13. Professor Arcadius Darnell.

Adam exited Flourish and Blotts, smiling to himself as he scanned the street. Down the road, opposite Knockturn Alley, was Gringott's Bank, a strange grey building, all pillars, leaning at odd angles, looking as if it could fall down at any moment. He walked a few feet before Tony stood beside him.

"I thought you'd be in the Cauldron by now." He said.

"Long story. Went into Flourish and Blotts." Tony smiled. "I tried to buy a book."

"A good idea. Which one?" Adam stopped and looked at him. "You're allowed to buy a book, you know. Which one?"

"The history of the wizarding world."

"Good choice for someone in your position." He replied.

"Apparently, I already own a copy of this book, which is being delivered to my home." Tony frowned at this. "The woman in the shop said the Ministry probably bought it for me."

"Makes sense. I can't think of any other way you could own a book like that." They both turned and looked at the window of the bookshop. Inside they could see the woman, deep in conversation with an equally strangely dressed and very tall man; this one was dressed in a black billowing cloak, which draped around his ankles. His size was as big as Pinne, just not as wide, but wide enough to scare anyone coming towards him.

"You have some huge wizards, don't you?" He asked.

"That is an old professor of mine, scary, even now."

"I'm sure I saw him on the street outside the cafe where we first met," Adam said as the man exited the shop. He looked over at them; in what Adam thought was very predatory. He strode across the alley, stopping in front of Tony.

"Anthony Garrett, an Auror now?" He asked, taking Tony's small hand in his huge grip and shaking it like a dog would a wet rag.

"Good to see you again, Professor."

"Arcadius now, I'm no longer your professor." His voice boomed as a huge grin, with too many teeth, lit his face up. "I have a question for you?"

"Go on Professor, sorry Arcadius."

"Who's this bloody upstart Muggle policeman who's causing all the trouble?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Tony replied. "Please meet my new partner, the upstart Muggle policeman, Adam Croft."

The man's head swung towards him, his huge, dark, predatory eyes fastening on Adams. He could almost feel his blood run cold.

"I have always had the biggest of mouths, something to do with my nature, so I'm told." He said, looking abashed, but not much.

"I'm getting used to people's candour in this world, and I find it refreshing," Adam said, taking the man's proffered hand and regretting it almost immediately. The man had a crushing grip, which made Adam wince, refusing to let it show on his face. Like Tony, his hand was shaken like an old rag for a moment.

"Candour is something you get in this world by the bucketful, wouldn't have it any other way." He turned back to Tony. "Must be going, new term, and all that. Work to be done." With a smile, he was gone, striding up the street like he owned the place. He stopped after a few paces and turned back.

"When you get the chance, Mr Croft, look me up in that book of yours. Apparently, I make for good reading. Young Garrett knows who I am."

They watched the enormous man until he turned into Knockturn Alley.

"Who the hell was that guy?"

"Professor Arcadius Darnell."

"Professor of what?"

"Transfiguration." Adam looked at Tony. "The ability to change one item into another."

"Lead into gold."

"Yes, but no. You can't change lead into gold without a philosopher's stone." Adam started to nod his head, which turned into a shake, not understanding a word. "He is also a Metamorphmagus." Again, Adam stopped and turned towards Tony. "He can turn himself into almost any creature at will."

"You're kidding?" Adam asked incredulously.

"He has a proclivity for Bears."

"He can turn himself into a Bear?" Adam asked, a frown on his face.

"I was always late for lessons. The stairs used to change."

"Stairs used to change?"

"Long story, forget it. Read the book when you get the chance. I was always late for lessons and one day in my third year, near the beginning of term, I was late for one of his lessons. I burst into the classroom and found the rest of the class cowering against the far wall. I walked over and asked them what was wrong. Nobody said a word. Then I felt the hot breath on my neck." Tony paused for a moment. "I looked around, straight into the chest of the biggest bear I have ever seen in my life. I say biggest, as I had never seen a bear in real life before. I was about five foot five then and the dog or bear sitting down was around six foot six, all muscles, and black shaggy hair. I almost wet myself."

"Were you ever late again?"

"Once, but I chickened out and skipped the lesson."

"What happened to the rest of the lesson?"

"He went behind a screen and walked out a man about ten seconds later. Then he did the lesson on Animages and Metamorphmagus."

"Animages?"

"The ability to change into another creature."

"Sounds useful."

"An animagus is rare and has to be registered, a Metamorphmagus, I don't think there is another one alive at the moment. Again, that book you brought will tell you."

"The book is in fucking Wales, or at least it will be." Exclaimed Adam, bringing a smile to Tony's face.

"The Leaky Cauldron is that way," Tony said, pointing down the Alley.

They walked on, enjoying the bustle.

"Did you have a word with your young lady?" Tony came to a halt.

"She is no young lady, and she didn't know what I was talking about, and she hasn't been to the ministry for a while."

"Do you believe her?"

"I have no reason not to. Whoever gave Pinne that message was someone else. I would like to know who, though." Tony said, heading down the small alleyway leading to the Cauldron's entrance.

As they arrived at the bar, the man behind the counter smiled at them both as he placed two full pewter mugs on the bar. Grabbing the drinks, they walked over to the more secluded area of the room. The view of wizards, dressed in strange garb, has already become old and Adam hardly noticed. Tony sat opposite Adam, his frown suggested something was bothering him.

"That Professor animal guy." He said after a few moments.

"Arcadius."

"Yes. He asked who the Muggle policeman was." Tony nodded. "He had just come out of a shop I had just been in, the woman in it knew who I was." Tony waited. "He knew who I was before he came out of the shop. Why?"

"I don't know."

"Also, I am now certain that is the same person I saw watching us when we first met. You don't forget someone that size."

"We move about in your world all the time."

"But he was watching you while you were standing outside the café. I was watching you before we were due to meet."

"I know." He replied.

"Really?" Tony grinned back at

They both took a drink.

"What did you get from the Ministry?"

"Information on that parchment I sent last night."

"That was quick."

"Many interviews were carried out, but nobody told me. Hedgecock's work friends, who were interviewed, all said her boyfriend was a little possessive and very much an underling in the magic department."

"What does that mean?"

"He was poor at magic, while Hedgecock was accomplished."

"I assume that being better at magic means a better-paying job or a higher position?"

"Not always, but in this case, yes. She ran her own department, and he worked for her."

"Who found her?"

"Three people found her in another department. They were trying to get something out of a little-used store cupboard, which was magically locked. They blasted the door open and found her."

"Were they all interviewed?"

"Yes."

"How long was she dead before being found?"

"She died the day before."

"So, a falling out, perhaps, that ended tragically. Do they have any idea where he is?"

"No. He was last seen in here the day she was found. After that nothing."

"So, he was seen the day she died and has now disappeared. I think this one should be handed back with a note, telling them to find the boyfriend as a matter of urgency."

"I agree." Tony sat back after emptying his drink. "Ferhe's death seems to be very different. He and Huxley were good friends. Her father died when she was young, his family were friends with the Huxleys and he helped her out, often. Nobody has a bad word for him. He was known for his good deeds and most people who needed advice went to him."

"Did all his friends and associates get interviewed?"

"No. Torkel is under another ministry, so we can't go and interview people without permission."

"What about local government, or Auror's? Have they done any checking?"

"That's being checked as we talk."

"At least we're getting somewhere. Now you can see the need for a team in a complex murder inquiry. These interviews should have been checked, and the information collated."

"That's why I have two other Aurors going through the interviews, making sure nothing's missed."

"We have another problem," Adam said as he put his empty tankard on the table.

"Only one more," Tony said with a resigned air.

"The wand that was given to Pinne, may not have been the wand that was taken from the dead Wizard."

"But he knew the wand's owner and the spells that had been used."

"But the wand could still be a red herring." Adam took another drink, puzzled, certain he had already finished his drink.

"Probably not. Wand magic is a very exacting form of magic; it would be very difficult to fool an Auror, let alone someone like Pinne." Tony shook his head.

"How about this for a scenario?" Adam said, getting into his stride. "Someone at the Ministry does not want us, you, to make any headway in solving the case, or perhaps, there is someone at the Ministry that wants the opposite and is trying to help." Tony looked at him blankly. "It's a possibility, but I think we're only scratching the surface at the moment."

They drank in silence, thinking by themselves, looking for the obvious and the not-so-obvious.

Adam looked up and said. "Is your ministry able to track your movements?"

"We have an entire department devoted to keeping a close watch on the various modes of transport, from brooms to apparition. Yes," Tony said, wondering where he was going, "Someone is watching us." Adam waited for Tony to continue. He relented. "The Floo network is regulated and yes, we could be tracked if we used it. Brooms are also regulated, but not all movement can be followed. The same applies to apparating." Tony paused for a moment. "The knight bus is the only mode of transport that is monitored all the time. I mentioned this the other day."

"You did. We must be being tracked somehow, a bug maybe?" It was Tony's turn to look confused. "A device attached to us that monitors our location."

"It's called a trace, and it's used all the time, but someone would need to put the trace on us and the authority for that could only come from the Ministry."

"What about an item that could do the same thing?" He said pointing at his neck.

"The charms, it's possible."

"Hold on," Said Adam. "What the hell is a night bus?"

"A bus that travels at night," Tony replied.

Adam opened his mouth to ask another question when the door opened and Pinne blocked out the daylight for a moment before going to the bar. The man, ready for him, handed him a wrapped package the size of a loaf of bread.

"Pinne, do you have a moment?" Called Adam across the room, causing several people to tut at the interruption.

"I take it you're not supposed to shout across the bar," Adam whispered.

"It's not the done thing. We have other ways of attracting people." Said Tony, as Pinne stood next to them.

"Pinne, your charms." Asked Adam.

"Yes." He dropped into the seat next to them, the floor shaking for a moment.

"Do they have a trace on them?"

"No."

"Would it be possible to put one on them?"

"No, tracing is something I build them to avoid. Why do you ask that?"

"We think someone is watching our movements."

A big grin appeared on Pinne's face as he leant across the table. "The wizarding world is full of watchers. It is very difficult to do anything that is a secret."

"Some person or persons are doing bad things in a society that is being watched."

"That would say to me they are clever, or they have power or both. Doesn't bode well." Pinne stood up.

"One more thing before you go," asked Tony, "the girl at the Ministry who told you to give me the charm. Was it Edlyn?"

"No." He replied without hesitation before Tony could utter her second name. "I know Miss Balsom well and I'm not telling you who she was, but I've often seen her guiding youngsters around the Alley here and I'm sure she was here yesterday. Good day, gentlemen." He walked away, still clutching his lunch.

Tony finished his drink in one and placed the tankard on the table with a little force.

"Seems someone else is looking after your best interests, I wonder who. Anyway, time for another visit to Torkel, I think."