The four of them leave Grimmald Place that night. Remus and Tonks bring Paige and Draider to the outside of the Liverpool Museum while the place is closed.
Paige and Tonks head towards the river side of the building so she can show Paige the guards that are stationed at the back entrance.

"Any ideas what they are doing in there?" Paige asks Tonks as they approach a building across the street to get an inconspicuous viewpoint.

"None. You'd think they take an item already instead of guarding the place is that is what this is about." Tonks replies, making a good point.

"And you haven't gone inside yet?"

"Remus and I have been inside while it's open and took a quick look around. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Although we haven't checked out staff only places yet."

"I think I'm going to watch to see who goes in and out of the building tonight, see if I can spot anything unusual. I suggest we be stationed at all exits and we need to be watching the front in case anyone also goes through that entrance."

"Remus and I have staked out the place, but never all exits and never all night."

"Okay, and nothing worth noting during your surveillance?"

"Only a suspected Death Eater entering the building through the back exit there like I've said." Tonks says as she nods in the direction of the door being guarded.

"And they exit the same way?"

Tonks is silent in her thoughts.

"Now that I think of it, I don't think we've seen them leave before. They have always been in there so long that we needed to get back."

"What's your time limit looking like tonight." Paige asks as she looks down at her watch.

"Remus and I need to be back at the Ministry in five hours, but then we can come back and help with the recon again."

"You're forgetting you need rest in there at some point. If you aren't uncomfortable with sleeping outdoors, I could use you two as back up in case things go sideways. I'll let you rest and only wake you if we need you."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Great. Let's get back to the men and discuss if they have any issues going forward."

"Lieutenant Draider… Did you know him from before the war?" Tonks asks Paige as they slowly make their way back to the bistro across the street where they left Remus and Dan.

"No. Dumbledore did though."

"He's American, like you?"

"I assume so. I guess I don't know much about him… yet."

"He seemed a little bummed you ditched him for Professor Snape the other day."

"Yeah, it's complicated with Lieutenant Draider."

"Draider seems old enough to be your father." Tonks says with a smirk.

"Oh, no. Not that kind of complicated." Paige replies, recoiling from the thought of doing anything with Draider.

"Oh good. Because I must admit I admire your relationship with someone who seems so stand-offish."

"You mean Severus? He's not that cold." Paige replies in a stern tone, defending him.

"I was just comparing my own situation to yours that's all. I meant no offence to him." Tonks explains.

"Interesting. Please, I would love to hear your situation."

Tonks stops as soon as they reach eyesight of the two they left behind. Paige looks back at Remus and Draider, standing there in confusion on why they suddenly stopped. Paige sees who Tonks is looking at.

"Remus?" Paige asks Tonks who is looking at him.

"Maybe." Tonks says as her face flushes red.

"You're comparing Severus to Remus? They are almost total opposites. Remus seems like he would be incredibly warm in his conversations."

"It's not the conversations I'm having a problem with."

"Why would Remus be stand-offish…?" Paige thinks aloud as she remembers what Tonks said earlier.

"Perhaps this isn't the best time to discuss this." Tonks says as Remus and Draider approach them.

"Is something wrong?" Remus asks when they get closer.

"No everything is fine." Tonks says with a faint smile.

"Have you come up with any sort of plan Captain?" Draider asks Paige who was still lost in her thoughts about Remus.

"Sort of. I would like your opinion before…" Paige trails off as her mind wanders back to Tonks' conversation.

"Proceeding?" Draider says, trying to guess the end of her sentence.

"I believe Captain Asher suggested watching all the exits. I don't recall seeing them ever leave, do you remember Remus?" Tonks asks as both her and Paige look over at Remus.

Paige watches him closely, his eyes flicker with a spark when Tonks speaks his name.

"So, he's interested, and she's interested so what's holding them back?" Otakemaru asks Paige while Tonks and Remus continue their conversation.

"Someone who is stand-offish I suppose."

"With what? She said that there isn't a problem with conversation."

"And what's the similarities between Severus and Remus?"

"Another good question."

Paige glances over at Draider, who is watching her closely as she watches Remus and Tonks interact.

"And so that's what Captain Asher has suggested. Any concerns or anything to add?" Tonks says as she finishes re-telling the plan.

"What's the plan to get inside?" Draider asks, still looking at Paige.

"I figure we would get all the intel first before setting a plan." Paige replies. "I don't think it would be wise to try and get into the building tonight."

"I suggest staying in twos as well just because we're unfamiliar with our surroundings." Draider comments.

"Great idea Lieutenant." Paige says finally getting her thoughts past Tonks and Remus.

"So, who's going with who?" Remus asks as he looks back and forth between Paige and Draider.

"Since Lieutenant Draider and myself are the only two with earpieces tonight until I can get some more, I suggest one of you go with each of us so we can stay in contact with the other group."

Paige does this to watch the reaction between both Remus and Tonks, both glancing at each other and their posture turning from straight and focus to slouching and disappointment.

"I can give them my earpiece Captain, if they would rather stay together tonight until we become better acquainted." Draider suggests, catching onto Paige's little game.

"That works as well." Paige replies trying to hide her smile from the others.

"Just think about talking into it and it will activate." Draider explains as he hands Tonks the earpiece.

"The Ministry should invest in these." Tonks replies.

"It was an exclusive deal with MACUSA and the No-Maj military back in America. Only when MASUCA got the information they needed, they wiped the No-Maj's memories and all talks of working together vanished along with it." Draider explains, clearly still knowledgeable of MACUSA technology.

"It's a shame our agencies decide to not work together." Remus comments.

"That would involve trusting someone, and MACUSA is all about hiding their precious little secrets to keep the upper hand." Paige replies.

Tonks puts the earpiece in her ear and closes her eyes, trying to focus on using the equipment.

"Testing, one. Two. Three." Tonks says as her voice projecting over Paige's earpiece.

"You're set. I'll let you guys take the easy side and watch the front. Seems like most of the action happens out back so Draider and I will be watching that end." Paige replies as she looks down at her watch.

"We will watch for a few hours, then you two can go and one of us will move to the front until you two return."

Tonks and Remus head to their position as Draider and Paige make their way to a building across the street that has a decent viewpoint of the back.

"You know your father used to watch people's expressions like you do, taught me some of his tricks back in the day."

"Are you suggesting I picked up odd traits from people I've never met before?"

"I guess if it's in your blood."

"This is nature versus nurture here Lieutenant and it's ludicrous to assume I've somehow managed to absorb any sort of personality from my parents, but similarities in me and my them including us both being Aurors was only a path I chose after finding out their careers."

"And when did you find out they were Aurors?"

"I was fifteen."

"And you had other employment ideas bouncing in your head at the time, and this information derailed any sort of notion of another career path."

"In all honesty Lieutenant Draider, employment was the last thing on my mind while I had to fight to survive. There has never been another career path."

"You seem so well adjusted…I guess I don't know your struggles growing up without your parents."

"You two in position?" Tonk's voice says in Paige's ear breaking her out of her deep conversation with Draider.

"Nearly there." Paige replies to Tonks.

"These things are incredibly handy."

"I still have a man on the inside who sends me supplies, I'll see what I can do about getting some more earpieces for you guys."

"I won't say no to that."

"We should get into position." Paige says to Draider as they push closer to the building across the road.

Paige and Draider manage to find a good hiding place on top of the roof on the building that over looks the back entrances to the museum.

Paige lays on her back looking up at the night sky while Draider holds visuals around them.

"So, your relationship with that Professor…" Draider says, breaking the silence.

"No." Paige replies instantly.

"Oh, come on. I'm merely curious on how you two met."

"I was on a mission at Hogwarts, and he is employed there." Paige replies frankly.

"Interesting that you would break a strict rule of MACUSA like that."

"Yes well, I am no longer employed there remember?"

"Well what other careers have you thought about now that you're not longer officially a MACUSA Auror?"

"Again, employment is the last thing on my mind, just trying to survive right now."

They sit in silence for a few moments before Draider speaks again.

"You should try and get employed at the same school as your professor, at least you two wouldn't be apart while he's there."

Paige sits up slightly to look at Draider, a look of bewilderment on her face.

"And what if there is no school to go to at the end of this?" Paige asks him.

"Hm, perhaps you are right about your nature versus nurture theory because your parents weren't as pessimist as you are." Draider replies with a bit of a scoff.

"I'm glad you're finally starting to believe me." Paige says as she lays back down on the hard ground beneath her.

"Is there anything we can discuss since you're being stand-offish to opening up to me about any part of your life."

"Oh? I'm stand-offish?" Paige replies sitting back up again.

"You're very intimidating, I would have a tough time approaching you if I were to walk up randomly to you on the street if I already didn't know who you are."

"Good, just the way I like it." Paige replies with a smirk.

"Didn't really get a chance to see how you interact with your boyfriend…" Draider starts to say before getting cut off by Paige.

"Ugh, please. Boyfriend, what am I in high school?"

"Well, what would you rather I call you two?"

"Just call him by his name."

"Which is?"

"Severus."

"Oh, look at that, knocking down some walls with me. I'm impressed."

"It's only to benefit me I assure you."

"Anyways, as I was saying. I haven't got to see how you two interact together, should be interesting how many walls you've knocked down for him."

"I would tell you that my relationship is none of your business, but I know you're just going to pry anyways."

"Smart girl."

"How did my mom and dad fall in love?" Paige asks, the question that has been burning since she's met Severus.

Draider chuckles as he looks back towards the museum.

"Your mom did not like your dad at first. She was polite to him, but you could tell she didn't trust him."

"What? Really?" Paige asks with a small smirk.

"Your father eventually earned her trust enough to get closer to her, she would slowly let him in with his jokes and his word he would always keep to her."

"It must have been fun being the third wheel with those two." Paige comments with a smirk.

"You should be thanking me because without me you probably wouldn't be here."

"How so?" Paige asks him.

"One mission, your father lied to your mother, and it broke her trust with him. He said it was for her protection and he was just trying to get her out of the area before a bomb was about to detonate. He told her that he diffused it when, he was still working on it. She got out of there trusting that he would be right behind her, and only grew more upset the longer he didn't show up at the rendezvous point. We heard the explosion in the distance, and we all thought we lost him.
Of course, he shows up behind us with his smug smirk asking why everyone was so upset. We were all relieved that he got out of there safely, but your mother was furious. That was the first and only time I've seen her rage in full fury. She didn't speak to him for weeks only when it was relevant to the mission. Your father was a changed man. The spark of joy diminished without her. I eventually got her to calm down enough to see the reasoning behind his lie to her and told her to give him a second chance if he never lies to her again."

"And I'm guessing he never lied to her again?"

"When he did, he made it obvious enough for her to know that it was a lie. That way she knew it was to protect her."

"Hm, weird. Kind of like you do with Severus." Otakemaru comments.

"I don't obviously lie to him for his protection, I do it in hopes to avoid difficult conversations."

"Just odd how you picked up another trait from your father."

"Mere coincidence." Paige scoffs back at Otakemaru.

"What's the deal with you watching the other two so closely? You trying to play matchmaker or something?" Dan asks her, breaking the silence between them.

'I'm just trying to understand their situation; I am not trying to intervene."

"Other people's motives and actions really interest you, doesn't it?"

"I don't know why it doesn't interest more people in all honesty."

"Most people are better off happy being oblivious rather than being hurt by the truth."

"And which one are you, Lieutenant Draider?" Paige asks him.

"I'm a firm believer in the truth setting you free." He replies with a smirk.

"Good, then I would be curious on the answer to my next question."

"I will answer it honestly then."

"Have you ever thought about hunting down the double agent that was on your team?"

"I think about it all the time. Unfortunately, being hunted myself didn't exactly make it easy to try."

"I never heard of you before Dumbledore, not a whisper of your name in the halls of MACUSA. Are you sure you were even being hunted?"

"You think MACUSA are the only ones hunting me?"

"I didn't think about that I suppose."

"What about you? You had all the resources at your fingertips to be able to hunt him down."

"I did look for him and the trail went cold. Guess that's what happens when you look for someone thirty years later. I gave up after that, knowing that revenge wasn't going to bring them back anyways and that I was wasting my time. He can live the rest of his life looking over his shoulder if he so pleases."

"And if you were to ever find him?"

"It's unlikely I would. I don't even know what he looks lie. I probably wouldn't even notice him if he were to walk right past me."

"If he was in front of you and proved to you that he was who he says it is, what would you do?"

"Why does this matter?" Paige asks in frustration, tried of his 'what if' game.

"I just want to know where your head is at kid, because if I were to be beside you while he passed you on the street, I would be able to point him out. I will never forget his face and I need to know the game plan ahead of time, so I do not make a move you do not like."

"He would be dead. No questions asked, not one care about witnesses. It is kill on sight." Paige replies coldly.

"Best answer I could have heard Captain." Draider replies with a smirk.

"Paige, there is someone entering the back doors." Otakemaru whispers in her ear.

Paige looks over to the doors where the guard are and sees a tall figure in all black clothing and a long black robe holding a medium sized carboard box walk up to the back doors.

"Draider." Paige says quietly to him while nodding towards the man.

Draider's gaze moves to where Paige is looking, noticing the man now stopping in front of the doors with the guards.
They both watch as the man briefly chats with the guards before they open the door for him, letting him go inside.

"We saw someone enter the back; is the man you have been watching a tall fellow?" Paige asks Tonks though the earpiece.

"Yeah, he is." Tonks replies.

"We're going to keep an eye on this side, keep eyes on the front." Paige instructs her.

"Copy that."

Paige and Draider watch the back entrance until sunrise. The suspected Death Eater still not exiting the building.

"We need to get out of here Captain Asher." Tonks informs Paige over the earpiece.

"Understood, hang onto that earpiece and don't lose it. I'll take over your position after I grab some more supplies." Paige replies as she watches the back guards now leave their post and walk off towards the docks near the museum.

"Sounds good. I'll see you tonight."

"What kind of supplies are you thinking of Captain?" Draider asks Paige.

"I think we've grabbed all the intel we can from the outside. I want to get in there and wait for tonight to look around the building while it's closed, figured we would need something to blend in more with the no-majs." Paige replies to Draider.

"You think it's rushing it a bit going in already?" Draider asks her.

"I would have liked to see where they are exiting, but that's minor details in my opinion."

"A whole other exit is a minor detail?"

"Okay Lieutenant, what do you suggest?"

"I got nothing; I was just trying to find holes in your idea to make it stronger."

"The only other option I can think of is staking out all near-by buildings to see if that's where the exit is."

"That seems boring and tedious." Draider comments.

"Exactly. So, the first plan then. I'll be back with some clothes for you to change into. Keep an eye on the place." Paige instructs as she stands up.

"Yes Captain." Draider replies with a smirk.


"Seems like you're playing a little bit reckless here Paige." Otakemaru comments as Paige apparates from the rooftop to Grimmald Place.

"You worried about one Death Eater?" Paige replies.

"You think those guards on the outside are the only ones?"

"Look, I just want to check the place out at night. It it's too risky, I'll pull back." Paige says.

Paige enters headquarters. The house is silent in the early morning hours that made the creaks and groans of the old house more audible. Paige makes her way up the stairs to the upper floor and to the bedrooms. She grabs no-maj clothes for herself before she knocks on the door, knowing better than to just open the door to a room full of men.

"Yeah?" Hernandez's voice says from the other side.

"It's just me, I need to grab some more supplies." Paige replies.

"One sec." Hernandez says in a sleepy voice as she hears him get out of bed.

She waits at the door until he opens it. He opens the door without his shirt on and wearing tight navy-blue briefs. Her eyes flash to a partial tattoo on his outer thigh that she's never seen before, never seeing him wear something short enough to reveal it.

"What did you need?" Hernandez asks her as he leans against the door frame, still trying to wake up.

"I need some more earpieces and some no-maj clothes for Draider." Paige replies.

"I'll get them for you." Hernandez says as he turns away from the door.

Hernandez turns around, leaving the door open a crack while he went into the supply closet to grab what she asked. Paige notices Bobcat and Ripley in separate beds fast asleep. She looks away when Hernandez comes back to the door with what she requested.

"Here you go Captain." Hernandez

"Can you do me a favor and write to Yankis about getting some more earpieces?" Paige asks Hernandez.

"Yeah, for sure. Captain. Anything else you need?" Hernandez asks her with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Paige catches an odd tone in his voice.

"No, that's everything. Thank you, Hernandez." Paige replies as she turns to leave from the doorway.

"Captain." Hernandez says, stopping her from leaving.

"Yes?" Paige asks, trying to push away thoughts of his odd behavior.

"Stay safe out there." He says with a smile and a wink.

Paige couldn't help the shiver that ran down her spine, catching a glimpse of something almost sinister in his smile.

"I always am." Paige replies with a faint smile.

She slowly backs away and turns to make her way down the stairs with the supplies in her arms.

"You might be reading to much into his expressions Paige." Otakemaru says to her.

"I've never seen him smile like that." Paige replies to Otakemaru in her head as she makes her way down the rest of the stairs. "And that tone. Like he's annoyed with me asking him to do anything."

"In all fairness you did just wake him up."

"I've felt his resentment for me rising over the past year."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing. What can I do? Go up to Ripley and tell him that Juan smiled at me like a creep and that he might be becoming annoyed by me?"

"Why would he slide in the opposite direction with you and switch up like that?" Otakemaru asks her.

"Maybe he's always been like this, but just let his mask slip from his face for a moment."

"Interesting." Otakemaru comments.

"Something worth looking into in out free time."

"Oh yes, let's pencil it in between missions, war and…. sessions." Otakemaru adds.

"Better stock up on Caffeine." Paige replies with a smirk.


Paige apparates back to Liverpool to meet back up with Draider and they wait until it was two hours before the museum closed before entering the building together, leaving Tonks and Remus on the outside to watch the exits.

Paige and Draider slowly make their way around the museum, pretending to look at all the exhibits while trying to map out the building. They stop at a statue near the back door where they have seen the guards standing at.

"We need to be somewhere near here so we can follow him when he comes in."

"Well, let's just hope he comes back tonight." Paige comments, looking up at this marble statue of a horse.

"Where do you want to hide until closing?" Draider asks her.

Paige looks around the room, seeing taxidermized animals all around the room on display.

"Do you have a spirit animal Lieutenant Draider?" Paige asks with a smirk.

Draider looks at her in confusion before looking around the room, catching onto her plan. Paige looks around the room and sees that there are three cameras in the room.

"We need to take care of these three cameras as well." Paige adds.

"There are four cameras, Captain." Draider replies, nodding his head to a display with fake bushes with a taxidermized Badger.

Paige squints her eyes, now noticing the tiny red light of the camera barely noticeable though the brush.

"Good eye Lieutenant." Paige comments with a smirk.

"Happy I'm proving to not be 'washed'."

Paige and Dan move away from each other slowly. Paige withdraws her wand from her sleeve and discretely points it at one of the cameras. A charm covers the entirety of the camera, making it impossible to see people through the lens and making it look like the room is just empty just as the charm they have placed at their camps before.
They finish putting charms on the cameras before meeting back together in the center of the room.

"Tonks, we are going to be unable to respond for a little bit. Let us know if you see anyone enters the back." Paige explains over the earpiece.

"Will do. Stay safe in there." Tonks replies.

"Ready to stand still in one place for a while?" Paige asks Draider with a smirk.

"I think I might actually impress you with this one Captain." Draider replies as he takes a few steps back from her.

Dan suddenly shifts into a massive ball of brown fur, sharp teeth and razor-sharp claws. Paige needs to take more steps back away from this now massive grizzly bear in the middle of the room.

"Whoa bear." Paige jokes putting her hands up, re-enacting typical bear safety training.

Dan lets out a small grunt before turning and walking towards an empty corner in the far end of the room. He stands up on both legs and leans himself against the wall.

"I'm a little impressed." Paige comments with a smirk.

Paige then turns into her fox form and hops up on the display with the badger, trying to blend into the fake scenery.

They wait as the museum slowly empties and the employees do their rounds making sure the place is ready to be shut down for the night.
Paige is lost in thoughts of Severus several hours later and is suddenly disrupted by Tonks.

"The guy is walking up to the back door now." Tonks informs them.

Paige glances over at Draider, still leaning against the wall. She hears the back door open and in enters a tall man dressed in all black, walking with a quick stride across the museum floor.
Paige moves first when the man exits the room and enters the next, turning back to normal and trying to match the man's strides to stick close to him, but not wanting him to be able to hear or see her.

"Draider's following behind, yes?" Paige asks Otakemaru, her eyes staying locked on the target in front of her.

"Yes." Otakemaru replies.

She rounds a corner, but suddenly stops and pulls herself and Draider back when she sees that the man is standing in front of a 'staff only' door. The man pulls a key card attached to a retractable lanyard from his waist and swipes the card across a small black box next to the door. He waits as it beeps three times before reaching for the handle and opening the door. Paige's heart pounds, knowing that an electrical lock would be harder to bypass. Draider pushes past Paige quickly and throws a small metal ball at the door to keep it from closing all the way.

"Have I impressed you yet?" Draider whispers with a smirk.

"You're getting there." Paige replies.

They cautiously approach the door and follow the man to a damp basement with a wooden door.

"We should inform the others that we might lose signal down here." Draider says quietly looking around at all the concrete around them.

"Tonks, Can you hear me?" Paige asks her though the earpiece.

"Go….Capt… What…find?" Tonk's replies, her voice choppy from the bad reception.

"We're going to lose signal. We're checking something out. If we aren't back in an hour abandon your post and go back to headquarters." Paige instructs, hoping she heard her.

Paige receives nothing but static in return.

"Looks like it's just us Lieutenant." Paige comments.

Draider tries the door, but it's locked.

"Two of us with a locked door."

"I got this." Paige replies with an overconfident attitude as she approaches the door.

Paige channels her inner Jack Ripley to lock pick the door.
It pops open and they enter a hallway that leads into a long maze of under ground cement tunnels running in five different directions.

"Which way do you think he went." Draider asks Paige.

"It's almost impossible to tell."

"I guess we pick a way and hope for the best?"

"I think we increase our odds and pick two different ways. If you reach a dead end, just come down the same one as me, don't take a new route." Paige suggests.

"Understood. Be careful Captain."

"You as well Lieutenant. Now, which one shall I choose?" Paige replies as she looks at the seven different entrances.

"Here, I'll narrow your tough decision." Draider says with a smirk as he begins to walk to the one on the far right.

"Starting at the end, I like the way you think." Paige comments as she moves towards the far left.

"Tonks, can you hear me?" Paige asks quietly into the earpiece as she makes her way down the left side.

Paige flinches as static is the only thing to respond back.

"This is getting more and more dangerous by the minute Paige." Otakemaru says to her as she continues down the long narrow corridor.

"And when have you ever turned away from danger?" Paige replies to him with a smirk.

"Just trying to get you home in one piece." Otakemaru comments.

"Shh, you hear that?" Paige asks him inside her head, hearing footsteps ahead of her.

"I think we are the lucky winners of picking the right direction."

"I'm glad we didn't have to go down everyone of them, it would have soured my mood."

Paige creeps forward silently, trying to mask her footsteps with the ones ahead of her. She follows them until they hit another door, this time made of a heavy steel. Paige keeps her distance as the person pushes the door open without having to unlock it. Paige waits a few moments before stalking up towards the door and trying to listen for any noises on the other side. She hears nothing but silence coming from the other side.

"Draider, can you hear me?" Paige says into the earpiece.

Short bursts of static are the only thing Paige hears in return.

"You want to kick open the door and make a dramatic entrance?" Paige asks Otakemaru.

"What's with you and the dramatic entrances all of the sudden?" Otakemaru asks her.

"What? They are fun." Paige replies with a smirk.

"So, what are we going to do? Stare at this door some more and hope we develop x-ray vision."

"You have to admit x-ray vision would be amazing."

"Paige. Focus."

"I am focused. I am waiting to see if Draider will show up. I'm hoping his way was a dead end."

"And if he doesn't show up?"

"Gives me more time to think of plan B. Wish this door had a damn window or something."

"Not everything can be so convenient." Otakemaru comments.

Paige can hear footsteps approaching from behind her. She quickly peaks the corner and sees that it's Draider.

"You sure everything can be so convenient?" Paige says to Otakemaru in her head.

"Luck seems to be on your side today, I wouldn't push it though." Otakemaru comments.

"My way just led to a room with a weird shrine. This place is something else." Draider comments as he approaches Paige.

"He went through this door." Paige informs Draider, nodding her head to the steel door.

Paige approaches the door with Draider following behind her. To Paige's relief, the door was unlocked. She opens the door, and they enter with their wands drawn.
The room is empty, just an eerie set of stairs leading to no where in the middle of the room.

"That's unnerving." Paige says aloud, inspecting the odd staircase.

"I agree." Draider replies, looking at the staircase as well.

"You know I need to see what happens at the top right?" Paige comments with a smirk.

"I wasn't going to try and stop you, Captain."

Paige and Draider slowly approach the bottom of the steps. Paige places her foot on the bottom step and waits to see if anything would happen. Nothing does. They get to the top of the stairs, and she can now see a misty thin veil at the top.

"Ladies first?" Paige comments as she steps towards the veil.

"Wait, what if it's a trap."

"Well, it's a good thing I have you here as back up" Paige replies as she now stands directly in front of the mist.

"Let me go first Captain." Draider says as he stands beside her.

Paige turns to look at him with a smirk on her face.

"No Lieutenant, I insist." Paige says as she steps forwards into the mist and off the ledge of the top of the staircase.

Paige falls only briefly as the mist teleports her somewhere else. She lands on her feet and quickly looks around the empty room she appears in, the only item in the room were large wooden crates and odd ruins Paige has never seen before are craved into the wall above the door glow a faint light blue. Draider follows closely behind her, landing on his feet next to her.

"Are you always this stubborn?" Draider asks her as he looks around the room with his wand pointed in front of him.

"Yeah." Paige replies honestly as she steps closer to the only door she can see in the room.

They both approach the door, leaning into it trying to listen for voices.

"I don't hear anything, but that could just be because I'm old." Draider jokes.

"I have partial hearing loss in my right side, I'm probably at the same level as you if not worse." Paige replies, not hearing anything on the other side of the door.

"How did that happen?" Draider asks her.

"Not now. You're going to open the door and I'll push right you push left behind me, understood?" Paige says to him sternly.

"Yes Captain." Draider begrudgingly replies.

"Ready when you are." Paige says as she points her wand in front of her, ready for him to open the door.

Draider puts his hand on the door handle and nods to Paige, indicating that he is ready. He swiftly opens the door and Paige moves forward, her gaze towards the right. Draider follows in behind her watching the left. The door leads to a long golden hallway that was again empty. Only a set of golden doors are seen at the very end of the long hallway full of portraits of pale humans in Victorian era clothing hanging on the on either side of the walls.

"Why are there so many creepy paintings?" Paige whispers as they slowly move down the hallway towards the doors.

"You usually hang up portraits at your home, don't you?"

"I knew a Colonel who had a portrait of himself in his office, is this the same thing?"

"Hang on, I think I can hear voices coming from up ahead."

Paige and Draider slowly approach the golden doors. Paige can now hear the voices once she can press her left ear against the door.

"This is barely enough supplies to keep up our energy. We are growing hungrier and even more impatient the longer we must wait." A raspy voice says from the other side of the door.

"The time will come soon enough, and you and your people will feast on anyone who dare oppose the Dark Lord."

"I keep hearing these promises from the Dark Lord, yet he has not made his presence known to us. How do we know that he has even returned and you're not just playing us for an advantage?"

"What advantage? Stay down here and rot for all I care. The Dark Lord has personally sent me here to communicate his good intentions and see you as a possible ally. If you wish for me to return to him and tell him you've had a change of heart, that is no sweat off my back."

Paige panics as she hears footsteps swiftly approaching the golden doors.

"Wait." The raspy voice says, stopping the footsteps from reaching the door.

Paige breaths a sigh of relief as they footsteps turn back around.

"I'm sorry, my temper is on edge. We are so tired of living like this."

"I will only excuse your behaviour this one-time Zanteri. You and your people have managed to stay well hidden for hundreds of years. Don't let your impatience keep you hidden for hundreds more."

"We are incredibly grateful for the Dark Lord and his assistance. We will wait as long as it takes." Zanteri replies.

"Much better attitude. The Dark Lord will be pleased with your continued support."

"To a new free world." Zanteri says.

Paige and Draider can hear hundreds of hisses coming from inside the room.

"I think we need to go now Captain." Draider whispers.

"I agree." Paige whispers back as they both back away from the door.

"Did you bring anyone else with you? I smell blood different from yours."

"No, I came alone as always."

"Then you were followed."

"Now it's time to run Captain." Draider say to Paige as he grabs her arm.

They run back down the long hallway with the creepy portraits. Paige looks behind as she hears the golden doors burst open and masses of scrawny grey creatures with two sharp fangs appear from behind the door, chasing them down the hallway.
Draider reaches the door leading back to the room where the staircase led them and throws it open. Paige jumps into the room as the creatures catch up to them. Draider manages to slam the door shut, blocking them from getting to them.

"Find something to wedge the door." Draider yells at Paige as he struggles to keep the door closed.

Paige frantically looks around, only spotting the large wooden crates. She uses her wand to break the crates apart and she starts lifting heavy pieces of wood from the ground and places them across the door. Draider then let's go of the door and uses his wand to bolt the wood to the wall, holding the creatures at bay for now.

"It won't hold them off for long. We need to find a way out of here." Draider says as he slowly backs away from the door.

Paige looks around the room again and up at the ceiling, trying to figure out how to get back to the room with the staircase. Draider starts to feel along the empty dusty walls, trying to uncover a secret switch or something. The creature's pound harder and louder at the door, almost causing it to bust down.

"Fuck the exit, let's just apparate." Paige suggests as she grips her wand tightly.

"You see those ruins along the walls? It stops people from coming in and out with spells." Draider says as he points to the symbols written on the walls.

Paige looks at the ruins and believes Draider without trying to apparate.

"We don't have much time. We need to find the exit quickly." Draider says in a panicked tone as he desperately runs his hands along the wall.

"Paige. You know what you must do." Otakemaru whispers in her ear.

"I know damnit."

Paige stands in the middle of the room facing the door, waiting for them to burst through.

"Paige what the hell are you doing?" Draider yells as he notices Paige.

"I need you to keep a secret Lieutenant." Paige says as she watches the door continually be pounded against. "Can you do that for me?"

"Seeing is how we're both about to die, that shouldn't be to much of an issue." Draider replies as he stops looking for an exit, accepting their fate.

"Whatever you do, stay behind me." Paige instructs as the wood across the door begins to crack and splinter.

"Even though I've only known you a brief time, it's been an honor, Captain." Draider comments as the wooden beams fully break.

"Save it for another time Draider, we aren't dying today." Paige says with a smirk as Otakemaru's powers grow inside her emitting a green flame around her.

Draider watches in awe as the room lights up in a green glow and the door bursts open. The grey creatures start to fight their way into the room, wanting to be the first ones at fresh blood. Their hunger driving them to insanity as they hurl themselves towards Paige like a moth to a flame. She pushes the fire forward, hitting them before they can reach her, their bodies bursting into a bright green flame Paige has never seen happen before. Ashes is the only thing that remains of the creatures after the fire ignites them.
she continues to push the flames back into the hallway full of creatures still oblivious to her onslaught on their kind. She steps forward, finally pushing them to retreat against her flames as they turn back around and start to fall back. Paige runs behind them, running through her own fire, unaffected by it. She chases them into the hallway, pushing her flames behind them. They struggle to open the set of golden doors at the end in their panic to get away from her. She sends a final tidal wave of flames down the hallway burning all the portraits along the wall as it washes over the remaining creatures trapped at the end. Paige extinguishes all the flames as the last one crumbles to the ground in a pile of ashes.
Paige is left with her heart beating quickly and her breathing heavy as she tries to stop her legs from shaking.

"Glad the fire was as effective on them as they were." Otakemaru comments, trying to break Paige out of the moment.

"Yeah, that could have been way worse." Paige replies in her head.

"Paige?" Draider's voice says from behind her.

Paige quickly turns around, remembering Draider was with her.

"I can explain." Paige says reassuringly to him.

Draider quickly runs up to her and starts inspecting her neck and limbs.

"What the hell are you doing?" Paige asks him in confusion.

"Those were Vampires; I was just making sure you didn't get bit."

"They didn't touch me; you want me to strip down to prove that?" Paige asks him.

"Not now. Let's find a way out of here first."

"Glad I brought you along with all your great ideas." Paige replies with a smirk.

"Seems like that's all you need a team for." Draider says with a wink.

Draider nods towards the set of golden doors.

"Ladies first?" Draider says at they both approach the doors.

"Oh, now you want ladies first knowing what I can do." Paige replies with a chuckle as she leans against the door, pushing it open slightly to get a look inside the room.

Paige pushes into the now large empty room set up like an arena with stone benches places all around a small stone stage in the middle of the room. Draider points two doors, one to the left and one to the right of them.

"You seem to have all the luck tonight, Captain, which way do you want to try?" Draider asks her.

"Left." Paige replies instantly, going with her gut.

Paige leads the way as they move towards the other doors, trying to find an exit.
Draider opens the door for her as she pushes into the next room, revealing a long ladder leading directly upwards.

"Go first. I'll watch your back in case more decide to follow." Paige says as she stands aside to let Draider up the ladder first.

He doesn't question her orders. She watches the door behind them as Draider starts climbing the ladder. Paige waits until he's a quarter of the way up before starting her own ascent up the ladder. They climb in silence as they try to listen for more creatures approaching. Draider stops and waits for Paige at the top, a heavy steel maintenance hole covering the top.

Paige suddenly hears screams and cries as more of them approach their location.

"Move your ass Draider." Paige demands as the noise come closer and closer.

"I'm trying, there's something wrong with it, it won't move." Draider says as he tries with all his might to try and move the heavy steel disk above them.

"MAYBE TRY USING MAGIC." Paige yells as a second hoard of Vampires scamper into the room with the ladder, looking up at Paige and Draider that are at the top.

Draider points his wand at the maintenance hole cover, and it flies off effortlessly. Paige watches as Draider starts to climb out of the top then looks back down at the creatures fighting each other to get onto the ladder and growing impatient enough to try and claw their way up the sides. Paige looks back up at Draider who is now fully out and standing up at the top waiting for her to climb out.

"It's better to deal with them in here than out there." Otakemaru suggests as Paige tries to think of what to do next.

"Move away from the opening." Paige yells as moves her hands and feet on the ladder.

"Paige!" Draider yells as he watches her slide back down the ladder.

Paige suddenly ignites into a giant ball of green fire as she slides back down the hole. Not once did she feel a hand or fang dig into her as her fire quickly ignites everything and anything left in that vertical tunnel. Their cries of agony only little quips as she puts them down quickly. Paige makes it back down to the ground, her fire roaring as she notices more of them that filled up the stone stadium. She sees what seems like the leader, standing and watching her in interest.

"Are you done?" Paige asks in a distorted voice, the remaining vampires holding themselves back from attacking her.

"Who are you?" The raspy voice of Zanteri asks her.

"That's not important right now, is it? I suggest you reconsider your deal with the Dark Lord, or else I will come back and finish you off." Paige replies with her fire still raging around her. "Consider this a kind courtesy from Albus Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore…." Zanteri repeats with a glare in his eyes.

"I can finish you all off now if you so wish." Paige replies with her head slightly tilted.

"No, no. We will take your first offer and retreat." Zanteri says as he glances back at the remaining vampires with him.

"Then fuck off." Paige snaps, her voice becoming more distorted and blending with Otakemaru's.

Zanteri and the vampires jump and then quickly move back into the golden hallway, probably knowing another way out that her and Draider were unfamiliar with. Paige finally extinguishes her fire and walks back to the bottom of the ladder. She looks up in hopes that Draider managed to get out of the way in time.

"Lieutenant, I swear to god if you're dead up there I won't be impressed." Paige yells up at him.

Paige smirks when she sees his head pop into the hole.

"Well, I hope you're impressed then Captain." Draider yells back at her with a smirk of his own.

Paige hops up on the ladder and begins her climb back up. Draider holds out his hand for her as she reaches the top. She looks him in the eyes before she slowly places her hand in his, her trust with him starting to build. He helps pull her out of the hole and into the almost full moon lighting them in the darkness. Draider uses his wand and pushes the steel disk back over top of the hole as Paige looks around for any sort of ambush.

"Do you need to check me again or do you believe me when I say they didn't touch me." Paige says with a smirk.

"No, I believe you Paige." Draider replies with a warm smile. "Glad your okay."

"Captain, can you hear me? What is going on in there? We're starting to grow concerned that we haven't heard from you two in awhile." Tonk's voice says over the earpiece.

"We are fine, sorry we went further underground, and the connection was bad." Paige replies.

"Thank god, we were starting to think something bad happened in there." Tonks comments, sounding relieved.

"Nothing we couldn't manage." Draider replies into the earpiece as he looks over at Paige with a smirk.

"We ended up across the river somehow. We are making our way back to the museum now." Paige informs them.

"Can't wait to hear what you two found, Captain." Tonks replies.

"We better get back to the others and get the hell out of here." Draider suggests.

"I need to know that you can keep this secret Dan. There are only three others who know about this and my none of them are on the team back in London. I want to keep it that way." Paige says sternly as she looks into Draider's eyes.

"You have my word, Captain; your secret is safe with me." Draider assures her.

"I will kill you if I find out you leaked this." Paige threatens, stepping closer to him.

"I won't let you down kid." Draider replies with a warm smile.

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here then." Paige says as she grabs onto his Draider's arm.

"Can I ask you questions about it? Your powers." Draider asks, glancing over at Paige.

"I'll answer SOME questions." Paige replies with a smirk.

"Fair enough." Draider says before they apparate back to their rendezvous point to meet back up with Remus and Tonks.