6. The Muggles Surprise.

They left the police station. The walk across London was pleasant, the sun still beaming down for the seventh day in a row. The usual call for a hosepipe ban was already being mooted by the press. Adam pulled the door open to the entrance to a large apartment block, the one Tony left him at last night. It was recently painted, clean, free of any graffiti and cool after the heat of the street.

"What is this place?" Asked Tony, looking around the foyer of what looked more like an upmarket hotel.

"The only way you can get police officers to work in London, give them a gratis flat. It's cheaper for the force than paying an officer London rates for accommodation. It's that or they all live a long way out of London and commute. Plus, nobody in their right mind would consider breaking in. The place is full of police, their families, and cameras." He pointed at the small, unobtrusive marks on the walls.

The lift door opened and a uniformed officer came out, still tucking his shirt in.

"Morning, Sir." He said, seeing them both coming towards him.

"Morning Constable." He stopped and looked at Adam. "Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Is someone staying in your flat, Sir?" He asked, his voice showing he was unsure of himself.

"Yes, my wife turned up about an hour ago."

"That explains it, then. As I came out I could hear a high-pitched noise, seemed like it was coming from a flat on your floor."

"Thanks, I'll sort it out."

The Constable nodded and went on his way. Tony had put his hand on the lift door to stop it from closing until Adam joined him inside.

Eight floors up and Tony spoke. "I can hear that scream." He said as the lift stopped at the tenth floor. The doors slid open, the noise became louder.

"What is that noise?" Adam asked as he looked around for the source of the scream, which seemed to come from every direction at the same time. It wasn't loud, but it seemed to drill into Adams' ears. They continued up the hallway to the end flat. As they did, the scream became louder, still muffled.

"Is it coming from inside one of the apartments?" Tony asked as they sped up.

Adam pushed a door that swung open, unlocked. The scream became much louder as Adam flew through the open door into the hallway, with Tony right behind him. The noise came from a room further on, loud enough to make them both wince, as the kitchen door was shouldered open by Adam. He ran around the table. On the floor was a dark-haired woman, her mouth open impossibly wide, a scream, continuous and unending, was coming from her mouth.

Tony slipped the metal vaping tube from his sleeve, threw the metal pieces to the floor, leaving his wand in his hand.

"Silencio." He said, pointing the wand at the woman. The scream reduced but didn't stop altogether. "Is this your wife?" He asked, looking at Adam, whose face was white with the shock.

"Yes, it's Gwen. What the hell is wrong with her?" He tried to pull her towards him, but her body was stiff. Her face was almost colourless, and her mouth set in a painful grimace. "How can she scream without taking a breath?" He said, hysteria in his voice as he fumbled his phone out of his pocket, forgetting for a moment that the phone could be voice-operated.

"She's been hexed," Tony replied, keeping calm, as he realised he was about to break the ministry's rule about Muggles. "Remember, I told you that, given the chance, I would explain what I do." Adam nodded, still looking at his wife. "Put your phone away. You're about to get a crash course into a world you never knew existed."

Tony slipped his wand into his jacket pocket as Adam did likewise with his notebook. He reached down and grasped Adam and his wife by the wrists. Adam looked up at him, anguish etched across his face.

"Adam, brace yourself. You're not going to enjoy this." A loud crack echoed around the empty and now silent kitchen.

The three of them reappeared in the same position, the floor now clean polished floorboards. People were walking around them, oblivious to their appearance. Adam felt the world move around him. He felt compressed and unable to breathe. Luckily, he was kneeling as he felt like he was going to fall over or vomit or both. He allowed himself to slump down to the floor beside his wife.

"Matron." Shouted Tony. A woman dressed as a nurse from the eighteenth century appeared from a side room.

"What's going on?" She looked at Adam and seemed to freeze for a moment, and then she looked down. Several emotions crossed her face. She unfroze and knelt down, pulling her wand out, before moving it down the body, which relaxed and the silent scream stopped. She watched for a moment as Gwen shuddered and took a deep breath. Tony noticed the matron had grabbed her hand.

"That'll do for now. Any idea of the hex Mr Garrett?" She said, standing, looking composed again.

"None." He replied, shaking his head.

"Will she live?" Adam asked, his voice almost breaking.

"Of course, she'll live." She said as if he had asked the most stupid question she had ever heard in her life. "Nasty hex, but we'll sort it out." Adam stayed rooted to the floor, not sure if he could stand. "Don't sit in the middle of the floor, Mr Croft. You're in the way. Be off with you, and you, Mr Garratt. Nurse?" She called out. A nurse came from out of a doorway that Adam was certain wasn't there a moment ago. "Take Gwenfron Jones up to ward three."

Tony pulled at Adam's sleeve several times until he looked up.

"Come on, there's a pub down the road. If you don't need a drink now, you will by the time we get there."

"How the hell did she know our names? Where the hell are we?" He asked, finally taking in his surroundings as he stood up.

"This is St Mungos. It's a hospital, the only hospital that can help your wife."

"I've never heard of it."

"Good. Come on." Tony took hold of Adam's arm again, guiding him towards the door. After a little hesitation, he allowed himself to be led towards the exit, his legs still trembling. He looked back and watched Gwen float up the stairs, the Nurse holding a strange stick in front of her.

Three steps later, he stopped in his tracks, as the strange disorientation and a feeling of suffocation gripped him. The same thing he felt a few moments ago had happened again. His legs felt weak as another wave of nausea flowed through him. He thought he was about to collapse again until Tony grabbed his arm and held him steady while the disorientation faded.

His head cleared and his mouth dropped open as he surveyed a busy Diagon Alley, feeling as if he had travelled back two hundred years. A pair of oddly dressed people ambled down the cobbled street, nodding to Tony and Adam as they passed. Tony stood in front of him, blocking his view of the alley with his head.

"Are you with me, Adam?"

"Where are we?" He asked as his eyes focused on Tony's face.

"This is my world. Well, this is Diagon Alley. It's where witches and wizards buy and sell magical stuff."

Adam's stare moved from Tony to the street and its strange buildings and people. "Can I have that drink now?"

"Come on, the Leaky Cauldron's just up the road." Tony turned away and started walking, keeping his pace slow until he realised Adam was beside him.

As they walked, Adam kept stopping to peer into the strange shops, most of them dark and very unnerving. He stopped at a neat little shop that had the sign 'opening soon' in large letters plastered across the glass. He looked up and read 'Vandemar and Croup' for all your soliciting needs'. They moved on, passing more shops until Adam stopped.

"What the fuck is a wand shop?" He asked, staring into the dim, unlit shop, seeing someone moving around inside.

Tony slipped his wand out and held it in front of himself.

"This is a wand. It allows people to use magic." Tony could see Adam storing this information.

"The chopstick." He replied. Tony smiled and nodded.

"How did we get here?"

"It's called apparition. You did well. Most people pass out or vomit on their first trip."

"I did want to vomit and pass out. I still do." He walked to one side and sat down on a bench outside a small shop, his legs still trembling. Tony sat down beside him.

"I was asked not to tell you about us, something I have been against. But, if they had allowed me, I would like to have shown you our world in a more controlled manner. You have been dropped into the middle of this and for you, must be an absolute nightmare."

"I have so many questions; I don't know where to start."

"Don't try. Let's get that drink. As things happen, I'll explain as we go on."

The two of them stood up and continued their slow walk down the Alley.

"This is what you've been hiding," Adam asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, the reason for all the secrecy."

"No wonder the A.I. blew a fuse this morning. How long has this been going on?"

"We've been around as long as the human race. We hid away hundreds of years ago."

"Are you a magician of some sort?"

"I'm a wizard. The matron and the nurses at St Mungo's are all witches. In fact, just about everyone you see here is either a witch or a wizard." Tony pointed up the street towards a towering grey building, looking as if it was about to fall over. "That's Gringotts, the Wizarding bank."

"You have your own bank?" Asked Adam, amazed.

"Yes, and our own currency." He pulled a few coins from his pocket and held them out in front of Adam. In his hand were a few chunky old-fashioned-looking coins, with rounded edges.

They continued down the cobbled street, dodging a multitude of people. Adam kept stopping and staring into the windows of the strange shops.

Minutes later, they slipped into the Leaky Cauldron. Adam dropped onto a wooden bench and took a deep breath. He looked around the old pub, something he had only seen in old movies, greeted his vision. Although it was midday, the pub was buzzing with people, chatting with each other. The place had an ambience about it that made Adam feel completely at ease.

A man with a long white beard sat at the next table, and nodded at him as he looked over. Beside him on the spare seat was a large black pointed hat. Adam nodded back and was astonished to see the man lift a long, narrow white clay pipe to his mouth. Then he pointed a long piece of wood at the end, which ignited the material in the pipe's bowl. He took a deep breath and then exhaled a cloud of smoke, which rose to the thick dark beams. He settled back with a contented air and read an old newspaper he had spread out on the table.

Adams' eyes continued around the room, taking the strange assortment of people of all ages and dress sense. The door opened, and a tall woman wafted in, flowing colourful skirts and cape swished around her. She looked around the room, her eyes latching onto Adam. A smile broke out on her face, and she flounced over. Adam felt that the local loony had just singled him out.

"Detective Chief Inspector Croft?" She asked in a bright, effervescent voice.

He nodded. She waved her hand at the barman as she sat down.

"Botilda Grimworthy. I work for the Ministry." She leant forward, looking at him closely before shaking his hand. "You've just had a few shocks, haven't you?"

"A few?" He noticed how hot her hand was, and that it was still clutching his.

"You're safe. Charing Cross Road is only a few yards away."

"Is it?" He asked. She nodded back, the smile never leaving her face.

A man the size of a bear forced his way into the room, which seemed to get smaller. His face was covered with thick curly blond hair; his clothes looked like they had seen better days, many years ago. The room seemed to shake with every step he took. The giant sat down on a stool that looked like it couldn't cope but was going to valiantly try, regardless.

He looked back at the strange woman as she let go of his hand, still smiling at him. Her curly multi-coloured hair seemed to explode out from under her hat. Her eyes were deep green and seemed to sparkle. Adam thought she was oddly attractive, he just didn't know why.

Tony arrived at the table with the drinks. He placed one in front of Adam and Botilda. Adam picked his tankard up, took a deep drink, and swallowed.

"Wow." He exclaimed, looking at the tankard.

"Feeling a little better?" She asked.

Adam leant back in the chair and gestured around the room for a moment, trying to put his thoughts into words. He shook his head in bemusement while Tony returned to the bar to get his own drink.

As he sat down, he turned to Botilda. "Didn't take you long to turn up."

"The matron of Mungo's contacted us saying an Auror just brought in a hexed Muggle. As you're the only Auror working with a Muggle at the moment, it didn't take much to work out it was you."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Good grief, no. The ministry knows what you were doing. We expected that you would have to take your partner into your confidence to a degree. We didn't expect it to be so soon, or via St. Mungos. Still, what's done is done." She smiled again.

"Did you talk to anyone about the recording I told you about?"

"Yes, they said not to worry."

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"It means not to worry." She replied, giving him a stare as the smile dropped.

"How is my wife?" Asked Adam, who had been listening to her every word.

"She'll be fine, but she'll need a day or two's recuperation after they've removed the hex fully."

"What's a hex?" He asked. The numbness he was feeling was loosening up, because of the drink he had just finished.

"It was a magical spell, designed to maim or hurt. A nasty one that can linger for many days. I'll try to get more information for you, but Matron won't talk to me."

"When was she," he raised his hands, "hexed?"

"Can't tell for certain, but within an hour of your arrival at St Mungo's."

"She must have been hexed almost the moment she arrived at the flat. How can anyone survive that for so long?"

"The hex was designed to work that way and to last for as long as possible." She leant across the table again and clasped Adam's hand again, surprising him again at how hot she felt, as she looked straight into his eyes. "Don't worry; she'll remember nothing of what happened to her. St Mungo's will make sure of it."

"How does someone put a hex on someone?"

"They use a wand."

"The chopstick." He said, turning to Tony, who smiled back.

"A short stick that was made by a wand-maker. It channels the magical ability in the way the user wants." She finished talking as if this was the most obvious thing she could do. "As a matter of interest, that large man over by the bar is Pinne Byquist, the local wand-maker."

Adam looked over at the huge man who was lifting himself off the stool that had survived against the odds. He tried to imagine this giant making the delicate little sticks and failed. The floor shook with each step as he walked back out the door.

He took another deep drink, certain he had already emptied the tankard, feeling a calming influence come over him. His brain worked again and switched to police mode.

"Could a wand be used to hurt someone, or even kill them?"

Botilda paused for a moment, looking at Tony before answering. "It has been known. Wands can do many good things and rarely, they are misused. We try not to discuss it."

Her body posture had changed, telling Adam she would not continue with this line of questioning. He changed tack, not wanting to alienate this strange but friendly woman. The one thing he thought he needed at this moment was friends. He put it to the back of his head, ready to broach the subject when he was alone with Tony.

"How often do you have to talk a Muggle through something like this?" Adam asked, changing the subject.

"Your sort of the first real Muggle I've met in many years. More years than I care to remember." She said, looking abashed.

"What's a real Muggle?" Adam asked, smiling in confusion before stopping and pointing at Tony. "Muggle." Tony nodded and smiled.

"All the people I've met, who are non-magical, are parents of children I meet or parents of fellow students when I was at school. You're a real Muggle who, up to a few minutes ago, knew nothing about us, and I have to say, you're taking it rather well."

"I've spent close to thirty years seeing the strange things people do. Nothing surprises me anymore. But, I can say I feel completely out of my depth at this moment, and it's a long time since I felt like this." He looked down for a moment, trying to get his thoughts straight. "How can you not have met a real Muggle before?" He asked, smiling at the thought.

"Since my school years, I have never left the magical community. The only time I ever see Muggles is just before the beginning or at the end of the school year."

"School year?"

"Hogwarts School. Just before term starts, all the students come here to buy books, potions, ingredients, paper, pens and the like. The Muggle parents of students come with them."

"So it's not something you're born with?" He asked.

"Yes, and no. Tony's parents are both Muggles. I've met them, must have been a hell of a shock when someone turned up at their door." Tony smiled and nodded.

"How could you know someone is magical? Is that the right word?"

"Yes. Some of us are trained to spot magical abilities from quite some distance. Once someone is discovered, they pass the information to the correct Ministry department. They watch the family, to make sure it's the correct child, that's if they are Muggle-born. Children from magical families already know their children are gifted, most of the time."

"So when you worked out someone's child is magical, you just turn up at the door and tell them?" He asked.

"We don't turn up. We send them a letter offering them a place at the nearest school. It's not that much of a surprise, because latent abilities have a habit of turning up at a young age. Things happen around the child which is very unusual."

"What latent abilities?"

"You really are full of questions, Detective Croft. Children being put to bed without a favourite toy, and the toy ends up with them in bed, lights turning themselves on or off for no reason. By the time a letter arrives or a ministry worker turns up to tell them, they are usually quite relieved to find out the child is normal, although a little special."

He thought for a moment and went back to wands. "I find it odd you carry wands around, wands that can maim and kill."

Her green piercing eyes looked straight into his. The humour had left her eyes again. "Under your coat, you have an item that can kill, just by pointing it."

"But I'm trained to use it." He said, finding he needed to defend himself.

"Every wizard and witch is trained at a school like Hogwarts, no exceptions." She said this as if he should already know this. "We have strict laws on underage magic outside school. We have Aurors, who are trained to go after wizards and witches that are found to be doing wrong."

"That's what Tony does." He said, looking at Tony, who had so far said nothing. Adam realised Tony was watching his responses to the information given by Botilda. He also noted that Tony's right hand was inside his jacket. He assumed, wrongly, that he had his wand at the ready if he went crazy.

"Yes," she replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Poor sods trying to do his job and he's got me watching his every move." Adam shook his head while he looked into Tony's eyes. "And I thought you were learning from me." Tony smiled, shaking his head.

"He is learning. The Aurors are the nearest thing to a police force we have." She said, standing up. "Well, Detective Chief Inspector Croft, you seem fine. I'll monitor your wife. Tony can contact me when you want to check up on her progress. I'll leave you and Tony to talk. I'm sure you have many questions."

"Thank you, Botilda. I hope we meet again and next time, call me Adam?" He said with feeling. "One more thing." She turned back. "Any advice you can give me?"

She leant forward, bringing her face unnervingly close to his. "My mother always told me to treat people as you would want to be treated and avoid prophecies." She turned, smiled at Tony, and headed back to the door and out into Diagon Alley.

Adam finished his drink and pushed the empty mug towards Tony. "I could do with another of these." He looked down at his mug and found it was still full. He looked up and found Tony smiling at him.

Adam's mind was coming to terms with some things he had seen and heard. He leant forward towards Tony.

"Prophecies?"

"More trouble than they're worth." He replied, taking another drink.

"The bearded guy over at the next table is smoking, which is illegal."

The grin reappeared on Tony's face. "You find out another magical world hidden under your nose, and all you're worried about is someone smoking. Seriously."