Before i get into this chapter I want to let everyone know it is a bit short i aim for 4000 words or more. This one comes in at 3,763 not including my rambling. I promise you, I Will never release a chapter with less then 3,500 words and i imagine when this fic is done it will be over the 200k word mark easily. I won't be able to do a chapter a day but i will try to do at-least a chapter ever other week maybe even two. i do have a full time job.
Now On to the fun stuff. I had my first review! While i did respond to it already, I feel it worth sharing with all of you because he asked a very good question.
JohnMonty chapter 1 . Jun 12
Great chapter! I like it so far though I thought things would've gotten better for muggleborns in that timeline. Wouldn't Granger and Potter not have gotten more rights and equal opportunities for the muggleborns and muggle-raised half-bloods. Looking forward to reading the next chapter were hopefully Oliver will get to kick some inbred pureblood ass! Update soon!
This is my answer for you all to this question. Well a little better worded but still.
"My understanding is that most of Hermione's time at the ministry was spent on the promotion of elfish rights and that Harry went on to become head Auror. Canonically speaking. I find it very hard to believe that harry potter would involve himself politically beyond his role. It is just not in line with his personality. Not that i think he would not stand up to open oppression if it happened right in front of him but to put himself in front of the masses? I don't think so. Beyond that Voldemort's defeat did nothing to remove bigoted pure bloods from power in the wizengamot. Sure the death eaters were removed by being sent to Azkaban but many of them had heirs to take up there mantle. Most of them likely to be more politically inclined then Harry potter and certainly capable of suppressing Hermione."
Please enjoy this chapter of Twisted Perceptions.
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Chapter 2. The best laid plans
As good as his word Oliver had made Jack take a secrecy vow before they left the office. Holly it seemed had gotten impatient and taken off while they were talking. Most likely to get back to the cauldron. Jack as it turned out was a god send and a well spring of useful information, He knew more about the fine details of the muggle world having lived in it full time for the last few years. With a few call's he had managed to arrange for a internet installer to come out the next day. He also knew a good electronics store with decent prices. And as it turned out he had a car. Jack and Oliver spent the rest of the day running around London gathering everything that they needed and jack left for the night after helping Oliver set it all up.
The next day Jack came in bright and early to find Oliver had made himself busy putting the finishing touch's on the building. The black windows now read in Slytherin green. " Twisted perceptions detective services." The entire building was immaculately clean. A leather chair on rollers sat behind the reception counter and in it was Oliver with his feet up on the counter next to a box of donuts.
Oliver smiled brightly," Good your here we have shit to do."
Jack raised an eyebrow and helped himself to a donut." And what might that be?." He sat on one of the leather bench's.
Oliver sat up." Every day we lose money if we are doing nothing and i don't have a whole lot of that to begin with. So we are going to get right into it. I need you to park your ass here and deal with getting the internet installed. Then i need you to go to the alley and get us an owl. When your done head to the apothecary and pick up any potions you think might be useful." Oliver tossed jack the sack that held all of his remaining galleons in it.
Jack caught the bag and tied it to his belt." And what will you be doing while i tend to business?"
Oliver took out his cell phone and slipped it across the counter to Jack. Displayed on the screen was a large man with long greasy brown hair and a ragged beard with the word WANTED written across the bottom." That's Danny Vickers, He is wanted for killing a couple boys in a bar down Dorset way, They have a £50,000 reward on him and he is suspected to be hiding right here in London. I thought i might go and introduce myself to the lad."
Jack picked up Oliver's phone and scrolled through the information on Danny Vickers and looked up at Oliver " It says here he is fond of shotguns whats your game plan for that?"
Oliver's smile faded a bit and he said sheepishly" Well i have a plan, i am going to put an impenetrable charm on my clothes."
Jack gave Oliver an odd look ," Will that work? what if he shoots you in the face." He passed Oliver back his phone.
Oliver tucked his phone into his pocket and said," I think it will work. I don't see why it would not, As for the other well we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I have been on face book all day digging around and i found out our boy has a girlfriend in Dorset. I figured i would go have a bit of a poke about and see what i can find, Maybe get something i can work with."
Oliver got up and stretched," Hold down the fort Jack i will be back" Oliver turned on the spot and vanished with a loud pop. Jack went over and sat himself in Oliver's chair and helped himself to another donut," Sure thing boss." He put his feet up.
Page two:
Oliver's original plan had been to pop on over to Dorset and wander around town for a bit until he found the right house. It did not take him too long to figure out that plan "A" Was not going to work he could wonder for a month and still not find anything, The city was just too big. Oliver found a park and sat down at a picnic table.
What he needed was an address but the woman had been smart enough to keep her address off of Facebook, " Who would know were to find a wanted man's girl." He asked himself. The answer came to him almost instantly, The police. Oliver took out his trusty cellphone and fired up his search engine. A few seconds later he had directions to the Dorset police station. Oliver found himself a nice secluded place and disillusioned himself. He added silencing charms on to his shoe's and then added a notice-me-not on top of it. The spell work was not as good as a invisibility cloak but it was more then enough to handle muggles.
Oliver went right in through the front door. He slipped in as someone flung the double doors open wide on there way out. Oliver headed for the nearest unattended computer to find it password protected. Of course, well that sucks he thought to himself. Looking around he spotted a plump old detective reading the information on a criminal, Oliver thought through the spells he knew that might get him what he needed and sighed at his conclusion. There was nothing else for it. Oliver pointed his wand at the muggle detective "Imperio." The detective began to type on the computer looking up everything he could find on Danny Vickers and started printing it. Unfortunately this is were plan "B" went south. All at once three things happened first a caterwauling charm went off, Second his disillusionment charm broke and lastly an anti apparition ward settled over the building.
Oliver swore loudly ripping the bandanna off his head and tying it over his face, A second after he had finished tying it on a big wizard with a short goatee with tussled blond hair skidded into the room. He had on a muggle police uniform and his wand was in his hand "Stop in the name of the ministry of magic, I Cormac McLaggen, arrest you! Bombarda!" Cormac bellowed the spell and Oliver dodged out of the way pointing his wand at the Imperiused detective who was still typing away "Depulso" The banishing charm blasted the detective out of the way but unfortunately into the wall. an instant later the blasting curse utterly annihilated the computer and desk the detective had been at just a moment before.
Oliver turned his attention back to Cormac and deflected an oncoming cutting curse " what the hell is your problem you psychopath?"
Cormac roared "Die death eater!" casting a few more cutting curses at Oliver."
"what the fuck? i am not a death eater, there has not been a death eater sighting in over a decade!" Oliver yelled but his words had absolutely no effect on Cormac.
"Dont make me hurt you, McLaggan!" Oliver said sending a stunner Cormacs way that was blocked with a Protego."
"AH HA! so you have heard of me, i see my reputation proceeds me even death eaters know my name and fear it!" Cormac flourished his wand.
"Your joking right? You just said your name not a minute ago. And stop calling me a death eater!" Oliver yelled side stepping a full body bind. "Enough!" Oliver yelled getting frustrated. "immobulus, incarcerous, stupefy" It was a simple spell chain cast silently. Each wand movement transitioning smoothly into the next and it easily over whelmed Cormac. Cormac managed to block the freezing charm but was hit by the incarcerous and was bound in ropes and stunned. Oliver walked over and kicked Cormac in his nuts "I got your death eater right here,You stupid bastard." He then obliviated the detective and cast another disillusionment on himself. He gathered the papers the detective had printed and got the hell out of there.
Oliver ducked down the first alley he could find and pointed his wand at his head "Colovaria," His hair became red and he repeated the spell on his shirt and pants. Pocketing his bandanna he went looking for a pub. He needed a place to sit and read the papers but most of all he needed a stiff drink.
As it turned out the name and picture of Danny Vickers girlfriend on Facebook was completely fake. But thankfully he did have a girlfriend in Dorset by the name of Pamela Walters. Oliver tossed back the pint of beer he had been nursing and the bartender came over," Anything else for you." Oliver shook his head "Not unless you know where i can find Pamela Walters," the Bartender snorted a laugh." Any bartender in Dorset could tell you where Pamela Walters lives." Oliver dead panned "you have got to be shitting me."
The instructions the bartender gave him lead him to a house that looked like a crack den. The yard was over grown and one of the windows was boarded over. There was graffiti on the side of the house Oliver would have normally assumed it to be abandoned, but he knocked on the door anyway.
Pamela Walters was your A-typical two for one alcoholic and meth addict. That was the first thing that crossed Oliver's mind when she opened the door. Growing up in the system he had known more then a few. She had on a dirty pink top with a purple skirt so short it was almost pointless, Her cheeks were sunken and she was extremely skinny and had a bad case of the shakes and meth mouth. " What do you want?" she asked half hidden behind the door.
Oliver put on a charming smile," Danny sent me over to collect his shit. How bout it love?" She glared at him in response. " I am not half as stupid as you sound, Danny did not send you to collect anything." Oliver dropped the act," Danny is not coming back whats the harm in passing his stuff on to me. I will make it worth your while."
That caught Pamela's interest and she opened the door the rest of the way. "Yeah? what will you give me for it?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively and she snorted and said. "You are full of yourself, I can get better dick and a line of coke besides at the local pub. All i would have to do is take off my panties."
Ouch rejected by a meth head that was a bit of a blow to his pride. He was not all that disappointed really. Merlin only knows what kind of nastiness she had going on between her legs." I will give you £50 take it or leave it." The way she was shaking there was no chance she was going to pass.
"Come in then." She lead the way inside and Oliver closed the door behind them and drew wand and tucked it up his sleeve while her back was turned to him. She left Oliver standing in the entry telling him to wait. She moved about collecting things in a beat up laundry basket. After a time she walked back over to him with the basket in her arms and he let his wand drop into his hand," "stupefy." The red jet of light caught her full in the face and down she went. Oliver broke her fall with a cushioning charm.
"Sorry love but the last thing you need is money for drugs, But i will do you a real favor." He wiped her mind of his existence and laid a very strong compulsion charm on her that would compel her to avoid any place or person that she knew she could get drugs from. Oliver dug through the basket and found a black cord necklace with a very cheap metal cross hanging on it.
Oliver smiled looking at the little cross," Yes this will do nicely."
Oliver wrapped the necklace around his left wrist so that the cross was dangling loose. Oliver tapped the cross with his wand "Avenseguim." The cross jerked up pulling lightly against the cord that it was tied too. Its bottom was quivering pointing like an arrow toward London. He gave Pamela one last look of pity before stepping out the door and locking it behind him.
page 3:
Oliver texted jack to make sure the shop was empty then apparated back. Jack was entertaining himself buy flying a paper air plane around the room," Good to see your being productive, everything done?"
Jack nodded," Of course the owl is in your room and i have got the potions here." Jack held up a messenger bag."The internet was installed this morning. How did it go on your end? Why is your hair red?"
Oliver cast finite on himself returning his hair and clothes to normal," Its a long story mate but the punch line is his ass is ours."
Oliver lifted his left hand to show the little cross stretching the cord as far to the east as it could. It vibrated in place with the effort to reach its target. Oliver pointed east " He is that way." jack leapt up excitedly " you know where he is?"
Oliver shook his head." No just the exact direction he is in. When he moves the cross moves. So tell me do you want to come with?"
Jack pointed a finger at Oliver " Don't fuck with me if you don't mean it Twist."
Oliver gave Jack a pointed look," I have had one hell of a long day mate and I am in a bit of a mood, if you want to come get over here, you cant learn anything if you don't participate." Jack hurried over and Oliver put the Imperturbable charm on there clothes.
Jack stretched and moved to see if it felt any different and found that it did not " And your sure this will work?"
Oliver looked him over " 50/50 " Oliver lead the way out to Jacks car and got in.
Jack grabbed the bag of potions and followed Oliver out. As he started the car he asked "your kidding right? You tested it out?" Oliver played with the radio putting on some muse. He sat back in his seat and said cheerfully," Sure i did."
That did not inspire great confidence in Jack but he dropped the subject since Oliver did not seem to feel like talking. Pulling out and heading down the street. They soon pulled up to an apartment complex and Oliver rolled down his window and untied the cross from his wrist. It shot out of the car like a rocket right through the closed window of the last apartment on the third floor shattering the glass." I am guessing he is in that one."
Jack blinked at him "you think?"
Oliver and jack hustled across the street the door had one of those key code security systems on it. Oliver tapped his wand against the door discreetly with a whispered "Alohomora." They hurried inside and took the stairs to the third floor. Oliver started down the hall when jack stopped him," Wait i have a plan."
Oliver stopped and waited " I am all ears mate."
Jack smiled "Alright here is what we do, I will knock on the door and when I hear him coming i will boot the door. Then you swing in and stun the fucker, what do you think."
"I think you have been watching to much telly."
"screw you its a good plan!"
Oliver laughed." Alright then we will do it your way." They made there way down the hall to the last door and Oliver moved off to the right of it. Oliver tucked in tight against the wall and jack knocked listening for foot steps and kicked the door. The door came open right enough just like jack planned and with it came the blast of a shot gun. Jack flew across the hall and slammed into the wall. Oliver swung in and stunned Danny before he got a chance to reload.
Jack groaned,He was none the worse for the wear other then having the wind knocked out of him when his back hit the wall. Oliver said " I am amazed that worked, Good thing you knocked that looked painful " Oliver said helping jack up " worked my ass!"
Oliver laughed" Don't whine mate your still in one piece, The spell held. Your just more movable then the things that spell is normally used on, Now we know."
"Ass hole." jack grumbled
"Wimp" Oliver fired back"
By this point the neighbors were starting to get nosy so Oliver and jack hurried into the apartment and Oliver then took them all back to Twisted Perceptions by Side-Along Apparition.
Jack and Oliver stood over the still stunned Danny Vicker's " What do we do with him now?" Jack asked.
"That is a question for the morning my eager friend. For now we will just take the win and count our self's blessed he did not shoot you in the face. Go get your car then go home and get some sleep. we will meet up tomorrow, bring more donuts and some coffee."
Jack gestured at Danny." What are you going to do with him for the night?" Oliver grabbed Danny by a leg and dragged the larger man into his office banging the man's head against the door frame in the process " oops."
"Wingardium Leviosa." Oliver levitated Danny so that his back was against the wall and then canceled the spell and snapped out "Epoximise." The spell hit So fast that Danny's body only had a chance to drop about a inch before it stuck tight flat against the wall.
" That ought to hold him, It shocks me that people debate the usefulness of that spell." Oliver said with a chuckle twirling his wand admiring his handy work he gave his wand a flick "Enervate"
Danny awoke with a grown and began to struggle to free himself he yelled."Where am i? Who are you people." Oliver pointed his wand at Danny "Silencio."
Jack raised an eyebrow watching and Oliver frowned "Don't you have a car to get?."
Jack left a little bit later and Oliver went to his room flopping down snuggling with his pillow" Bed!O sweet bed reunited at last."
An owl hooted and Oliver raised his head looking around he spotted a brown barn owl on a perch " O right, I have an owl." Oliver picked up his wand and transfigured a window into the wall of his room so the owl could come and go then went to sleep.
Oliver awoke to the yell of " Oliver Twist! Why the hell is there a man stuck to your office wall." Holly stood at the foot of his bed holding a rolled up news paper clutched in her hand."
"Just hanging around, Should i charge him rent?" Oliver asked with a smirk.
Holly did not look amused.
"I got an owl?" he tried.
Holly shook her head " Shit like this is why i refuse to go out with you, Whats the owl's name." Letting Oliver change the subject for the moment.
Oliver thought about it for a minute "His name is hooter."
"Absolutely not, you cant name your Owl hooter."
"Why not"
"Because i said so!"
"Bossy bint." Oliver grumbled," Fine then how about Jehuti, After the god."
Holly rolled her eyes but let it go and tossed Oliver the paper "read the front page."
Oliver opened the newspaper which was a copy of the Prophet.
"Death eater in Dorset"
"Late last night the daily prophet received information of a death eater attack carried out on a muggle Auror. the mugle auror in question was placed under the imperius curse (presumably to pass on information on suspected death eater Theodore Nott.)The evidence shows that when he was discovered (By ministry senior hit wizard Cormac Maclaggan age 44.) the dark wizard attempted to kill the muggle auror with a blasting curse. only the quick action of hit wizard McLaggan spared his life.
McLaggan was on special assignment from the ministry of magic. He had been stationed undercover as a muggle Auror to aid in the interviewing of muggles who might be reporting sightings of Theodore Nott. ( For more information on death eaters see page 5.) McLaggan was gravely wounded in the heroic duel with the masked death eater. McLaggan is currently being treated for his injuries along with the unfortunate muggle auror in Saint mungo's spell damage ward. Its unknown at this time if either will make a full recovery.
The head of the hit wizard department and Wizengamot Lord Marcus Flint had this to say." We are living in dark times with Nott on the loose. And now with this new death eater to contend with, It is becoming clear that He Who Must Not Be Named's old follower's are gathering and recruiting again. Perhaps under a new dark lord. Maybe even the same man that attacked McLaggan. Hit wizard McLaggan only survived long enough to retreat because of the strict training he has received as a hit wizard and his own raw talent as a duelist. The whole of the Hit wizard force stands united in wishing McLaggan a speedy recovery."
Harry potter Currently head of the Auror force, Defeater of He Who Must Not Be Named and Boy who lived, Is notoriously hard to get a interview with and only had this to say. "We have no evidence to suggest that the death eater's are once again active, We of course take any such claims seriously and will be launching a full investigation." Leaving some of us to question if the auror department is doing enough to bring in former death eaters. No matter what there efforts are it is clear to this reporter that it is a case of too little too late."
Oliver stared at the paper incredulously and cried out "What injuries? spell damage ward my ass. What the hell did McLaggan do stub his toe getting out of his bindings?!"