Chapter three: Back in England
-------------------------------------------
The young man came out of the booth and into the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. He stood for a moment, looking around and remembering where to go from where he was. He went to the the guard and produced his wand from a sheath that now came into view on his left arm. The guard took it and looked at it for a moment, before to put it through the tube containing the scanning spell.
"Yannick Silverleaf," the tube said as it expelled the wand, "Hogwarts graduate and currently unemployed. Last seen in England 5 years ago."
"You can go through Mr Silverleaf," the guard said, "And welcome back in England," he added, handing him back his wand.
"Thank you," Yannick replied, strapping the wand to its sheath again.
He went thought the atrium and past the fountain to reach the elevator that would bring him to where he needed to go, the Aurors department on level two. He exited the elevator there and kindly asked a Clerk who was passing by where the office of Dominic Silverleaf was located. His father had told him in a letter that it had changed since he had last passed by. The Clerk indicated him the direction and Yannick moved on. As he walked in direction of the office he had been indicated, he heard a voice shouting nearby.
"I am telling you that this person did not die of a simple gas intoxication!" it said, "I am Muggle enough to know that one!."
"But it all indicates that..." another voice countered.
"He had an electric stove you nitwit! Since when does that require gas to work?"
"Well..."
"Look, either you do your job correctly and stop using the all-made procedures of your department, or you stay out of my case," the first voice said, "Now get out of my office and come back when you have something sensible."
"But..."
"OUT!!!!"
Yannick saw a plump man scurrying out of a nearby office, the fear quite apparent on his face.
"And take this piece of trash you call a report with you!!" the person in the office said.
A roll of parchment came flying out of the office and caught up with the man who was walking as fast as he could down the corridor. The roll seemed charmed in a way as it did its best to hit the man on the head several times.
Yannick smiled, he knew that voice very well. He walked up silently to the entrance of the office, whose door was still open after the outburst. He peered cautiously on the edge and smiled even more as he recognized Sean, sitting at a desk and scribbling furiously on a parchment amongst a mountain of other papers and parchments. His friend had changed, although he still retained his blond hair, Yannick could see that he had grown taller and his stature had gotten more muscular, probably due to his Auror training. He knocked on the open door.
"Is the Irish lion's den safe to enter?" he asked, "Or do I risk getting my head blown off as well?"
Sean looked up from his report and turned his head, his blue eyes wide.
"Alright," he said out loud, "Somebody tell me I am dreaming and I am going to wake up. I cannot be seeing the person standing at my entrance."
"Well I doubt that you are dreaming," Yannick said, coming to him, "Else it would mean that you were also dreaming when you blasted this poor fellow to pieces. But I can pinch you if you want," he added, trying to pinch Sean's arm.
Sean laughed and stood up, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a welcoming embrace.
"Man! It is so good to see you again, mate!" he said, "How are you doing?" he asked, slapping him on the back.
"I'm doing fine, Sean," Yannick replied, giving back the friendly hug, "It is great to see you too."
"When did you arrive in England?" Sean asked.
"Just this afternoon," Yannick answered, "Came in by train."
"I could hardly believe my ears when your father told me that you were coming," Sean said, "You've been gone for so long. Cynthia will be very happy to see you."
"Yeah," Yannick said, "I'm sorry I could not make it to your wedding. How are you two doing?"
"Doing better with each day that passes," Sean replied proudly, "But I am sure you don't know the best part of it."
"What is it?"
"Our couple is about to expand."
"No!?"
"If everything goes fine," Sean said with a wide grin, "I should be a father by next January."
"Oh man!" Yannick said, grabbing his friend by the shoulders, "This is great news, mate! I am really happy for you two."
"Thanks."
"You pass my congratulations to Cynthia as well."
"Why don't you do it yourself when you see her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did you think you could come back to England and not spend the evening with us?" Sean asked him, "I'm dying to find out what you did all these years."
"Well..."
"Come on mate," Sean said, "Don't try to evade it."
"It's not really that, Sean," Yannick answered, "I think she will be ready to chop my head off if she sees me."
"Because of Alex?" Sean asked.
Yannick sighed and nodded, sitting down on a chair near Sean's desk.
"Come on, Nick," Sean said, "It actually is not as bad as you think. At least on Cynthia's side."
"Really?" Yannick asked, "As Alex's best friend I would have thought that she was ready to kill me."
"Ah, but she is also married to your best friend, mate," Sean said, "I cooled her off as soon as I got to know you were coming."
"Thanks for that."
"But you will still need to tell us exactly what you have been up to for the past five years, Nick," Sean said, "From the little bits I got from your father it must have been fascinating."
"It most definitely was. I wish I would have been able to write to you guys to let you know," Yannick said, "But this Fidellius charm prevented it."
"Had to be secret, huh?"
"Yes, Andrelith was... actually is still on the loose," Yannick said gloomily, "And the last encounter I had with him six years ago did not put me on his friend list."
"I can understand that, mate," Sean said, "And I am sure Cynthia will as well."
"Thanks, Sean."
"You are welcome," Sean said, "Now, your dad told me you were coming to help me on this case."
"That I am," Yannick said, "We had several instances of murders in France. My father thinks that the ones in England are related somehow."
"So you work with the French Ministry of Magic now?"
"No," but two of the murders occurred near the Broceliante forest," Yannick said, "That is when Gran asked for me to come back. I arrived in Silverleaf Manor a week ago. I took the time to get up to date with different matters and travel to Paris before to arrive here."
"Why the train, by the way?" Sean asked, "Would floo or portkey not have been safer ways to travel."
"Yeah," Yannick answered, "But they also could have been monitored by whoever is behind these attacks."
"Always the cautious one, heh?"
"Better cautious than dead."
"Good point," Sean said, "You have any leads?"
"Apart from the fact that all victims were French?" Yannick asked, "None really. You?"
"Same," Sean said, "Apparently it is totally random."
"Hard to believe though."
"Yeah," Sean said, "Three murders so far. One in the Sussex area four months ago, another one in London, Surrey Drive to be exact, two months after. The last one was just a few days ago, center of London."
"The 'died by gaz intoxication' one?"
"You heard that?"
"Absolutely," Yannick said laughing, "Never saw someone run away that fast before."
"Quite an idiot I can assure you," Sean said.
"I could hear that," Yannick said, "So the last victim was Muggle?"
"Yeah," Sean replied, "That's where I am thrown off. He was killed by a type of choking spell, but there is something fishy."
"What?"
"He's a Muggle. All the other victims were Wizards."
"Not connected to the magical world?"
"Nada," Sean replied, "We basically got alerted about it because of the spell being used in a total Muggle part of London."
"Weird," Yannick said, "The four French victims were Wizards or connected to the wizardry world in a way."
"I hate cases that go that way," Sean said, leaning back in his chair.
"The French Ministry is not faring better either, mate"
"Well, good to know that we are not the only ones floundering then,"Sean said, "Although I am sure that together we will resolve this riddle."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate."
"I think that Sean has a good point here, Yannick," a voice said behind them.
Yannick turned around to face a widely grinning Dominic Silverleaf.
"Dad!" he exclaimed, standing up and hugging him.
"Well," Dominic said, giving back the embrace, "Glad to see that my son did not forget me after all."
"What do you mean, Sir?" Sean asked puzzled.
"Well immagine my surprise when I see my own son passing in front of the office I was in, not even seeing me," Dominic started.
"But..." Yannick said looking at him puzzled as well, "Your office is more down the hall. How could you have seen me from there?"
"I have a spying charm in the elevators that permits me to see anyone that goes in and out," Dominic said very seriously.
"You do?" Yannick asked.
"Of course not! I'm just teasing you, son," Dominic said, laughing, "I was in Kingsley's office when you passed in front. He wanted my advice on something."
"Oh,"
"By the way, Sean," Dominic asked, "Who were you shouting at just before?"
"Some idiot from Earnshaw's department," Sean replied, "He was trying to prove to me that my theory was wrong and gave me one of their all-made-up-for-immediate-use theory instead. I sent him packing."
"That I heard," Dominic said, grinning.
"The roll of parchment that attempted to hit him on the head was a nice touch," Yannick added , grinning.
"Cynthia taught me that one," Sean said, "She uses it to get rid of annoying Goblins at her work. She's working in Gringott's Hogsmeade branch, taking care of the good working of the security there," he added for Yannick.
"Impressive," Yannick said.
"Alright son," Dominic said, "I am on my way home. Are you coming with me? I am sure your mother wants to see you after all this time."
"Sure dad," he answered, "But I will spend the evening at Sean's," he said, winking at his friend.
"I think you are old enough to decide where you spend your day, Nick," his father countered, smiling, "And as I said before, there is no problems at all."
"Alright then," Yannick replied, "What time do you want me to be there, Sean?"
"Make it by eight and you should be safe," Sean replied, "And here is the address to aparate to," he added, handing him a piece of paper.
"Cool," Yannick said, "I'll see you both then. Should I bring anything?"
"Just bring yourself, Nick," Sean answered, smiling at his friend.
Yannick smiled back and exchanged a hug with him. He turned to leave but turned around again just as he was passing the door.
"By the way Sean," he said with a smile, "You should put more space between your two plants. They are fighting for the light as they are."
Sean turned around to look at the two plants that were inseparate pots, nearby the 'window' of his office. "I'll do that," he said, turning back to his friend.
"Good," Yannick replied, "And change the earth on the one on the left. Three months is much too long. The plant on the right needs water every two days, not three, like you have done until now."
"How the hex did you manage to figure that out?" Sean replied, his eyes going wide, "You did not even go near to them."
"I'll explain you tonight," Yannick replied, winking at his friend before to go out.
She was tired, sad, angry, frustrated, feeling hopeless, afraid. Alex did not know what to make out of her feelings as she entered her apartment in the late afternoon. This had by far had been one of the worst days of the year for her. And like every other years for the past five years, it was right on the anniversary of her parent's murder.
She had started her day by going to the cemetery where they were buried, to visit their grave and pay a silent homage to the two persons who had given her so much love and support, only to be murdered by a heartless Death Eater who cared more about blood purity than the love of a family.
There she had again remembered the day of the burial. She had gotten special leave from Dumbledore to take care of it and Yannick had insisted by the headmaster to accompany her. He had been with her all of the time, doing his best to comfort her during this rainy week of Autumn. In a way this had saved her from a nervous breakdown, his love and her friends. Her parents were all the family she had left, apart from an estranged Aunt who despised anyone not acting normal and who had distanced herself from them when Alex's magic gift had awakened. Her parents had been taken from her in an instant, for the only crime of being Muggles.
"You helped me with my loss of Gwen. I'm here for you to go through this," Yannick had told her when she had asked him why he had insisted to accompany her.
That sentence, that promise kept on coming back in her head now. Yannick had supported her all the way until their graduation. He had then helped her to settle in this flat, after they had taken care of the remains of her old home. He had then been called to France and had had to leave urgently, promising to keep in touch and that he would be back very soon.
He never reappeared and she never heard back from him. The only news she had gotten was from the answer Gran had sent on the letter she had sent to ask for news. Yannick was on a special assignment and would contact her as soon as he was done. That had never happened and had left her alone, feeling betrayed by the young man she had learned to love with all her heart. Why had he done this? Why had he never written back? How could he be so heartless, him that used to be so caring?
Luckily her friends had been there to support her. Cynthia, Sean, the teammates from the Ravenclaw squad that had graduated the same year as her, they had all been there and helped her to move on.
She let herself fall on the couch in her living room, sighing in despair. She had no idea why she now thought again of these events, and especially of him, now that she had tried to forget him the best she could.
Her mood had reflected in her Quidditch practice today and she had played dreadfully. Missing bulgers, sending them on the wrong target, she had even knocked a fellow teammate off her broom by mistake, the Wasps' seeker. There had been no damage as she was low to the ground and on the tail of the snitch but the captain, Bob Walkovitch, had been infuriated with her. He had cornered her and started to give her a piece of his mind on her sloppy play of the practice, telling her that she was right now a liability to the team and ought to shape up if she did not want to spend the rest of the season on the bench.
Angelina Johnson had come to her rescue when she had seen that she was close to breaking down in tears. She had gently told Bob off, reminding him of the date meant for Alex. She had then sat down with her on a bench and Alex had found herself pouring her heart out to her older teammate. At one point Bob had come back and apologized for his outburst. He had told her that she could head home if she wanted, he understood she was not in her best day today, but Alex had said she wanted to train. It had taken the gentle push from Angelina to decide her to call it a day and actually head home.
Syal jumped on her lap, meowing and pulling her away from her thoughts.
"What is it girl?" she asked, "You hungry?"
Syal meowed and rubbed her head on her chest, purring. Alex chuckled a bit and started to scratch her under the jaw, causing her to purr even louder. Alex switched position in the couch, resting her head on the arm rest. Syal was apparently only waiting for this to happen because no sooner Alex had done this, she was comfortably nestled in a ball on her chest, purring as Alex petted her absent mindedly.
As she readjusted a bit her position, she felt something under her back. She reached and pulled the day's copy of the Daily Prophet. She remembered that she had not even looked at it this morning, as her mind was fully on other things. She glanced through the sports pages and read the interview Harry Potter had given right after the Falcons' win against the Glasgow Highlanders. A picture could be seen, showing Harry's superb catch of the snitch. The Falcons were going for their second year of winning the cup. Quite an achievement. The article went on describing how Harry would be playing for the England squad in the Quidditch World Cup. With him, Angelina and Oliver Woods in the squad, England was becoming a favourite for the win. A last note of interest was the fact that Harry confirmed that he would attend the Hogwarts reunion of tomorrow.
"It will be nice to see everyone again," she thought while going over the facts and rumors section of the paper. Here eyes grew wide as she read the main one.
[iA WOLF IN DIAGON ALLEY[/i
She sat up suddenly, causing Syal to jump away, hissing a bit at her sudden move. Not paying attention to her cat she read on.
[iReports have come in from several people yesterday that a wolf would have been spotted going around Diagon Alley. The animal evaded several attempts to capture it and disappeared in a dark street of Knotburn Alley.
"I can't believe it!" Jeremy Wiatts, an Auror who was on his way to work when he spotted the animal, said, "My colleagues and I tried to cut it's escape routes off but it was much faster that we would have expected. It was like it was reading our moves."
"I hit it twice with a stunning spell" another Auror said, "But it just shrugged them off."
The white wolf disappeared soon after. An inquiry to the ministry of magic revealed that it was the first time the sighting of a white wolf was recorded in centuries. The descriptions of the animal do not match any recorded Animagus. Could it be an unregistered Animagus?[/i
A wolf in London? And in Diagon Alley to add to it? She only knew one person who had a relation to a wolf and that was Yannick. But wait. Altair was a pitch black wolf, not white. What was going on? She let the newspaper fall on her lap and looked aimlessly to the ceiling, many questions spinning in her head.
-------