Disclaimer: All characters, names, settings etc belong to their respective copyright holders, only much of the convoluted plot, Night Wolf and a few other things are of my own creation (but inspired from many things under copyright, which aren't mine).
Chapter 19
"So how does this affect us?" Lethbridge Stewart looked around the room, they had just 'watched' over a compilation of the trial of several ministry officials including Cornelius Fudge.
Alistair was heading this meeting whilst Birmingham and his Sorcery Division worked to perfect some of their more 'experimental weapons', now that the fighting was well and truly coming into the world.
"Politically it should mean a big shake up, there isn't any sort of system such as a deputy minister of magic…" Started someone from Jones's apothecary division, who also had a 'good understanding' of the wand user's political system.
"There isn't any clear succession, there never has been…from what we can tell anyone from within the Ministry can become Minister of Magic…" A man from Birmingham's sorcery division, who had left the wand user's world as a teenager after it was discovered he was a werewolf.
"I sense a but coming…" The Brig muttered.
The man smiled and sipped his coffee.
"However…generally there would need to be a vote, even with 'special powers'" He said making air quotes. "During 'troubling times' they would still probably insist on having a vote." His face darkened for a moment. "They'd also make sure no 'undesirable elements' got into the top job."
They all knew what the ministry, even without the close-minded Fudge and Umbridge thought of as undesirable. Not just werewolves, but all ministers in living memory had come from 'pureblood' families…whatever that meant.
"Is there any possibility that Dumbledore could try for Minister of Magic?" Alistair asked after a moment.
There was a pause around the table as the various people considered it.
"No…all intelligence concerning Albus Dumbledore suggests that his interests lie…not so much away from the Ministry…but he certainly doesn't…he seems to prefer the subtler methods where he isn't directly connected to the malice."
"Very well…dismissed…" Alistair nodded to everyone. "Robert."
Robert was a researcher part of Birmingham's Sorcery division, although he worked closely with the other departments in a research and analysis field.
"Brigadier?"
"What of Remus Lupin?"
"The request from Mr Potter?" Lethbridge Stewart nodded.
"Remus Lupin…werewolf, he was assisted by Sorcerer Birmingham through Mr Potter…from what…Harry has said he's a friend of his parents and himself." Robert flicked though his notes.
"Is there any possibility of trouble, should we invite him?"
"No sir…I don't believe so…from Mr Potter's reports Remus Lupin has been used by Dumbledore to further his own ends during what could be seen as the pre-stages of Voldemort's re-uprising."
Lethbridge Stewart nodded considering it.
"Very well Robert. Do a scout of a place to meet him…away from any wand user's sites…you know the drill."
"Certainly Brigadier."
--/
Birmingham shook himself and glanced around his surroundings, he'd arrived at the town that had been chosen to meet Remus Lupin.
The Brigadier had instructed that he'd be going through the teleporter, rather than apparating in order to limit any background magic that could be traced.
Luckily ASCS Hattah was in orbit to act as a relay for the teleport signal.
While his experiment utilising the transmat technology proved a theory and while it had been based on early trials of the technology there was no way he was putting his body through something which made a piece of paper crackle and spark when it encountered magical warding systems.
"Alpha One; in town, awaiting arrival of Last Raven and passenger." Birmingham muttered into his RT.
"Roger Alpha One, standing by for extraction. Out."
With that short conversation sorted he walked calmly over the centre of the village and settled against a stone plinth in the middle of the town, as he settled into a sitting position he checked his pockets once more.
Wand…not that he used it, weapons…but a stun/kill and a standard hand gun, various jamming devices…
Sighing to himself he pulled out a small bag and a crystal and rubbed a fine dust into his jacket and whistled at the crystal.
To anyone who had been paying attention to the person sitting in the middle of the village green he would have simply…slid out of their view.
It was more of an occlusion ritual than anything complicated like a charm that the wand users used to hide themselves.
The method was quite simple, it was simply a process of removing yourself from the surrounding's perceptions and building on the assumptions…the crystal was a catalyst for the process whilst the dust was a cleverly formulated low level psychic instigator for the process…as a result it gave most people a headache unless you were really used to it.
Birmingham looked up not 30 minutes later as the area around the graveyard shimmered in an unnatural and mysterious manner and from where there was just a tombstone two people stepped from around it.
He had instructed Harry to bring Remus Lupin to the meeting himself rather than via an apparition per the Brigadier's orders.
There were only so many towns around the United Kingdom which hadn't been apparated into on a recent basis.
Birmingham walked swiftly to the pub there were some others in the pub, however they would be there providing a visible presence, just in case anything happened.
While this was just a meeting, there was a possibility that Lupin could have been bugged…even though he'd taught Harry much of the counter surveillance and debugging techniques…The Brigadier thought it was best to be safe when…looking bringing in new people into Night Wolf…especially with the possibility that they could…'burn out' upon finding out various pieces of information about the world.
As Harry and Remus Lupin passed he inclined his head as though he were looking at the spirit bottles above the bar, Lupin seemed slightly unease, although he didn't seem to notice anything as they passed.
Birmingham watched as they took a seat near the back of the beer garden, seated away from everyone, positing themselves in a corner so they could watch the bar.
"Something non-alcoholic for me Harry…" Remus Lupin called towards Harry, Birmingham smiled to himself, Harry did have a tendency to hit the alcohol at odd and frequent times of the day…with hardly any ill effects.
"Harry." He muttered as Harry came to stand at the bar with him.
"Birmingham." Harry muttered without looking away from the menu he was pretending to read with a large amount of vigour.
"That was him?" Birmingham asked, just to be sure…
"Yep."
"Good." Birmingham said brushing away some of the dust from his clothing.
"Do you want me to wait?" Harry asked cautiously.
"If you want…" Birmingham trailed off, it wouldn't matter if Harry was here or not. "or you can return here when we've finished." He pulled an second RT from one of his pockets. "Here."
"An RT." Harry stated slipping it into his pocket. "I'll head to London…I need to get some things to…well for his cover story."
"I'll contact you when we're done."
"Right."
Harry paused for a moment looking over at the table, Remus had his back to them he nodded to Birmingham before departing.
Birmingham walked over to the table carrying two tall glasses of apple juice, unlike Harry…or like Remus Lupin he preferred not to drink…well not drink like Harry at any rate.
He placed the two glasses down on the table before sitting before him, he paused for a moment.
The man before him didn't look…he was healthier, but still had some of the after affects of years using the Wolf's Bane potion…among other things, he had stress lines around the eyes…and while he did look as though he had been living an easier life, the man before him, like many werewolves had had a hard life.
"Mr Lupin." It was a statement but Lupin still looked at him with surprise and suspicion.
"Yes." He said slowly, before he sized up Birmingham. Birmingham raised his assumptions of Lupin a bit, he was more built and slightly taller than Lupin…but there was that glare in Lupin's eye. "Where's Harry?"
"I'm Birmingham, he said he would return later…"
Lupin took a breath. "Mr Birmingham…"'
"Just Birmingham." He said as he pulled a set of papers from within his jacket, the Official Secrets Act and the Amended Articles.
"Before I can say anything…pertaining to Harry's activities I must ask you to sign this." Birmingham pushed the papers and a pen across the table. Lupin looked at him and the paper with suspicion. "Harry did say he trusted you implicitly."
It was unsaid that this was 'just a formally'…but formalities do have their usefulness…
"Read through and sign at the bottom."
"As long as it isn't in blood." Birmingham heard Reums mutter.
Birmingham watched the younger man as he read through in full everything in the Official Secrets Act and Amended Articles in full, his eyebrow's raised a few times, but there was nothing overtly revealing in either document…he did sign when he had finished reading, which was at least one hurdle concurred, there were some recruits in the past who upon reading the Act and the Articles wanted nothing more to do with the UN, just based on what could potentially be covered in the act.
Birmingham put both away in an envelope before replacing it and the ben inside his jacket.
"Thank you Mr Lupin."
"Call me Remus." Birmingham acknowledged with a nod.
"As a wizard Remus some of the points within the Articles and Act needn't apply in the strictest sense…however as Harry has demonstrated…and I'm sure you know, you cannot just tell anyone in the street…" Birmingham nodded toward the lazy country street outside the bar.
"So…where was Harry after his encounter with the Death Eaters in that town… Tellus?" Remus asked taking the glass of apple juice and eyeing Birmingham for several moments, Birmingham could see Remus's nostrils flaring as he was sniffing the juice, after several moments he took a sip.
Detecting if or if not a liquid contained a poison wasn't a skill that you learnt overnight, it was something learnt through time, skill and attempted poisonings, Birmingham's rating of Remus went up.
"Remus, as the last war with Voldemort drew to a close a group of people formed from a secret taskforce was formed to combat the threat."
"From Voldemort?" Remus asked curiously.
"From the wand using world." Birmingham supplied. "This force was a research, training and intelligence force…we came together, the outcasts from the wizarding world." He muttered with some disgust, while Birmingham didn't have the…hate of the wand using world like many within Night Wolf he did have some…distaste. "We have squibs, werewolves, other people…all working…"
"Against the wizarding world?"
"That is not the only thing we work on, there are other areas of research, development and exploration that we work towards, however the wizarding world has problems like Voldemort, that we want to help with."
"I see."
"Voldemort is much more a problem than anyone has really thought about Remus, and sooner or later he is going to be dealt with…the prophecy is only part of it…we will help Harry in any way we can…it is certainly better than Dumbledore's methods."
Birmingham continue to explain some of the finer details, about Night Wolf and himself to Remus's continue surprised.
"That's…incredible…" Remus exclaimed after some time.
Birmingham smiled, Remus was coping with the information with practised ease, much better than some of the Night Wolf recruits in the past….and some of those had tangled with Yetis and stunned by witches.
"Now, I think it's time for you to meet the General…He oversees the work and has assisted Harry throughout his endeavours…" Birmingham said casually watching Remus' reaction.
"How? And…where…how?" Remus asked genuinely shocked and confused by the influx of so much new information.
"I have my own…transportation…" Remus made to leave. "Stay here…Harry will take you…" Birmingham smiled at Remus as he stood up and took out his RT and twisting the frequency.
"Alpha One to Last Raven…" Birmingham paused for a moment, there was no response. "Come in Last Raven."
"…One…Last Raven here receiving over…"
"Meet a success…You may retrieve and return to base."
"Confirmed Alpha One, Out." Birmingham smiled at Remus.
"I may see you at Night Wolf…good day Remus." Birmingham turned and walked out the door, passing Harry who was walking through the pub towards Remus.
Walking out into a side street near where he first appeared he withdrew his RT again.
"Alpha One to Greyhound Leader."
"Report Alpha One."
"Package on route, Last Raven in transit."
"Ready to receive Alpha One. Ready to return?"
"Just about to call the pigeon." Birmingham muttered.
"…" There was a chuckle. "I don't think they'd appreciate that Alpha One, Out."
Birmgham smiled to himself as he adjusted the frequency once more.
"Hattah, Alpha One. Ready for teleport."
"Confirmed, coordinates locked…"
There was a buzz and the world around Birmingham disappeared and faded away to be replaced by the interior of the Australian Space Core Ship Hattah.
"Back down to Night Wolf Sorcerer Birmingham sir?"
"Yes, thank you…" Birmingham nodded to the officer.
"Ready sir…" Birmingham nodded and watched the world dissolve away.
--/
Birmingham and Lethbridge Stewart were in the mess having late afternoon meal while they talked over the newest reports coming in from the field.
"So what did Remus tell you?" Birmingham asked turning over the page of the most recent report.
Attacks were increasing, mostly just 'collateral damage', MI5 was treating it as Real IRA activity, though the last time the Brig had returned from a meeting with Harry Pearce he'd mentioned that Pearce didn't seem to be that confident in that particular cover story.
While it could maybe be Real IRA attacks, there was the lack of…explosive residue…in fact the lack of any firearms residue, plus the lack of anything that could have caused the buildings, trees, cars and animals to have been destroyed…
Any witnesses quickly latched onto the idea of Real IRA…or unexploded WWII bombs…or simply 'madmen' killing animals and setting light to buildings before their very eyes…anything was more believable than the truth.
"We followed up some information…concerning Dumbledore, the current situation."
"Anything that Harry hasn't already said?" Birmingham asked curiously.
"Not as such, but there was some detail that I was curious about…how precisely Harry came to be with his Aunt an Uncle…there isn't much of a paper trail concerning him or his arrival at Privet Drive."
"I know…I did try to follow him there remember…" He muttered with some annoyance.
The Brigadier nodded.
"What do you think Birmingham? About these attacks?"
"I think…" Birmingham paused, sighing…"I think it's only going to get worse, and get there very quickly."
"That's what I was thinking…Focus our ships on resource gathering and supply, and redirect much of our resources to field work."
"Geneva?" Birmingham asked.
"They were worried when the dementors started wondering around a year or two ago…when we installed the jammers in Downing Street they were officially worried."
"I see…" Birmingham frowned, but had a determined look on his face. "This time, now we're ready."
"We're more ready Birmingham, it does nothing to be overly cocky…"
Birmingham almost rolled his eyes. "Yes Brigadier…that is what I've told Harry…"
"I see his sarcasm is rubbing off on you." Lethbridge Stewart chuckled.
--/
Much of this chapter is co-current with Chapter 27 of Sorcery, UNITed, Independence, Space.
I've changed some of the conversation to reflect the change in perspective here, here there's more of Remus and Birmingham's initial conversation and reflection.
Thanks for reading, as always I will most likely reply to all reviewers.