A/N : First off I'd like to apologize for being so late to post this. The chapter was ready back in August, right before my senior semester got started. But then my computer died. Long story short I lost almost a hundred pages of unpublished fan fiction and original fiction, including this chapter. I got started on re-writing this chapter right away and in a way I think that it's better than the original, even if it's shorter. I decided to cut the chapter as is so I could update before Christmas and I'll try to have the nest chapter up by the end of the year. I realize that most of you will have to go back and read the last chapter to remember what was happening, sorry about that. : A/N
Chapter 8
The dangers of Firewiskey
"We can't stay here." Neri commented on the cave that they were currently in, while it was certainly large enough to contain the hundreds of dementors that were part of the hive there weren't any sources of food, read civilization, anywhere nearby.
"What was the plan without me?" Harry asked as he pulled his robe back on.
"Voldemort offered us the souls of the muggles, but he made asummed that we'd take care of ourselves."
"Can I ask you not to drain the life out of the countryside?"
"My people need food." Was her reply.
"Well that's a no then?"
"I will give you no promises." The two of them stepped outside into the setting sun.
"Well I have a place not to far from here that's warded from discovery. You could stay there and branch out."
"You know most properties are warded against our kind."
"I've already taken care of that." Neri looked off over the ridge the sun had just disappeared behind.
"Very well." Neri turned back into the cave and let out a demonic shriek which was the dementor's spoken language. Neri had not seen fit to instruct Harry on how to speak it. Then each dementor that heard it shrieked as well and passed the message deep into the cave. Within minutes a horde of black cloaked creature rose from the caves mouth to hover above the valley floor. Transforming Harry joined them.
While they weren't really that fast over long distances they made a fair clip. When they encountered a muggle highway the group turned and followed the roadway over several towns on the way. At Harry's request they did not dive down and devastate the towns the dementors still slowed to a crawl over these towns, and villages. While the muggles couldn't see anything the amount of car crashes was a testament to the fact they noticed. By the time they reached the lands of the Potter estate the hive was quite well fed, for at least a few days anyway. As dementors didn't really need much in terms of living conditions Harry simply let them have free run of the place and told Dobby to leave the property, and the dementors alone. Neri ended up in the master bedroom, Harry had wanted her to come with him but she wanted to be sure her people were settled in first.
Returning home in the early hours of the morning Harry noticed several things. First and foremost was the scent of burning wood. He followed the scent to his dresser, or what was left of it. The pendant he had been given by the Death Eaters he'd contacted in Knockturn had gotten so hot that it had burnt a hole in the dresser. They either summoned him and grew irritated that he didn't come immediately or they knew about his involvement with the Order and the pendant was self destructing. Seeing as how the fire that had been his dresser had been smoldering for several hours now, thank Merlin for fire resistant floors, Harry decided that paying those Death Eaters a visit would be a dumb idea.
Even though it was late and he had quite a bit to accomplish tomorrow, the energy he'd siphoned off earlier in the night left him ready for more. His plan for fooling the Order would have to be prepared right before he left so he still had about seven hours to kill. First off Harry vanished the ruined dresser and removed the smoky smell form the house. He'd need more clothing but that was pretty low on his to do list at the moment.
Instead he pulled out the book that the Barron had given to him. While he didn't have the proper amount of vampiric blood flowing through him to accomplish the feats of blood magic the book talked about the information was still useful. Meshing it with the little he had learned about the subject from the collective Harry was able to piece together more about how exactly blood magic and specifically blood wards worked.
By the time the sun rose he was already into diagramming the ward structures that he planed to create latter on. Harry spent the morning with some of the heirlooms and other assorted junk that he had yet to clean before he began to work on his plan for the Order meeting he was to attend that evening.
Across the country Albus Dumbledore spent his morning preparing for the same meeting in a very different way. Albus was sitting at his desk in Hogwarts, seated in a semi-circle around him were his top lieutenants in the Order of the Phoenix.
"Kingsly. What have you found out?" The bald Auror stepped forward and handed copies of a file to everyone in the room.
"Dimitri Darracun was born in the former Chech-Republic, he graduated from Drumstang in 92. His official record lists no form of employment for the next couple of years until his arrest in 95 under organized crime laws. He testified against his bosses in exchange for a lesser sentence, spent two years in Ostrava's maximum security prison. He was released on good behavior about a month ago and has since immigrated to the U.K. This is all from the Chechen ministry, the Ministry of Magic can only confirm his immigrant statues with the muggles and that he was in the ministry a few days ago asking about ward permits. He's got a place in southwest London, a real dive. We couldn't get anything off of his roommate though." Kinglsy retook his seat.
"That's it?" Moody asked.
"Yeah, his entire record, well all the important parts."
"I don't like him." The grizzled Auror replied. "He's too much like his record."
"Moody do you ever listen to yourself; you can't be too much like your record." Snape interrupted.
"He could be Potter in disguise." Snape snorted.
"You saw how he fought, that is most defiantly not Potter."
"Like a Death Eater would know." Moody mumbled under his breath, but loud enough that everyone could hear. Snape started to rise but was cut off by Dumbledore's disappointed voice.
"Gentlemen, can we please move along with this meeting." Snape reluctantly returned to his seat, still glaring daggers at the old Auror.
"Now controversy aside, this meeting is just to decide how we shall meet Mr. Darracun when he returns tonight. Let's simply take a vote and be done with it. All in favor of accepting Mr. Darracun?" Five hands were raised, with Moody and Molly in disagreement. Dumbledore didn't vote on the matter.
"Good the matter's settled then, we'll invite Mr. Darracun to join us."
"We still have to test him under veritaserum." Moody grumbled.
"Alastor, we test everyone under veritaserum." Mad-eye was silent.
Harry stirred the bubbling cauldron three times clockwise. The crushed lavender petals vanished into the boiling concoction. He sighed and then backed up, the next step wasn't to be preformed for another four and a half minutes and all the ingredients were ready. While his potion making skills really had not improved much in the year he had been away from Hogwarts, his ability to follow directions in a book had greatly increased. This particular potion had to be perfect as it broke down in just under twelve hours and took four to brew correctly, he wouldn't have another chance at this. There was simply no time to try again before he was due at the Order meeting.
Dirimemi Memorias affected the drinkers memory, it was in a sense a temporary oblivation, except that it left no signs that obliviation usually left, and unlike oblivation the memories would return in about six hours. The memory marker spell he had used on himself earlier was ready to go, all he needed to do was complete the potion and drink it. From that moment on until sometime tomorrow morning he would be Dimitri Darracun and would completely forget about Harry. If he didn't remember being Harry he couldn't give himself up to any truth potion.
His watch beeped alerting Harry that the four minutes had passed. He picked up the powered chimera liver and the golden ladle.
Five seconds.
He held the powered substance over the cauldron.
Four.
Three.
Two.
Harry sprinkled the powered into the potion as was instructed, it began to froth and hiss, but he was ready. Dipping the ladle in he stirred twice clockwise and then three times counterclockwise. The mixture settled down and turned a lime green, it was ready. He took it off the fire and set it aside, it had to cool to 37 (Celsius) degrees and then he had to drink it before it cooled any more. That would take several minutes so he took the time to clean up his workspace and leave a note for himself to read afterwards. It was important that he saw nothing that would make him connect himself to Harry Potter or he wouldn't be able to lie under veritaserum effectively.
After double checking that his disguise was in place Harry picked up and drank the lime green mixture. Sadly it tasted nothing of limes, actually he thought he detected a bit of spleen before the potion began to work and he blacked out.
Dimitri came to shaking his head, it felt like he'd gotten sat on by a dragon. Stumbling a little Dimitri picked up the only thing in the room, a piece of parchment. That was a mistake, with a tug behind his navel Dimitri landed in a heap.
"Fr'ing portkeys." He cursed as he stood up, thankfully no one was around, in what looked like a muggle park. Grimacing at the taste in his mouth Dimitri looked down at the parchment and read the short message.
Dimitri,
You have a meeting to get to in half an hour, same place as last night. Don't be late and don't try to remember!
At that the parchment burst into flames. Cursing again and dropping it Dimitri wondered if the writer was off his rocker.
Don't try to remember my ass, that's what you tell someone if you want them to think about it.
But try as he might he simply couldn't. The best he could get was he had been drinking the night before, but before that…
No matter, not supposed to think about it right? Stuffing his hands in his robe pockets Dimitri apparated to the London address he was supposed to be at latter on.
"Hurry up." A dark robed man Dimitri remembered to be Severus Snape barked as he was led inside the ratty old house that served as the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Passing through the parlor and down into the basement kitchen Dimitri took his seat surrounded by senior Order members on all sides.
"Welcome Mr. Daracun. I have to ask you if you would allow us to use Veritaserum on you?" Dumbleodre asked as Snape removed a bottle of clear liquid.
"Of course, it's not like I have a choice." Dumbledore's response of 'there's always a choice' was cut off by Moody's gruff negative. Dimitri stuck out his tongue and allowed Snape to drip several drops of the liquid onto his tongue.
"State your full name?" Kingsley began with the standard set of questions. Even though he wasn't really thinking about it he watched himself answer Dimitri Valkus Darracun, in a monotone. Dimitri tuned them out as Kinsley asked for his date of birth, and his age. These weren't important question or anything.
"Are you a supporter of the Dark Lord Voldemort?"
"No."
"Have you ever used an unforgivable curse, if so then which ones?"
"Yes. The Avarda Kedarva and the Maak Beenderen Vloeibaar."
"What?"
"It liquefies the victim's bones; it's considered an unforgivable in Denmark." Kingsley clarified.
"If I ordered you not to use those curses would you still use them when I had no way of knowing?" Dumbledore continued.
"It depends."
"On what?"
"If I was confidant that I could handle the situation without resorting to drastic measures I would follow your instructions."
"Fair enough I suppose. Do you enjoy causing others pain?"
"No."
"What is your life's goal?" Dimitri paused for a second.
"I haven't really thought about it. Wife kids and all that rot I suppose." Moody narrowed his eyes at that answer.
"Any more questions. No, alright, Severus…"
"Are you Harry Potter?" Moody burst out.
"No." Dimitiri answered blankly.
"Are you working for or with Harry Potter?" The grizzled Auror demanded.
"No."
"Are you quite done making a fool of yourself Moody?" Snape asked as he moved in with the antidote.
"I'm not done yet. Are you wearing a glamour?" He got in before the potion was administered. He still got a no and just grunted.
Dimtri blinked a few times as the potion wore off before looking up the people surrounding him.
"Did I pass?" Dumbledore smiled benignly at him.
"Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix Mr. Darracun." Well not entirely Dimitri still had to swear several oaths before the initiation was deemed complete and he was a medallion that was used as a full contact device, rather than just the signal device he'd been given. The whole questioning and initiation had taken about half an hour, which was about how long they had planned it. With a general meeting taking place in about an hour Dimitri was left with little to do but wait. The large red headed woman, Molly he thought, began to cook but food wouldn't be ready for another twenty minutes. For some reason he had a strange hunger for mince pies, but he didn't remember having ever eaten one. Her youngest son, Ron, made an effort to talk to him but Dimitri found something about the boy annoying and quickly excused himself from the kitchen.
It was drizzling when Dimitri stepped out onto the back step. There was a ratty garden shoved up between the brownstones with an oversized tree being the only thing growing that had been planted by the owners. Generic weeds now grew from all the flowerbeds. Dimitri sighed and looked up at the overcast sky. Fifteen minutes until there was food and then another half an hour before the meeting and when he could go. These people, mainly Moody, just rubbed him the wrong way. All so sure of themselves, there was no right or wrong in war, just winners and losers.
"I see you found my spot." The hook nosed man from inside, Severus, stepped out on the porch beside Dimitri and dug through his pockets, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Severus offered one to Dimitri but when he shook his head Severus surged and lit his cigarette with his wand.
There was silence between the two of them, just the light pattering of rain on the awning. Dimitri didn't say anything until after Severus was on his third cigarette.
"How come you hang out with these stiffs anyway?" Dimitri finally asked a question that had been bothering him since the two had met. Severus merely raised an eyebrow.
"One could ask you the same question." He replied.
"That's simple, Dumbledore is paying more in a day than I could make in a week most places. But you don't seem to be in for the money, so what gives?"
"My reasons are my own." He answered coldly.
"Fair enough. I'm going back in, is the red head's food any good?" Severus turned and followed him in, a freshly lit cigarette still in his mouth.
"It is..." He paused for a second, seemingly trying to find the right word. "...acceptable."
Dimitri frowned slightly but then coughed. The smell of the particular brand that Severus liked was to much in the tight confines of the hallway.
"Where did you pick up that nasty muggle habit anyway?" Severus stopped and took a long draw from his cigarette, then ground the tip into a potted plant that Molly had placed by the kitchen to liven up the atmosphere.
"The same place I picked up all of my bad habits, my father." Then Severus swept ahead of Dimitri into the kitchen and ended their conversation.
Thankfully dinner was much better than acceptable. While Dimitri had never had mince pie the taste reminded him of something he'd had before. When the dishes were cleared members began showing up through the front door or by floo, in twos and threes. Dimitri ended up leaning against the wall like Snape and Moody. For different reasons though, Moody was probably worried that someone would poison him and Snape was just being disagreeable. Dimitri had moved to avoid the teens who decided that since he was the youngest other than them he would make an interesting friend.
"Settle down please." Dumbledore had risen from his seat and was calling for order.
"I would like to officially call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to Order, so to speak." A few people chuckled at Dumbledore's joke as the old man sat down and activated a dicta-quill.
"As our first order of business, I would like to introduce you to Dimitri Darracun." Dumbledore pointed Dimitri out from where he stood, he got a few smiles, a few scowls and some polite applause.
"Mr. Darracun will be working under Mr. Fletcher in our operations in Diagon alley. Now Kinglsey, if you please the Auror recruitment level reports?" The meeting went on for over an hour, as various members gave reports on Death Eater and Ministry activity that Dumbleodre wanted everyone to know about. No doubt the leaders got together and shared any sensitive information at another point. Dimitri stopped paying attention when the table broke out into a general discussion over the search for Harry Potter. By general discussion a debate over who could express how much they dislike Potter the best.
"Mr. Darracun?" Dimitri snapped his head up from his position on the wall.
"What do you think?" Dumbledore asked.
"Uhh… I think… hmm. To tell the truth I stopped listening to you're debate after you started going in circles." Dumbledore glanced at the other people at the table with an 'I told you so expression.'
"You haven't missed much, but I think that this group could benefit from someone with no personal connection to the issue. What do you think we should do with regards to Harry Potter?"
"He's the escaped convict I heard about earlier right?" At Dumbledore's nod Dimitri continued.
"Well if I were him I would have left the county, gone into hiding among the muggles. Perhaps in Australia, he could almost hide his accent there as opposed to the US. Is his image circulated with the muggles?"
"Of course, do you think we're that moronic?" Snape bit in.
"Alright, maybe he just drowned. Ever think of that!" Dimtri shot back.
"Gentlemen, calm down. Harry is not dead, but thank you for your input Mr. Darracun." Dumbledore cut into the growing argument.
"As we've covered everything that needs to be said I'm going to call it a night before I need to get more parchment for the dicta-quill." As people began to stand and make their way towards the exit of the room Mungdumas came up to Dimitri.
"We need to set up your duties, but we can do that tomorrow. Tonight we need to go celebrate."
"Celebrate?"
"Right, tradition. Oye, Snape, Kingsley, Moody. We're going to celebrate."
"We are?"
"Yes, we are."
"Count me out." Moody said as he hobbled off.
"Who's buying?" Was the only thing Snape said.
"The new guy of course." The spy shrugged.
"Why not."
And that was how the four of them found there way to Devil's Paradise, an upscale place off of Knockturn. The bar itself was crowded but the upper tables they were seated at had plenty of space, and privacy, which was one of the reasons they were there. On the lower level a cheap band played one of Cynithia Warbeck's new releases.
Much to Dimitri's displeasure each of them had expensive tastes. Couldn't they have stayed with some common Fire Whiskey, or the watery beer he was drinking? Snape seemed eager to kill his liver, having gone through two dragon breath cocktails already. Kinglesy was drinking some fruity shit, and Dung was keeping to Odgen's finest. Between these three he would be broke for the rest of the month.
"We need to get a game going." Flecther slurred out after his fifth goblet.
"Tariot." Supplied Kingesly.
"Haven't played that in years." Snape offered. The man must have been using sobering charms; he was way too lucid after almost a pint of hard liquor.
"Then it's settled. Dimitri go get us a set." Sighing Dimitir rose and walked over to the manager of the gaming den. Several games could be purchased for the night. Dimitri brought back the components of the Tariot game and set them up. Tariot was a card game played with a deck of Tarot cards. Each card was assigned a positive or negative value and the object was to make positive or negative 25. The game had an added complexity in that a crystal ball placed in the middle would randomly change the face values of some or all of the cards in the deck. Dimitri tapped the crystal ball with his wand to start it up and placed it in the center of the table.
"How much for each game?" Kingsley asked.
"Two galleons for the game put and five sickles to a hand pot." Each player tossed in the requisite funds and Dimitri shuffled up and dealt. In Tarriot each player received two cards, one was placed face up on the table and the other was hidden. At any time you could place a card face up at the base of the crystal ball and its value would be locked in, and protected from random change. Players would take turns choosing to draw an additional card, and placing bets. Dimitri had a seven of swords showing with the lovers card in his hand. As the lovers had a value of negative seventeen he had a rather crappy hand of negative ten. Snape had the fool showing which had a value of zero, Kingsly a two of cups and Mungdumass had the Tower, which was twenty-two.
"Severus?" Dimitri asked the man to his left.
"Hit me." Dimitri slid the top card of the deck across the table where Snape palmed it like a pro. He scowled at the card, as if to force it to change, and then slid a pair of sickles from his pile over to the center. The person to the left of the dealer got to start the betting. Kingsly took a card as well and matched Snape's bet. When Mungdumas took a card he broke out into a grin and raised the pot by five sickles. Dimitri looked at his sorry hand and his much smaller pile of playing money and debated whether to pony up or simply toss this hand. He was about to do just that when the silent crystal ball in the center lit up in a swirl of pulsing lights. The pulses would stop over five seconds and then cards would change, it was warning to place cards in the interference zone. Dung cursed and slammed down his hand in the interference zone. He had the ace of wands, and the two of cups. As the ace was worth one his overall hand added up to twenty-five, a natural Tarriot.
Dimitri sparred a glance at his hand, the lovers had become a king of wands which boosted his hand to an acceptable, but losing twenty-one. Seeing as there was little way to beat Dung's Tarriot Dimitri tossed his hand away signaling he was out. Kinsley immediately followed suit.
"Looks like this rounds mine gentlemen." Dung coughed a little as he laughed and reached out to pick up the small pile of coins.
"You haven't seen what I have yet." Severus interrupted Dung's little victory dance.
"Come off it Snape, I've played with you before, if you'd have had something you'd have played… it… by now." Dung trailed off as Severus slowly laid the two cards in his hand down face up on the table, a two of swords and a five of pentacles. Combined with the fool he had a literal twenty-five, a Fools army. Dung cursed and dropped the coins he'd been picking up. Severus merely smiled as he waved his wand and levitated all the coins into neat little piles by his drink.
The slow playing song that had been playing cut off as the old band called it a night and the next attraction for the night climbed on stage amidst the applause of the people in the lower area. One was on drums another on a concert cello and the leader was playing an Enchanted Lute. Not to be mistaken with a lute that had been enchanted to play itself or anything. The nature of the enchantments on Enchanted Lutes if anything made it more complex to play but gave it a very distinctive sound, reminiscent of a muggle electric guitar. The lutiest trumped several strings producing a discordant feedback like noise that caused several patrons to winch. Then the little band launched into their song, rather appropriately titled Mermaid Murder. Dimitri was reminded for some reason of what mermaids sound like above water, not that he could remember hearing one before though.
As the night went on Dimitri won some and loss more. Kingsley was good but played too conservative. Dung was simply drunk and broadcasted everything he did. Severus on the other hand, well he should have been drunk too but either had been casting wand less sobering charms on himself or had the stomach of a goat. He was currently shuffling the cards with a fancy rifling technique and a small smirk on his face, and most of Dimitri's money for that matter. With the barest flick of his wrist Severus sent cards sliding across the table to their recipients. Dimitri looked at his card and scowled. The ten of swords in his hand and the five of cups face up left him with a crappy fifteen.
Severus was showing an Ace of wands and from his smirk probably had a decent hand. Kingsley had an eight of pentacles and seemed to be sweating a little more than usual. Dung was smiling at his the Devil card sitting in front of him, which was worth 21. Kingsley took a card and made an unpleasant sound before remembering where he was. He raised the pot by the minimum amount. Dung took a card and raised the pot by another two sickles. When Dimitri pulled his card he shuffled the ten and the seven of cups he'd drawn.
Could he pull it off?
Yeah he'd done it before with weaker hands, and twenty two wasn't that weak.
With a grim smile Dimitri pushed his remaining pile of sickles into the middle.
"All in." It would have been more dramatic if he had more than twenty sickles left but you work with what you have. Severus' smirk lost just a little of its mirth, for a second before he turned back to his cards. Severus left them face down on the table except when to glance at them.
"I'll meet you." Severus having far more coins than Dimitri simply pushed twenty two sickles forwards. Severus turned to Kingsley who had lessened his collar and was sweating in earnest.
What was wrong with him anyway?
Still he took another card and then stared at it. Then at his hand and the face up card on the table, before throwing his cards down and standing suddenly.
"I'm calling it a night guys, I gota go." At that he strode out the club as fast as he could, completely ignoring their calls to stop. Snape flipped over the cards that Kingsley had vacated. He had a seven of wands and the death card. He'd just drawn the high priestess.
The death card had a value of negative twenty five, and as such absolutely tanked any hand that is was drawn in. Dimitri himself had lost a round earlier due to one of his good cards morphing into death. Kingsley's seven and eight canceled out the high priestess that he'd drawn giving him a negative twenty five again. Any combination of the death card that meted negative twenty five was called a death's embrace, and beat every other combination out there. Of course to those who believed in prophecy drawing a death's embrace was about as bad as seeing a grim.
"Didn't know Kingsley was superstitious, either way I might as well call it a night." Dung rose knocking over his cards and coins. Reaching under the table he picked up a fallen card and handed it to Dimitri.
"You dropped this."
"I did?" Dimitri turned the card over and noticed immediately that it wasn't a simple Tarriot card.
"Right, thanks." Palming the odd card Dimitri watched Mungdumas leave before turning to Severus.
"Play for the rest of the pot?" The dark man shrugged.
"Why not." They both turned their cards face up and promptly started laughing. During the commotion the crystal ball had activated and no one noticed. His decently strong twenty two was now a worthless eight. Whatever Severus had, fared no better as he now had a four and a two and an ace in his hand.
"I see the crystal ball screwed you too."
"Indeed." Dimitri picked up the pot and the two of them split the funds that Kingsley had left behind during his sudden retreat. Dung had managed to take his winnings with him.
"Seeing as how everyone else has left I shall also take my leave."
"But the night's still young and there are many bars left in London." Severus turned and gave Dimitri an odd look.
"I don't do fun."
"You were pretty good a few minutes ago." When Severus turned to leave Dimitri spoke up.
"Know what your problem is? You need to get laid."
"Are you proposing to help me with that problem?" Severus asked his voice laden with a hidden threat.
"If you swing that way, no, but I know I guy in Budapest who..." Seeing the grimace on Severus' face and realizing he had been bluffing Dimitri stopped. "Actually I had some bar hopping in mind." Severus spun away.
"I'm a greasy bastard, who would want me?" He asked the air.
"Don't know but then again, that's what booze, magic and muggles are for."
"Cursing muggles is illegal."
"Who said anything about cursing my friend." Dimitri slung an arm over the older man and guided him out of the pub and into muggle London.
Dimitri wasn't sure about the name of the bar they now sat in, and didn't really care. This was third bar they had visited as the first two had no women that interested Severus. The beer had though and the two of them had burnt a sizable hole in Severus' winnings but as both were rather drunk now neither really cared. They currently were seated at a table watching, and attempting to comment on a muggle game on the picture box. Severus said it was called football but didn't elaborate who had taught him how to play. One of the players was being thrown out for head-butting another so it was all good. A tap on his shoulder brought Dimitri out of his stupor.
"Found one you like then?" Severus absently nodded. He was looking at a pair of women who had just entered the bar.
"The red-head or the blonde."
"Definitely the red-head." She was pretty, enough, if a bit short and small and flat and… Ok she wasn't even comparable to the blonde that was next to her but to each his own right?
"All right watch closely." Dimitri pulled his wand out from beneath the table.
"Under ICC treaties the spells limited to being used on muggles by wizards are limited to aversion wards and all variations there of. But with a little bit of work a muggle aversion ward can be flipped to a muggle attraction ward." He waved his wand beneath the table chanting softly in Latin.
"And just as muggles can be keyed into aversion wards they can be keyed into attraction wards." He unobtrusively pointed his wand at the girl in question and finished casting.
"She will now find her self paying much more attention to you than she would otherwise. You of course have to do the rest. Now call the waitress and buy those two ladies a drink."
Harry awoke with what probably could have gone down in the history books as the world's worst hangover. That memory potion wasn't supposed to do this, what the hell had Dimitri done? Even his breathing hurt his head. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes Harry shook his head to clear out the cobwebs. Bad idea. When the world finally stopped spinning Harry got his first look at the world around him. He was in a muggle apartment, the humming ceiling fan and the tele attested to that. From the slivers of light sneaking in beneath the thankfully closed blinds Harry was certain it was late morning.
Looking down more of last night came back to him. Her name was Cynthia, he thought. She was currently using his midsection for a pillow on the couch they were sprawled over. Had they? A glance further down showed that while his shirt as missing his trousers where still fastened. And he was certain he would have divested her of her top if they did. More inquiry into that event brought up the memory of them snogging and her passing out on top of him. Of course more thought into last night brought up Rebecca, and Snape. Harry jerked his head sideways and when everything stopped spinning he starred at the closed door to the bedroom.
Merlin, he'd been nice to Snape! He'd even touched the git in a friendly gesture. He'd helped him get laid. Oh he was so going to hell for last night. With a groan at his sudden movement Cynthia came to and smiled at him.
"Morning." She purred seductively.
"Uhh... Hi."
"What, no friendly greeting? Let me fix that." She said starting to unbutton his trousers. Harry scrambled backwards, pushing her away.
"What's wrong, you were much nicer last night." She pouted.
"Well you see, it's..." Harry leaned in close to her, Cynthia did the same until their lips were almost touching.
"Oblivate." Harry pulled back, Cynthia's eyes had taken on a blank look.
"You completely enjoyed last night but have no plans on it being anymore than a one night tryst." Cynthia shook off the effects of the oblivate smiling at him. Harry took the time to dress and Find his robe that he'd passed off as a trench coat last night. It was on the ceiling fan. After leaving a note for Snape when he came to Harry excused himself and apparated home for a much needed hangover potion.
It was only during breakfast around two or so that Harry found the playing card that Dung had given him. The back was like a standard tarrot card but the face was Dumbledore's chocolate frog. Unlike the normal frog cards that were just wizarding picture this one sat up and began to talk when Harry finally paid attention to it.
"Morning Dimitri." The image of Dumbledore began without delay, sounding exactly like Dung.
"Seeing as how last night was pretty busy I've started you out on the night shift, you can thank me latter. Meet me in front of Gamble & Japes at closing, that's 240 Diagon Alley at five PM. Wear something dark, we're going hunting." Sighing and realizing that he didn't have nearly as much time to go back to sleep as he'd originally planed Harry went back to eating. On the bright side he now had a friend in Snape if he could keep up the nice facade when around the git. If he slipped up Snape would probably catch it and bullocks everything.
The summer sun was still high in the sky when Harry arrived at the joke shop. Dung was rather easy to spot considering. The man obviously subscribed to the motto 'hiding in plain sight' because he was quite loud in his greeting of an 'old drinking buddy.' Loud enough in fact to get several mothers to drag their children away early.
Four hours latter found Harry trailing a man down Alverst lane. The man was a suspected mole and Harry's job was to find out who his contact was. So far it had been easy, his target was very skittish, looking over his shoulder every other minute, but had yet to notice Harry. Harry on the other hand had spotted two would be stick up artists and with a glare had warned them away from his mark. The man obviously didn't venture this deep into the slums often and his expensive robes stood out like a beacon, attracting all sorts of the wrong type of attention. He was almost so bad at that he could be bait. But Harry was on the watch for tricks and had seen none. He'd set his watch to vibrate whenever anyone focused their attention on him and so far it had no more that twitched outside of a few warnings when someone looked at him as he passed them.
When his mark ducked into a smaller side street Harry passed the alley, all the while looking for anyone else watching his target or watching him. Nothing. He checked his watch, nothing. Turning around Harry entered the alley and picked up his pace to keep up with his target. Silencing charms on the soles of his feet prevented the man from hearing his footfalls on the otherwise empty stretch or road.
So it caught Harry completely by surprise when an arm flew out of the wall and grabbed him. Instinctively Harry shock the man loose and drove his other into a second assailant that had jumped out at him. As Harry dived away from the ambush the wall faded away, to reveal three dark cloaked men. Harry arose taking aim with his wand.
A sudden shock from his watch was the only warning he had before a hard length of wood pressed into his neck.
"Stupefy!"
And then darkness...