A/N: A big thanks for input from Ducks_Go_Aflack and DeviantDemon. And much gratitude for the new follows and fav's.

Harry Potter and the Wizards of Malta

Chapter 5.

'I'm sorry, I'm terribly busy. I'm having the band over Thursday - before we go on tour.'

'I'll just take a minute - I promise.'

'I'm sorry Harry. It'll have to be Thursday. Can you make it?'

'I'll try.'

'Good - I've got to go. Bye.'

'Bye,' he said, and the mobile screen flashed back to the dull department wallpaper. The call was two days ago, but it still struck him as brief and cold.

The perspiration he felt under the collar was not all due to the scorching heat. The long hours of training to blend into Muggle environments would be severely tested tonight. He was very good with most public areas, like train depots and airports. He could be very convincing in most businesses and restaurants. But a social event with strangers was tricky. Guests were expected to mingle and simple conversation could turn difficult. Questions about where he went to school or university were the ones he hated most. If you made something up, there was always the chance the person you were fibbing to might have attended the same school and then things would get very tricky. He still had bad feelings about the last time that technique back-fired. The trick, if you got caught, was to suddenly pretend to remember the person and take off on a long story – one so boring the poor listener would be running for cover.

The evening air was falling and birds celebrated the lower temperatures with short chirpy calls. Fresh-faced couples were sporting bright smiles as they hurried along toward an evening on the town. A young blonde in spandex leggings under a cool cotton top was walking a diamond collared dog. Harry thought of the dishwater blonde at the Leaky Cauldron and wondered where they might have gone to dinner – and wondered about the evening afterward and what it might have been like. She promised she would wait until he returned. And she said it like she meant it.

He was still thinking of Hannah as he started to breeze by the street doormen. They were more polite than the last lot but also more professional.

"Excuse me sir," the big doorman said. "You'll have to be cleared."

"Oh, okay – it's Harry Potter – to see Penny, uh Electra Penthane," he said, with a tone of annoyance. He cursed under his breath at not being able to apparate to her terrace.

"One moment," the big fellow replied and removed a two-way from a small leather holster on his hip. The doorman repeated Harry's name and a staticky voice on the other end gave him the go-ahead.

The opposite doorman opened the door for Harry to pass and nodded. Neither guard said another word and Harry proceeded to the lifts and through the foyer to Penny's door. He rang the bell and wondered if he should have brought a gift – a bottle of wine or something. He quickly dismissed the thought as stupidly inappropriate. A moment later, the guard opened the door and stood there waiting for some kind of announcement.

"I'm Harry Potter."

"And we're waiting for you Mister Potter," the doorman quipped and motioned for Harry to follow. Disregarding the cute remark, Harry took keen notice of the huge guard. He was enormously built and also had that ex-military look about him. He followed the guard through the hallway until voices and laughter began to grow louder. The trail of chatter led to a congregation of revelers on the terrace. The lights were turned lowand much softer than his last visit. On a far wall, a curtain was drawn to expose a large flat-screened videotron. The audio was turned down low as it played a colorful recording of the band, somewhere on tour. Having never been to a large concert, he paused to take in the recording.

"She's on the terrace," the guard said impatiently and disappeared.

"Thanks."

Finally breaking away from the video, he excused his way through the guests and onto the terrace. It was turning out to be a beautiful clear evening as the pale sky was deepening to a royal blue. The air was sweet with the smell of growing things. City lights were just beginning to stand out. There were candles in paper globes and rows of Christmas lights woven through the potted trees on the terrace. A makeshift bar was set up and the barman was wiping the bar with a white towel while glancing up for guests. Feeling a beer might knock off the edge, he drifted over to the bar.

"What'll it be mate?" the pony-tailed bartender looked up to ask.

"You got a beer?"

"Loads!" said the barman. "Brodies Amarilla, Camden Town Hells Lager, Twickenham Naked Ladies, Fullers, Bass, Guinness, Innis and Gunn..." he said and went on to name a few more beers that Americans think the Brits drink.

"Yeah, you do. Let me try a Naked Lady," he replied with a nod.

"Ah, good choice, and hard to find" he said and pulled a dripping wet bottle out of an ice bucket and dried it with the towel. He flipped off the top with a quick swipe of the opener.

Harry thanked the man and panned the terrace for Penny. She was standing in a far corner and talking with a musician, judging by his hair and style of dress. She was laughing and leaning against the railing with a drink, topped with a little red umbrella. She looked damned comfortable in tight jeans, heels and a silky grey blouse that had a hint of silver and a script monogram over her left breast. Very becoming against the raven-black hair. He approached casually and with as much confidence as he could muster. At first she didn't notice him, and his feeling of insecurity ratcheted up a notch.

Harry did his best to chill and took a long pull of the beer, holding the bottle, American style, with his forefinger wrapped around the neck. He stood there enjoying the view until she finally looked his way and made solid eye contact. Raising a finger to encourage the man doing all the talking to pause, she smiled and faced Harry.

"Glad you could make it Harry," she said. "Let me introduce one of the country's finest percussionist. Harry this is Ace Varney – Ace, meet Harry Potter."

Ace extended a hand, heavily adorned with rings and a gold bracelet. Ace was wearing pre-faded, pre-wrinkled, and pre-everything designer jeans and a silk print shirt.

"Good to meet you Potter," he said, and made a show of studying Harry's blue blazer and Khaki trousers.

"Nice to meet you," Harry said as he reached for the rocker's hand.

"Are you in the music business Potter?"

"Well... no... eh..."

"He's a security consultant," Penny quickly injected and Harry nodded.

"Security hey, feel safer already – I do," Ace quipped.

"Harry, let me show you around – hang on that last thought Ace," she said and pulled Harry by the arm.

Standing just a few steps away, Penny pushed him toward another rocker. With a shirt unbuttoned to nearly the navel he was decked out with loads of bling around his neck and another pair of designer jeans. He was smiling – everyone here was smiling.

"Harry this is Rob Carver – Bass and vocals."

Rob turned to flash a smile at Penny and finally took notice of Harry.

"Hello Harry..." he said and then quickly went back to chatting up a cute red-head.

Harry nodded. "Nice to meet you," he replied and could feel Penny pushing him in the back again.

They nodded and hellowed a few more guests and pushed on to greet two more rockers, a lot like the first. They were Beatty and Marco. Both of these gents were labeled by Penny as 'guitar, keyboards and vocals'.

"POTTER..." Marco hailed as if Harry was a long lost friend and clumsily reached for his hand. Harry shook the hand and smelled strong liquor.

Once again Harry could feel Penny giving him a little nudge on the back.

"I've got a office in the back," she said in his ear.

"Sure..."

They ducked into a another entryway off the sitting room and Penny opened a door to her office. Inside were framed band pictures on the walls and a large modern desk and desktop computer. Off to one side of the office was a fashionable exercise bike and a treadmill. Another flat-screen, much smaller than the first, hung on the wall opposite the desk.

"So – Harry, glad you could make it. I'll get to your questions in a moment. But first, I've prepared a little cover for you," she said and in a much livelier mood than his first visit.

"That's good – who am I?"

"You're a security consultant – a bit of an expert. I've told my security guys I've been getting nasty emails and that sort of thing."

"I see – a computer nurd huh?"

"Not exactly but close – hopefully this way you won't step on any toes," she said, pleased with the cover she had invented. There was a noticeable pause as Harry prepared for a few tough questions. Penny appeared to notice the downturn in his demeanor, which was a big contrast from the mindless gaiety outside.

"But you had some questions – right?" she asked and lost the smile.

"Yes Penny, I did. It's about the three thugs you hired to get rid of your stalker. Any of this ring a bell?"

Her warm expression quickly turned cold. She looked at Harry as if he'd dumped a load of ice cubes in her bath water.

"Not really..." she said at length. She was beautiful. Even when she pursed her lips and squinted her eyes.

"Not really?"

"No, not really. Who said I did?" she asked curiously.

"John Shortals. He's a petty crime kingpin around the city – and he's seldom wrong," Harry said with a firm expression.

She thought for a moment before answering. "I'm concerned with how to answer this – the legality of it, that is."

"So... you did hire them?"

"No, I gave them money. And I never saw them again. That's all there was to it," she protested.

"Well... you never saw them again because they disappeared," he explained.

"Disappeared? I thought they just ran off with my money," she said with a little pout.

"No they disappeared – as in off the face of the earth," he said, rather coldly.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I had no idea Harry or I would have mentioned it – you must believe me – Okay?" she said and made an animated little face.

"Sure, I believe you – just wish you had told me first."

"Again, I'm sorry. I found them through a old friend. I paid them half the money up front to get rid of this creep. Well – when they didn't show back up, I figured I'd just been played," she said, lugubriously.

Harry nodded but remained silent.

"What's a girl to do? I was really too embarrassed to mention it – the way they ran off with my money," she added. "The whole thing happened long before I spoke to Kingsley."

"Well, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You got your money's worth," he added dryly.

"That's a horrible thing to say. This whole thing is turning into a tragedy," she said and looked sharply away.

Harry could tell he was quickly ruining her evening.

"Well..." he said. "I'm not here to make you feel like shit, but I had to ask," he added in a softer tone. "I'm here to help you, but I'm also here to get the bastard that damn near murdered two of my friends."

Now it was Penny's turn to remain silent, and she looked at Harry studiously for several long moments. Digging the little red umbrella out of her glass, she turned up the drink for one last swallow. She leaned back in the chair and threw her heels up on the desk. Her legs ran on like the Golden Gate bridge.

"Can you do it Harry?" she asked quizzically. " Can you take this guy alone?"

"I think so. If I need help I can get it," he said, matter of factly.

"But, by that time it may..." she said and stopped in mid-sentence. "Oh what the hell. It's your job," she added and smiled.

"Yes, it is."

Penny spun her feet off the desk and threw the decorative drink glass away, all in one move.

"We'll be playing at the Scala-London over the weekend. The equipment lorrys will get there Friday afternoon and I should be arriving around four or five" she said.

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"We'll start the sound check around six. The warm up band should begin shortly. You should try and be there by then."

Harry nodded again. "That won't be a problem."

"Be ready for a long night. It was late after the show when your friends... well... you know what I mean," she explained.

Harry nodded grimly. "What about after the show?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"This is your call, but after the show and if there's no one at your place – I could apparate back to the terrace. Now – with any luck, I might catch this bastard snooping around," he asked gingerly. "I'll leave after your lights come back on so as not to intrude, of course," he thought to add and flushed slightly.

"Well of course," she quickly replied and smiled. "There's a doorman, but he never checks the back," she added and reached for a phone. She pressed a button and waited for an answer. She looked slightly perturbed when there was no immediate answer.

"Are you guys asleep?"

"Can you step in here for a moment. There's someone here I want you to meet."

"Thanks," she said and dropped the handset back in the cradle.

"I'll introduce you to my security guards – good lot really."

"Fine."

Penny walked closer to the door and it swung open and returned to the chair. The two guards followed and stood in front of the desk, arms behind them.

"Guys, I want you to meet Harry Potter," she said and both turned to look at Harry.

"Hello," they chorused.

"Harry this is Jimbo and Harley," she said, pointing at each man.

"Nice to meet you," Harry said.

"Harry here, is a bit of a security specialist in certain areas. He'll be following the show as a consultant," she carefully explained.

"What? You don't feel safe with us?" quipped Harley.

"It's not like that guys – your position is the same, and you still report to me. Harry will be coming aboard for some other issues."

"Consultant huh? Well I hope he's better than the last two," Jimbo added with a laugh.

"Hey, none of that now," Penny barked. "Okay, back to work, or sleeping, or whatever you two do."

The big men nodded with bigger grins and left the room. Penny shook her head and smiled.

"I've tried to arrange this so as not to offend these guys." she said with a shrug. "But we'll have to work around this as best we can."

"I understand, and I hope it's not a problem," Harry said dryly.

‡‡‡‡‡

"Begin!", Beollan barked the order as the two duelers circled one another in an attempt to outflank the other in the limited space. A few small curses arced from Beollan's wand to test Harry's defenses. The wizards were practicing in the old dueler's fashion. They were both shirtless and bare from the waist up with the exception of silk bands tied around each wrist. They were practicing a two wand drill. Two wand fighting had been for many years an almost forgotten endeavor until Harry insisted he practice with Snape's old wand in addition to his own. Now he was sure Beollan preferred it to single stick fighting.

Finally a real curse. An attack and counter attack, and now both wands were popping fire. Both wizards were showing red whelps where the effects of the stinging jinxes had gotten through. They had been fighting like this, on and off, for an hour with no apparent victor.

Beollan was considered to be one of the best wandsmen in all of Europe and their practice was about even. With superior technique on his side Beollan should be a cinch to prevail. But the black wand Harry used would, more often than not, make up the difference. There were two theories on this: One, the black wand protected Harry just as its previous owner had done. And two: It was connected to a darker and more aggressive side of the young wizard.

Either way, its magic had prevailed on this day as Harry was obviously getting the better of it and Beollan called a halt to the action. They put their wands away and walked to the center of the room to shake hands. Like after a lighting storm, there was a heavy and sweet smell of Ozone in the air.

"Good practice today – don't know if it's you or that wand, but it works," Beollan said with drops of sweat rolling off the ends of the handlebar mustache.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Harry said with a smile.

"I hope I don't have to dress like that," said a female voice. The two quickly turned to see Hermione critiquing the two bare chested duelers glistening with perspiration. Never being late for anything, Hermione was about ten minutes early for the beginners class starting on the next hour.

"You'll have to excuse us Hermione," Beollan said with a grin. "But you're a little early."

Beollan grabbed a towel and threw one at Harry as he left the practice room for his office. Harry quickly dried off and draped the towel around his neck.

"It looks intense," Hermione said pensively.

"Don't fret, the beginning class will use the long piste over there," Harry said, pointing to the side of the room. "For the two-wand drill, Beollan and I have gradually widened our boundaries to use the whole room."

"Hmm... Fascinating," she said, dryly.

Harry laughed at her obvious disinterest. "Hey, have you heard anything about Ron?"

"Ginny sent some post – he's doing better, and he conscious now," she said.

"Does he remember anything?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so – It'll take some time. You should go see him."

"Sure – I just hoped he might he might remember something – before the weekend that is," he said.

"Before the weekend?"

"Yeah, Penny's band plays this weekend."

"And you'll be going along I take it?" she asked, rhetorically.

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Well, be careful Harry. And have a good time," she replied, facetiously.

‡‡‡‡‡

The sleeping draught Kreacher prepared for him had worked its magic. While not without a few drawbacks, the extra sleep the potion gave him should help stay awake for the long evening.

The Scala-London was an impressive musical venue with a long street frontage and a corner entrance in the apex of Pentonville and Caledonian Roads in central London; just a hop and skip from King's Cross Station. The building was a four level art-deco arrangement with a tall tower looming over the corner entrance. The rear of the building decomposed into a scattered yard and narrow alley boundaries. The back lot, if you could call it that, was a alley that terminated in a small knob. A security nightmare.

He made it a point to arrive early and thoroughly case out the joint. He checked out the perimeter of the property first and made himself aware of every little nook and cranny. He drifted in the front entrance with a security pass Penny had given him. The more than ample bouncers gave him a few hard looks as he prowled around. One bouncer, that looked like a sumo wrestler in a suit two sizes too small, had been keeping a close eye on him since he arrived.

Following a brief chat with Penny about tactics, it was agreed it might be best if he just mill about the floor and keep an eye on the stage. With the sporadic lighting during the show, little visibility could be expected from the side stage itself. Besides, Harley and Jimbo would be posted there to escort unruly guests off stage.

After the warm-up band had finished, the customers began to drift in, in greater numbers. The venue spokesperson introduced the band as 'Bells of Elysium' and Electra Penthane, to the applause of a houseful of guests.

About an hour into the show, everything appeared to be going very smooth. He'd taken a position well in back of the crowd on a small balcony with a good view of the floor. As he looked over the crowd he noticed a few goths but there was no sign of the hooded and cloaked wizard.

In addition to her four-octave voice, Penny was one of the few singing rock leads that had any real training in dance. Her moves on stage were hypnotic as she could move like an odalisque on opium.

Damnit, keep your mind on the job Harry.

With the constant din, the smell of smoke, sweat, and alcohol overloading his tender senses, he crawled down off the balcony to take a look outside.

Grabbing a coke on ice at the bar, he pushed on to investigate the lobby and then out on the street. Nothing much going on – normal traffic and a few curious walkers. Going back into the show, he carefully negotiated the crowded wooden floor and prowled around backstage until he found the door out to the yard. The cool air felt good as he took a deep breath and let his eyes adjust to the dim light.

After the few minutes it took his eyes to adjust to the light, he noticed the back door open and the sumo bouncer walked out onto the yard. He was searching but didn't spot Harry off in the corner. After a another minute or two, the eyes of the bouncer were locked on the spot where Harry was standing. The bouncer was easily two and a half times Harry's body weight. If Harry were a Muggle he wouldn't stand a chance. There was something about Harry the bouncer didn't like – something he saw that rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps Harry reminded him of a kid that made fun of him in school. Maybe a guy like Harry had stole his best girl. Or he simply wanted to pound his head in the pavement for fun. It could be a million things, but the look from the bouncer said it all. The yard was, or had been, a good hiding place to hunt the wizard. If the bouncer came looking for trouble he was going to find it.

"What you doing back here?" asked the bulging bouncer.

"Well, it's not for the weather – I'm security with the band – so beat it," Harry said, sternly.

"You little git..." he said and started toward Harry.

Harry winched, drawing all the muscles in his body tightly in a sudden flinch. An aura of wandless energy erupted in a wave toward the fat bouncer. It was a trick he and Beollan practiced often, and a handy gimmick to know if a big man was about to get his hands on you. The bouncer was hurled backwards to land on his arse. The big man sat there, astonished. The surprised look was immediately replaced with one of anger as he started back up. The man got to his feet in a flash and took another step toward Harry. Harry felt the tingling fingers of his left hand embrace the handle of the black wand. A curious pink light erupted from the tip and hit the big man in the groin. Like a spinning back-kick to the nuts, the bouncer was down on his knees, holding on to himself.

"Get back inside," Harry ordered. "Don't speak to me or even look at me again this evening. Do you understand?"

The man grunted, still on the ground.

"I'll take that for a yes," he said "NOW GO."

The big man struggled to his feet; doubled over in pain, he ran toward towards the door. He as still holding his nuts when he disappeared back inside.

The evening went by without further incident, and he never saw any sign of the cloaked wizard. The big bouncer would be too embarrassed to mention anything of what happened in the yard. Well into the morning, the show finally broke up. Harry stood by the Mercedes and watched Penny exit from the rear of the building. She had changed from the shiny black stage costume into street clothes. She smiled politely and said goodnight and then quickly ducked inside the car. He watched the Mercedes disappear around the corner and then cased the perimeter of the Scala, just one more time.

From the secluded yard behind the venue building, he focused on the dark corner of the terrace behind Penny's flat. Like being pulled back like a rubber band and suddenly let go, he went spiraling through space, like being shot through a tube. A moment later he was standing on the terrace. Quietly, he walked over to the dimly lit corner and pulled out an old friend from his rucksack. He tossed the invisibility cloak over his head, made himself as comfortable as possible, and waited.

Thirty minutes later, there were sounds and lights from inside Penny's flat. He'd promised Penny he'd leave the terrace when she returned home. But now, hidden under the invisibility cloak, he knew he couldn't do that. Protecting her had been only a part of this job. The other part was catching or killing the wizard that took down his friends. And the best way to do that was to stay right where he was. Besides, it was best she didn't know he was there. After a few minutes, Penny came to the glass doors, peeped out curiously and then let the blinds down. She left the room and a few minutes came back in a short dressing gown. The slats were not tilted fully closed and he could see Penny move over to the bar. She fixed herself a drink and then flashed a silvery video disk into the player and turned toward the window carrying the glass and a remote control. She sank down in a large leather chair, stretching her long legs out on a footstool. He could make out an old black and white Humphrey Bogart film on the large flat-screen. While Penny got up to refill her drink, Bogie was joined onscreen by some femme fatale Harry couldn't place.

An uncomfortable hour had passed before he quietly moved to a chair with the cloak still draped over his head. Under the cloak, the air was balmy and his eyelids were growing heavy and tired. He wasn't really sure if he had been asleep when he heard the cry of a jay and the beating of wings. It was one of those moments when consciousness kicks in, and you find yourself fully awake. He looked around the terrace from inside the cloak but saw nothing. He looked to the blinds and saw Penny still inside on the chair. Probably asleep. The dressing gown was partially open and her right arm was dangling off the armrest. The Warner Brothers logo was signaling the end of the film.

Then a shadow to his left interrupted the scene. Slowly the whole figure melted into view. Like the grey spectre, the dark cloaked figure moved to a position between him and the edge of the windows. His head hidden by the hood, he was looking into sitting room at the raven-haired sleeping beauty.

Quietly, Harry eased up out of the chair. He stood motionless for a few moments until the tingling in his legs stopped and the circulation resumed. The dark wizard was staring intently into the room at Penny. He had moved to the corner of the building and no longer directly in front of the glass. There was a slight rustling sound as the invisibility cloak fell to the floor. His heart was pounding in his chest as the black wand jumped from the lapel pocket to the now extended left hand.

The wizard quickly turned to look as the brilliant green jet of a curse erupted from the tip of Harry's wand to split the darkness.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, but thanks for reading and remember to review.