Chapter 17

On the seventh day of their watch, Hermione finally got a break. She did a wide search and found there were many Kathleen Hargrove's listed across the country. When she began to cross reference with news papers she found articles about a wealthy socialite in New York City. After four hours she finally found a picture and it was the same Kathleen Hargrove in Las Cruces, NM.

Hermione checked the date and it was ten days ago when it was taken. Hermione found the groups and clubs she associated with and then put together a pattern of events that Kathleen would attend. Mrs. Hargrove was definitely living a lavish lifestyle in New York while retaining a modest lifestyle in Las Cruces.

Harry, with Hermione's help, determined the best way to cause Valen concern was to shut down access to magical transportation. He gathered six disk dampeners and laid them down around the perimeter of her property. The final center dish he placed discreetly on the roof of her house. When activated it shutdown the use of magic, the floo, and any port keys she held.

Two days later as she was leaving Kathleen Hargrove found Harry Potter with his car blocking her exit out of her estate. The hood was up and steam was coming out from it. She stopped her car before the gate entrance and stood behind her door. Harry stood in the middle of her drive way watching her. Kathleen knew who this was. Her men had given her complete descriptions of Harry Potter when he arrived.

Kathleen looked at him "Mr. Potter you can go ahead and move your car."

Harry smiled "I think I will leave it as I tighten the noose around the criminal element here."

Kathleen smiled "I think not as there is absolutely nothing you can prove against me."

Harry chuckled at her and then pulled out his hit wizard badge and a clear bottle of a liquid potion. "You aren't going anywhere because as soon as you step off of this property I going to get a confession out of you with this truth potion. I have completely shut down magical use in your home and all transportation options."

Harry sighed "You can make this easier on yourself and come on out now but I feel you probably won't make it that easy."

Kathleen looked at him "I could call the cops on you."

Harry just smiled enigmatically and kept looking at her. She snorted and then got back in her car and backed up into the driveway. She went to her study and began making phone calls. The problem with her operation in New Mexico was that she had no political clout because she never cultivated it. It wouldn't have fit her image to maintain a very low profile. She realized that was a blunder because Harry Potter had trapped her here instead of New York where she had much more influence. She slammed the phone down and wondered how he had connected her with New York?

Kathleen smiled as she leaned back in her chair. After talking with Evan and Guiterez they would bring some men and clear out her Potter problem tonight. Then tomorrow night she would celebrate in New York.

Harry when he confronted her knew that she would call for back up, he was counting on it. If he was to dismantle this criminal enterprise he had to take out all of it's outlying structure. If he left it intact and without a leader, it would easily be resurrected by the next person or persons in charge. It was not Kathleen Hargrove that did her own dirty work but those beneath her that did it for her.

Kathleen's criminal organization depended on enforcers to get things done. Harry was positive that she would call them in to handle him. It was Hermione's opinion that this was the true heart of her organization and taking it out would end the criminal enterprise.

Harry waited for five minutes before he left invisible spikes down in three rows just after her gate. Any car going in or out would have it's tires ruined. Kathleen would have to rush back to her home to avoid being captured.

It was three o'clock when his alert wards tripped telling him that a car had ran over his hidden barrier. He apparated to a hidden position he had scouted earlier and saw that Kathleen, believing he was gone, attempted to leave. He pulled his wand and sent a stunner towards her and barely missed her. She jumped and immediately ran back on to her property leaving her car blocking the drive way.

He walked up to the car and fused part of the engine block together so it wouldn't run and then he banished the gas tank after placing a sticking charm on the car. It effectively blocked her drive with her own dysfunctional car. He smiled as he walked to his hiding position, one of three he had already scouted out, in plain view of anyone who cared to watch.

At eight that night the alarm for his position went off telling him that Kathleen's enforcers had attacked it. He alerted Hermione and her parents and they left two minutes later to the second position he had found. They watched the enforcers cast many spells on the position before they slowly made their way forward.

Harry and crew spread out and blocked any retreat back to Kathleen's house as Harry and Hermione came forward from the opposite direction. As Harry got closer he thought he saw that one of the attackers was female and the shape looked similar to Kathleen's.

As he got within twenty feet of the position he smiled as it appeared that Kathleen was not a leader that set back while everyone else did the work. She had joined her enforcers on this mission.

One benefit to having Bill and Ellen on the other side to hold off escape was that they had miniature disks in their shoes that when activated formed a new field between them. Harry felt the magic ward finally connect and knew that from thenon, no magic could be done. It was going to be hand to hand from here on out.

Harry stopped and cleared his throat which got everyone's attention. Kathleen automatically began backing up to get to her property and safety or so she hoped. "Good evening." Harry stated too them. Harry smiled as they turned in surprise and some in fear to point their wands at him. Harry clasped his hands behind his back and looked very casual and this made the enforcers very nervous.

"I am going to ask that you surrender here out of politeness but I am pretty sure you won't and that means I have to make an example of one of you. Who is volunteering this evening?"

The men looked at each other and then a young looking man stepped forward "There are nine of us and …"

Harry pulled out his nine millimeter faster than they could see and shot once causing the young man to fall to his knees and grab his wrist where blood was coming out profusely. The young man looked shocked as he looked back up into Harry's glowing green eyes "You shot my wand hand, you aren't suppose to do this."

Harry looked at him as he walked closer and stated in amusement "If I did what I was suppose to then I would have died over a year ago. I never do what is expected that is why I survived another dark assholes reign of terror."

Harry put his gun back in his holster "If I were you I would drop your wands and surrender, it will be easier on you. Besides your boss is trying to escape as we speak."

Kathleen, upon hearing this stopped and looked at him. Her men looked at her and then turned back to look at Harry. As if they had some kind of communications they attempted to cast spells. When nothing came from their wands they looked down in surprise and then quickly back up at him.

Hermione flipped the remote control on their shoe dampeners and counted to two before turning them back on. Harry cast four stunners and four of them went down. Harry chuckled to them "Your turn!"

The enforcers then tried another spell only to find their magic wouldn't work again. Harry sighed "Bad guys just never learn." Harry cast five more stunners and another five went down stunned leaving only four more to deal with. These four were smart enough to realize that they couldn't win because this wizard had taken away their magic, they threw their wands down and held up their hands.

Harry went by two and stunned them while Hermione stunned the other two. Harry continued to walk by them and came up to Kathleen who wore a frown. She suddenly turned her wand backwards and handed to Harry "I didn't stand a chance did I?" she asked him.

Harry looked at her as he took the wand "No, not really. I just needed you to realize it and stop struggling."

Kathleen snorted at hearing this "At least you are one legend that lives up to the hype." She chewed on her bottom lip "How is it possible to take away someone's magic. I have never heard of that?"

Harry looked at her "I am a mage, not a wizard and I have the smartest witch of her age helping me. I cannot lose and we live in a world of magic where anything is possible."

The last thing she remembered before waking up in a jail cell was his hand touching her temple and then she felt blackness.