Definitely wand magic. But all I can tell is what kind of magic was used and a few of the spells, not who used it. That's why I asked Mr. Lovat for help," he nodded in the direction of the man still sketching on his pad a few feet away.
"Isn't this a violation of the Covenant? He's not a member of Special Projects and doesn't fall under Lady Aydin's jurisdiction." Sinclair wondered.
"Lady Aydin explained it to me once," Grayden answered. "The Covenant prevents us from telling outside parties about the Wizarding world. What they learn on their own, however, we have no control over. All we've done here is ask Mr. Lovat to examine a ritual site. We didn't tell him anything about what he might find here or who was responsible. I admit it's a technicality. But given the stupidity of the Ministry, Lady Aydin's willing to use any little loophole she can find. Besides, if it truly was a violation of the Covenant then the binding magic would not have allowed us to bring him here."
She nodded and continued to watch Mr. Lovat work.
A few minutes later a very tired looking Mr. Lovat finally stopped sketching and walked back to the two MI5 agents.
"Someone was very sloppy with their ritual," he stated. "The ground was never properly prepared and it looks like no effort was made to shield the area. You might want to check in the village, anybody with even a little psychic talent had to have felt what happened here that night." They watched him shiver a bit and lift his hand and touch the ring on his finger to his forehead. "This place needs to be cleansed. The residue is almost overpowering."
"I know the proper cleansing rituals Mr. Lovat," Grayden spoke. "I plan on performing them as soon as we complete gathering evidence. We have a more traditional forensic team waiting in the village until you completed your more shall we say esoteric inquiries. Can we see your sketches now."
"Here," Mr. Lovat replied. He tore off the fist few sheets from his sketchpad and handed them to Grayden. "Are you sure you don't need any other help? This looks like very nasty business. A boy was murdered here."
"Thank you for the offer Mr. Lovat," Grayden replied. "But I can assure you MI5 has the situation well in hand. Lady Aydin will contact Sir Adam in a couple of days to thank him personally for your assistance. The officers will take you back to the airport now," he motioned to a couple of uniformed officers leaning against their car outside the fence.
"Very well," Mr. Lovat sighed. "I hope those help catch the villain that did this." With that Mr. Lovat took his leave of the MI5 agents and headed away.
After Mr. Lovat drove off Grayden laid the sketches out so he and Sinclair could examine them. The first showed two terrified looking boys being menaced by a straggly looking man. In the next, one boy was lying on the ground, the Diggory boy they both figured and the second boy, obviously Potter, Lovat exaggerated the scar on his forehead, was propped up against the grave of Tom Riddle Sr.
The next few sketches showed the ritual progressing, the straggly man cutting off his hand and then pouring the blood from Potter into the cauldron. They both stopped on the next picture. A face, only vaguely human took up most of the page. Snakelike features dominated, the eyes in particular, along with slits for nostrils. Sinclair and Grayden exchanged a look. There were still a few more sketches to look at but they both knew what that face meant. Sinclair pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial.
"I need to speak to Director Buford immediately," she said. After a few seconds pause she spoke again, "Director Buford," she stared down at the face. "We have confirmation."