A/N: It has been very difficult for me to find information on Anger, France. Considering this is a story that deals with magic and wizards, let's just pretend that the areas I describe exist in a kind of magical place that muggles can't see like Diagon Alley, shall we! If you are French and know about the area I would be happy to add/change some things. Translations done here: http/babelfish. altavista. com (w/o the spaces) I apologize if they are not spot on. The hotel name is 'The Golden Carriage hotel'
Chapter 27
Beep-beep. Beep. BEEP! Her alarm clock sounded through the room, and Ginny blearily reached out, smacking the 'off' button with a downward swipe of her hand. She rolled over and snuggled deeper into her blankets, trying to fall back asleep, or wake up 'gently' as she liked to call it.
Jasper would wake her up in a few minutes anyway. Darned cat was always hungry. Every morning when her alarm clock went off, he would press his whiskered nose into her cheek and purr like there was no tomorrow, then he would follow her around until she distracted him with food. She used to give him enough food to keep him content while she was getting ready, but at a recent visit to the vet, she was informed that Jasper was too heavy and he would have to go on a diet. Fabulous.
She was just drifting off when something woke her again. Where was Jasper?
She sat up with a loud gasp, her eyes wide. She tried to get out of bed, but her feet were tangled in the sheets and she fell to the ground with a loud 'Oomph!'
"France! Oh no, I'm going to be late!" she yelled as she untangled herself and grabbed her wand from the nightstand. "PACK!" She waved her wand at her suitcase before running into the bathroom to get ready.
A few minutes later, she rushed from the bathroom and into her closet. She emerged, hoping on one leg and pulling up her sock. She slipped her feet into her shoes and grabbed her suitcase.
Did she have everything? Jasper was staying at Luna's while she was away; she had her clothes, hair brush, deodorant, badge, wand… her favorite pillow!
"Accio pillow!" she yelled and it flew into her arms. She could never sleep without it. She shrunk the pillow and suitcase and stuffed them in her pocket.
Satisfied that she had everything that she needed, she grabbed a handful of floo powder and jumped into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic!"
Once the spinning had stopped, she stepped out of another fireplace, coughing as she emerged in the Ministry's Floo room. She gave her watch a quick glance and cursed under her breath before running down the halls and making her way towards the elevators.
She jumped onto a waiting elevator just as the doors were beginning to close. The elevator was slightly cramped at first, but after recognizing how many bodies were squeezed on board, it stretched magically, making sure that there was enough room for everyone.
She crossed her hands over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently as the lift made its slow ascent, stopping at every floor to drop some people off and exchange them for new passengers. She groaned as she imagined what Kingsley would say to her about being late for her first out-of-country briefing and assignment.
The doors finally creaked open on her floor and she pushed through the crowd, trying to look as calm as possible as she all but ran down the hallway. She reached Kingsley's door and doubled over, gasping for breath. She cleared her throat and straightened, throwing her hair behind her shoulder and trying to calm her racing heart as she opened the door.
"Sorry I'm late!" she simpered.
"Auror Weasley! How nice of you to finally join us", Kingsley said in his deep timber as he peered at her over his folded hands.
Ginny cringed. "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"Hm. I was starting to wonder whether I even had an Auror team going to France today, seeing as you decided it would be ok to show up an hour late, and your partner has not even shown up yet." He never raised his voice as he spoke, but she could still sense the displeasure in his tone.
She nodded, not sure what to say. At the moment, Kingsley didn't seem like he would be able to find the humor in her crazy morning.
"Take a seat," he rumbled, and she did so quickly, not wanting to anger him further. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as they awaited Draco's arrival. Kingsley stared at the door over his folded hands and Ginny thought he looked like a cat ready to pounce. She started to get nervous after fifteen minutes had passed; the clock on the wall ticked by the seconds and the morning sun rose higher in the sky. Kingsley began to strum the fingers of one hand against his desk, the menace in his gaze never wavering, as he continued his staring contest with the wood of the door.
Exactly two hours after the time that they were supposed to have arrived, the door creaked open, emitting a very calm and collected looking Draco Malfoy. He silently took his seat beside Ginny and looked into their boss' eyes casually.
Kingsley's right eye twitched just the tiniest bit in irritation as he glared back at his employee. "Care to explain to me, Auror Malfoy, why you are two hours late?"
"I've had a rough morning, sir," he offered, bridging no room for argument.
The older, dark skinned man glared at the blond, as if he could see through him. "Don't let it happen again," he said gruffly. "Either of you." He finished, his gaze flitting between them, making Ginny flush with embarrassment.
He sat back in his chair and cleared his throat. "All right, now that you are both in attendance, lets get this mission started, shall we?" he asked sardonically. He pushed a folder across the desk towards the two Aurors, motioning for them to look through it.
Draco grabbed it from the table and Ginny leaned over, reading over his shoulder.
"What you have there is a list of all of the known Martin households in Anger, France. You have exactly three days to find Avery and bring him in. I want you to search him, his house, and his belongings—your warrants are in the folder. I want this done quickly and efficiently. I'm sending you two alone on this, but if you need backup you know where to call. We do not want the French Ministry involved in this, I want it kept quiet. We don't want to step on anyone's toes, if it can be helped.
"You will be staying at the Hôtel d'or de Chariot under the guise of tourists. The rooms are reserved under the names Ginevra Piers and Draco Boyd. I expect nothing but the best from the both of you. You are due at the international Apparition point in… one hour," he said, checking his watch. "I suggest you take the time you have to gather anything you may need from your office. Now go, I don't want to see you back until you have obtained our suspect." He stated dismissively while leaning back in his plush leather chair.
The two young Aurors took their cue, standing from their seats and making their way to the door. Draco had just placed a long fingered hand on the door knob when Kingsley called to them once more. "Be safe," he whispered in an almost fatherly way as they walked out into the hall.
The door shut behind them with a soft click and Ginny turned to her partner, ready to ask why he was so late when he cut her off, before she could utter a word.
"I have something I need to do on the upper floors. I'll meet you in the office in around ten minutes," he said elusively before heading towards the elevators.
Ginny clucked her tongue and shrugged before turning in the opposite direction with a huff.
o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o
Draco tapped his foot as the elevator ascended to his desired floor. The elevator halted abruptly and he got off quickly, hurrying to the room in the Ministry made specifically for private Floo calls. The room was filled with over two hundred fireplaces, and each one was spelled for utmost privacy. Only level one and two Ministry employees, like Aurors and government officials, could enter and exit the room at will.
He pushed the door to the room open and strode over to one of the fireplaces against the far wall. With a quick flick of his wand, he disguised his face so that he would be unrecognizable, and then fell to his knees before the hearth, throwing a handful of powder into the flames and calling out "Hôtel d'or de Chariot" The flames turned a bright lime green and he stuck his head inside.
"Bonne journée, monsieur. Comment est-ce que je peux être utile?" a tall, dark haired French man asked him as soon as his face arrived on the other side. (Good day, sir. How may I be of service?)
"Bonjour, mon épouse a une réservation avec votre hôtel pour le ce soir et elle m'a demandée de décommander pour elle. Elle ne pourra pas le faire," Draco purred in perfect French. (Hello, my wife has a reservation with your hotel for tonight and she asked me to cancel for her. She won't be able to make it.)
"Je comprends. Pouvez-vous me dire son nom, s'il vous plait ?" (I understand. Can you tell me her name, please?)
"Ginevra Piers."
"Il a été décommandé. Nous ne l'attendrons plus ce soir." (It has been cancelled. We will no longer be expecting her tonight.)
"Merci." Draco pulled his head from the hearth with a smile and removed the glamour charm from his face before getting to his feet. This was going to be the most interesting mission he had ever been on.
o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o
They arrived at the international Apparation point with little to no problems and soon found themselves outside of their hotel. "What did he say, Draco?" Ginny asked, her patience waning.
"He says that your reservation has been cancelled," he drawled.
"What do you mean my reservation was cancelled?" she shouted at the desk clerk, and he lifted his hands, confused.
"Elle veut savoir pourquoi sa réservation a été décommandée," (She wants to know why her reservation was cancelled.) Draco said calmly to the clerk.
"Son mari l'a appelé et a décommandé." (Her husband called and cancelled it)
"Y a-t-il de autres chambres disponibles?" (Are there any other rooms available?)
"Non, monsieur. Nous tous sommes réservés vers le haut pour la nuit."(No, sir. We are all booked up for the night.)
"What are you two saying!" Ginny jumped in impatiently.
Draco sighed dramatically. "He says that your husband cancelled the reservation."
"HUSBAND?"
Draco grabbed her upper arm roughly and pulled her away from the desk, away from any prying eyes. "Calm down. I think I know what's going on…"
Her eyes squinted in suspicion. "You did this, didn't you?"
"No." He lied beautifully. "Think about it. It was obviously Kingsley. He's worried for us and thinks that if we stay closer together we'll be safer."
Ginny's shoulders slumped and she nodded. It made sense. "Then what should we do?"
"We'll have to share a room."
"But!"
"They're all booked for the night. It's our only option. They might have a vacancy tomorrow, but for tonight, we have to bunk together."
She frowned, deep in thought, and Draco could almost see the cogs turning in her head as she tried to figure out how to get out of their current situation. He almost smirked when he saw her nod her head in defeat. "Alright," she said, and then squinted at him again. "You get the couch," she decided, and this time Draco did smirk.
"Certainly."
Plan A: Successful.
A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I am so tired..I got off of work then exercised then came home, but I promised my sister that I'd post the new chapter so here it is!
Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys always know how to make me smile and make my day 10x better!
dementorchic, Robin, Gella, Fly me to the Stars, GinnyGINvampire00 aka Evon, xfinishedinadayx, devil'lil', QueenBee11,
Dracoginnylover24, cheveuxrougefaux, luv2dance756, HyperSquishy, kasey07, SilverUnicorn66, grannyHPfan, harrypotterchick4ever,
babi-gurl-chels, bella118, CanYouLovetheImaginary, jhaycita, AuntAnnie!!
Oh and...Robin asked me if I had a mailing list... I don't but I could always start one just to let people know when a new chapter comes
out. If you'd like to be added just send me your email address in either a review or note or email (listed on my author page) and
I shall send you alerts!