A/N: A few new changes/additions to the end of the chapter. (9/9/13)

Grats for the new faves and follows.

Harry Potter and the Wizards of Malta

Chapter 7.

Harry could feel his face flushing hot and his blood coursing. The fingers of the left hand began to tingle and he wanted to pull the black wand but the chair continued it's fall backwards. After a moment that seemed much longer, he felt his right shoulder come to rest on an ornamental tree behind his table to break the fall. Suspended in a reclined position, he spun a right leg over the left and rolled out of the chair and onto his feet. Standing a few feet from Jimbo, he was looking the big man in the eye and waiting for any reaction. Harry stood ready and tense. If Jimbo moved an inch toward him he'd only have to flinch to put him on his arse.

"If you're looking for trouble you're going to get it," Harry spat out the threat.

"Oh chill out Potter," Jimbo said with a grin. "You're such a lightweight – didn't think you'd go over."

"You're a liar. And I'll settle this up with you when this job is done," said Harry.

"Well settle up now you little git," he said, getting all puffy. "If you think you're man enough – settle up now!"

"I'm here for a job," Harry said. "I don't know what you're here for and I'll deal with you when I damn well feel like it."

Jimbo would never stop until he provoked an incident. Harry knew that, but this was neither the time nor the place. He was in the country covertly and the Netherlands Institution of Magic knew nothing of his presence. It would be best to not draw attention to himself if he didn't want to get evicted. He could see Kingsley's reaction now. So Harry you were kicked of the Netherlands for tussling with a Muggle?

"Anytime Potter. I'll be right here," Jimbo said and continued into the hotel and disappeared.

A few of the guests had taken notice of their dispute. Thinking it best to leave, Harry took the bottled water and took a walk around the hotel before turning in.

‡‡‡‡‡

Dragging out of the shower, Harry noticed a small envelope resting on the carpet that had been slid under the door. He tied the belt on his terrycloth robe and toweled the water from his hair. Grabbing the unsealed note, he reached for his glasses to make out the fine print.

Good morning to the band and crew:

Just a reminder – we'll do a sound check at 5:00 o'clock

at the Paradiso. The coach from the hotel will leave

around 4:30. Be prepared to arrange your own

transportation if you don't use the coach.

For any early birds the hotel will serve breakfast until

9:00. You're on your own for lunch so feel free to check

out the surrounding area. If you arrive at the venue early,

there's a Hard Rock Cafe just a few steps away from the

Paradiso.

Penny

The note had been copied from the hotel office copier and written as a general reminder for everyone. Slipped inside the envelope was a personal note from Penny.

Harry,

Several of us will probably go out for lunch.

Just reminding you of my plans and to let

you know you're welcome.

Thanks,

Penny

The Winter Garden was a huge skylit dining area just off the Reflet in the hotel foyer. Palm trees were everywhere and flowers were brought in to give the place a genuine garden feel. There were a few sleepy eyed stragglers still being seated for breakfast. He could see Mary Ann headed toward buffet queue and he tucked in, neatly behind her.

"Harry – alright?"

"Alright, and you?"

"I think so. Not quite sure yet – you know?" she said and laughed.

"I know the feeling," he said.

They quickly moved through the queue. Not feeling up to a full breakfast, he waved off the ham and rashers. A tall server in a white uniform was dishing out scrambled eggs with a pair of spoon-like tongs. Meticulously, he fished out the eggs with the delicate precision of a brain surgeon. Harry took a small portion of the eggs with toast and returned to the table where he ordered black coffee.

Mary Ann took a seat next to him with a bowl of cereal and a heaping plate of fruit.

"Don't know if I'll be having lunch," she said sheepishly.

"Well it seems a bit decadent – all this time off with nothing to do but plan the next meal," he said with a grin.

"I suppose," she said. "But we'll earn it tonight." Mary Ann's curly hair was particularly lively this morning.

"I'm sure you're right. How long have you been with the band," he asked.

"A little over six months with 'Elysium' and a little over two years with other bands," she said between bites of cereal.

"So how would you rate this band – good?" he asked as casually as possible.

"Yeah sure – is this an interview?" she asked.

"No, not really. Does it seem like one?"

"I don't know. I remember you telling Alan you were security or something," she said and laid down the spoon.

Harry took a few moments to blow the steam off his coffee. "Yes."

"What kind of security. I mean, you don't look the type if you don't mind me saying."

"A rather unusual kind of security," he said and took a sip of the coffee.

"Do we have an unusual security problem?" she asked, while moving an orange section on her plate in tiny circles.

"You tell me. What do you think?" he asked with a smile.

Mary Ann laughed. "What bands aren't a little unusual – and this seems like an interview," she said.

"Have it your way then," Harry said and smiled. "But if you do see something out of the ordinary – let me know. Will you?"

Mary Ann returned him a curious look and then chuckled.

"Define unordinary," she said playfully and finally stabbed the orange section with her fork and plopped it into her mouth.

"I'll work on a definition. Are you waiting for the coach?"

"I thought so. What about you?" she said.

"I don't know. I had an invitation to join Penny for lunch – but I'd like to see a bit of the city," he said and watched her for any reaction.

"There's a lot of variety in the city. Anything in particular you're looking for," she asked and curled the corner of her mouth into a wry grin.

He smiled at her question. "No, no – nothing like that."

"Well, for first time visitors I recommend the sightseeing boats - they give canal tours of the city," she said and plopped a strawberry into her mouth.

"Yeah, that should be nice. It sounds like you've been here before?" he asked.

"Once, a couple of years ago."

"The boat tours – are they all the same?"

"No, not really," she replied.

"Well, since you seem to know your way around – would you care to go along?" He couldn't think of a smooth way to ask, so he used the direct method with a smile.

Mary Ann looked at her watch and rolled her shoulders into a shrug.

"Yeah, I suppose I could. We'll be back for the coach – right?"

"Don't see why not," he said and threw his serviette on the table.

‡‡‡‡‡

Penny paused for only a moment to give him one of those where have you been looks and continued on with business. Even in her warmup outfit she was stunning. The backup singers were just getting started so Mary Ann hadn't been missed. He nodded hello and went outside to size up the Paradiso.

The stately old brick building stood out as strongly as Gryffindor tower. It was hard to believe this music venue had once been a church. It had been built with stained glass windows and all the accoutrements of a place of worship. Harry walked around the perimeter and immediately liked what he saw. Along one wall was a oversized car park for the coaches and equipment lorries. A narrow alley ran down the wall opposite the car park, and the back of the building was up next to a canal. The only security issue he could find was a restaurant and bar just next door and across the narrow alley.

Inside, big time band sounds were tuning up. A few early guests were showing up on the street and some were coming up through the side door to wait in the small foyer. Satisfied the perimeter of the venue was reasonably secure, Harry entered the building along with a few of the guests. A balcony ran around the interior wall to give a birds eye view of the floor and stage.

The stage was safely higher than most. Harley was seated to the right and his new friend Jimbo was standing, menacingly on the left. The bouncers seemed friendly enough and none resembled the sumo wrestler type he had the run-in with at the Scala. After a lull in the action of several minutes, Penny came running onstage in a tight shiny black costume. She quickly announced herself as Electra Penthane and the Bells of Elysium. In a few moments it took the crowd applause to subside, the show was on.

The band began with an older number that was quite popular and gave them a chance to get in the groove. They proceeded though two more numbers before they really coordinated as a group. Generally referred to as symphonic metal, there a dark side to their music that played well with the stained glass windows, that were backlit with artificial lighting.

Like London, the Netherlands were also under the unusually warm weather conditions. After an hour, the band took a well-deserved break and Penny headed toward the makeshift dressing room. The slick plastic looking costume was glued to her skin with sweat. Harry planned to watch the hall leading to the dressing room when Penny motioned with a finger for him to follow her.

When he stuck his head in her dressing room, she was already barefooted and pulling down a narrow black zip fastener on the side of her rubbery body suit. Before he could say, "What's up," she was half-way out of the slick black suit.

"Harry I think I saw him – in the audience – by the side entrance," she said, completely out of the suit and down to a black lace bra and jet black pants.

Harry pulled his jaw up off the floor and tried to assimilate a response.

"You, you saw him. Are you sure?" he said, trying his best to play it cool.

She turned her back to him and popped off the black bra and tossed it on the makeup table. Timidity was certainly not one of her problems. The sides of her breasts extended beyond the ribcage as she reached for a white terrycloth towel on a hook nearby. She began to towel herself dry as if no one else was in the room.

"I'm pretty sure Harry. And I was hoping you did," she said. With her back still to him, she stripped off the black lace pants and threw the them on the table along with the bra. Securing the towel snugly around her waist like a skirt, she turned to face him with a smile. "Damn it's hot out there," she added and reached for a another towel.

"Sorry, I didn't see him. The light is not so good," he said and shook his head. "I'll stand by the side entrance for the rest of the evening.

She inhaled deeply and Harry could see she was scared. "Yeah... he walked under a spotlight – for a just a moment."

"Look Penny... don't worry," he said, resolutely.

Penny nodded little nods, quick and sharp, and then reached for an item of clothing. She could see him gawping and suddenly, as if swept by a wave of realization, she held the towel in front of her chest.

"Sorry Harry," she said and chuckled. "Modesty is one of the first things you lose in this business. When I worked with the Weird Sisters I changed backstage."

"That sounds indelicate. You must have hated it."

"Like I said – you get over it – and it kept the guys entertained."

"Well, all the same – I think I'll wait outside," he said with a grin and ducked out the door and into the hall. A few minutes later she came back out in a white costume, still skin tight, with a reflective sheen to it.

"That looks good," Harry said as a litmus test to gauge her nervousness. She smiled but failed to respond.

Penny took the stage once again and the transformation to Electra was taking place. Immediately the nervousness vanished as she transmuted back into the rock star. Harry moved to a position left of the stage but not as far away as he had previously suggested. The lights flickered, went out, then Penny was illuminated with a giant flood.

Making love to the wireless mic, the girl moved like she was put together with ball bearings. The crowd was shaking the floor on their first return number while the lights, in a multitude of colors, prowled the crowd like a predator in darting passes.

Most of the lights were aimed randomly, but after a while, Harry noticed an unusual pattern where a long ray of yellow light originating from a spot behind the stage would, every so often, beam out across Penny's shoulder to a place on the rear balcony. He looked at the light and began to time the pattern and then realized the danger.

With the sudden insight into the danger he felt his skin begin to crawl. He turned to look at the area on the balcony where the spotlight targeted every thirty five seconds or so. Moving into position under the occasional spot was a hooded figure. If the wizard timed a curse down the yellow beam of light, then no more than a handful of guests would notice. Some might even think it was part of the show.

Quickly, he was running through the crowd and toward the nearest stairway to the balcony. Jumping quickly up the steps, he focused intently on the last place the hooded figure was standing.

"Damnit..." someone yelled as he knocked a drink out of their hand.

"Sorry," he said without looking. He wedged through the balcony crowd, drawing more curses and hard looks. His thirty five seconds were almost up. When he neared the corner the wizard was so absorbed in watching the stage he hardly noticed Harry until they were face to face.

Under the hood, eyes as big as saucers stared until that moment of recognition occurred when each man clearly understood the other to be a wizard. For a split second, that seemed like minutes, they studied each other for any reaction. Very quickly, before his enemy could react, Harry snapped out the black wand. He wouldn't use it front of the guests if there was any way to avoid it, but he had to do something quickly. He couldn't give the wizard time to focus and disapparate. Without trying the aforementioned, the wizard turned to run and Harry gave pursuit.

In the far corner of the balcony, a small stairwell ran up the roof. Some of the guests began to clear out of the path of both men. Hanging onto a door-frame as he ran, the hooded wizard catapulted himself around the corner and into the stairwell. The front of the Paradiso had another level that was a shallow decorative facade that went up one more series of steps to an old tower section. Harry could see the wizard making his way to the tower as fast as he could run. Safely away from any guests, Harry fired a stunning curse through the stairwell and toward the running wizard. Missing the wizard to explode against the wall, the curse lit the dark stairway like a flash bulb.

Creaky hinges squealed as the hooded wizard pulled open a door that led to the roof of the building. With his thighs screaming in protest, Harry made it to the top of the stairs and paused by the open door. He knew the wizard would fire a curse as soon as he stepped through the door.

"Protego!", he conjured the spell as a precaution and stepped through the door to the slate roof beyond. The wizard immediately fired a curse that he partially blocked as he stepped aside to fire a counter-curse from the holly wand. The curse just missed the wizard that was running through the cool night air and along the eve of the roof. The dark figure quickly turned toward the side of the roof, nearest the narrow alley on the right.

The distance between the Paradiso and the building on the other side of the alley was about fifteen feet. Too far to jump without magic, but that was exactly where the cloaked wizard was headed. Harry cursed the leather soled shoes that were slipping on the slick roof tiles. The dark figure ran all the way up to the edge, bent into a squat, and extended his legs to leap. He easily cleared alley to land with a soft thump on the roof of the adjoining building.

Slipping and sliding down the tiles Harry was intent on trying the same trick. He kept one eye on the wizard and one eye on the edge of the roof. Running and sliding down the roof to the same spot the wizard jumped from, he secured the wands in the jacket pockets and tried to prepare his mind for the jump.

"Damn-it..." he softly cursed as his right foot nearly slipped off the edge before he could plant his feet. With what little energy he had left in his legs and a hard flinch of magic, he jumped. He wasn't sure if he would make it the alley and wondered how the 'arresto momentun' would work if he went sliding down the face of the opposite building.

In near darkness and much to his relief, he could see the edge of the roof of the building rising under the bottoms of his feet.

"Arresto Momemtum."

Landing on the roof with a soft thud, he immediately reached for a wand, but the wizard had already fired a curse. With no time to parry the curse he dove, face first, flat on to the rooftop. He stayed there with his chin on the roof and looking for the wizard to fire another curse. He could see nothing but heard the wizard's footsteps racing away. The wizard disappeared over the eve of the rounded rooftop.

Jumping to his feet, Harry had both wands in hand and was running toward the eve. The city skyline was barely visible over the top and he dove for the eve to use it as a rampart. He could see the dark hooded figure jump over the edge, followed by a crashing sound and women's screams.

Reluctantly, Harry followed the wizard over the side. With another 'Arresto Momentum', he landed in a previously broken mess of tables and ruined dinner. With customers mouths still agape, he struggled to his feet and looked around the courtyard for any sign of the wizard.

Another scream followed by the crashing sound of broken glassware came from somewhere inside a nearby restaurant. It appeared to be inside the the Hard Rock Cafe. Running toward the entrance, he quickly came upon the startled Maitre' D. Speechlessly, with one hand to her mouth, she pointed with the other hand to stairs leading to a lower level. Harry nodded his thanks and continued without missing a beat.

Following a trail of broken glassware to another overturned table, there was an angry male patron protesting his ruined meal with a clinched fist. The trail of mayhem continued down the steps to an outdoor dining area, which was just a few paces wide and overlooking the canal. Stopping to look left and then right, there was no sign of the man he was after. He just happened to look left again and noticed a women rising to wipe a spilled drink from her lap. Doing his best to avoid the poor woman any more pain, he carefully ran past her to the trail around the side of the building.

Racing around the building, Harry could see the wizard take a bridged street over the canal and disappear into a neighborhood on the side of the avenue opposite the Paradiso. Running and trying to listen between his own clomping feet, he could hear footsteps down a narrow dimly lit street. It was the perfect place for a wizard to make good his escape. His street shoes were making tons of noise on the cobblestone so he paused to listen again. Much softer footsteps could be heard fifty or sixty paces down the narrow street. He picked up the pace, silently cursing the street shoes. Frustrated with the dim light, he fired a curse at the darkness and down the narrow alley. Luckily, it illuminated the wizard and hit a small building just beyond.

Immediately, he fired another curse with the other wand. The wizard barely slowed as he parried the curse with his arm behind him. Relentlessly, Harry kept firing curses, each one now getting a little closer as the wizard had to twist backwards to block them. The wizard was losing a half a step each time he turned to block a curse and was losing much of the distance he had put between them.

Chipping away, Harry fired a more accurate string of curses that forced the wizard to finally turn around and stop.

"Protego," conjured the wizard and Harry could see a dome of energy erupt to block his curse.

"Stupify!" Harry yelled and a huge curse went tearing for the pinned Wizard. Again, the hooded figure was unable to run as he blocked the spell and tried to fire a counter curse.

"Expelliarmus," Harry shouted and the wizard did his best to block and get off another counter. The wizard was no slouch with his wandwork. Harry was advancing and making up the valuable distance the wizard had put between them.

Curse, parry, and counter-curse. Curse, parry, and counter-curse. Curse, curse, and the wizard was hit. Knocked off his feet and spun like a top from the spell, he was lying flat on his face in the cobblestone street.

With wands extended, Harry carefully approached the cloaked wizard. He lay there motionless and appeared to be unconscious.

Just a few steps from the wizard, the figure suddenly came to life. He rolled over, and fired one last curse as Harry drew near. Harry barely had the time to block the attack. In a blink of an eye the nimble wizard was on his feet again and turned to run.

"Stupify!" Harry spat out the curse angrily and the wizard went down again, rolling end over end.

"Incarcerous," Harry cursed and the vines of the spell wrapped the wizard tightly.

Harry flicked a spare wand in the air. "Lumos."

The wizard was out cold this time and wrapped tightly by the vines of the Incarcerous curse. The hood had come off his head and the man was not wearing a beard as Harry remembered. The hands were also much smaller on this man than the wizard he remembered from the Leaky Cauldron. He would need to wake him up before someone drifted onto the scene.

"Aguamenti," he conjured, and a healthy stream of water shot out of his wand to hit the wizard in the face. His face contorted and he began to struggle against the vines of the Incarcerous curse. Awake now, and aware of his predicament, the wizard lay still and said nothing.

"Who are you? - and what were you doing at the Paradiso?" demanded Harry.

The wizard lay there, silent as a stone.

"I'll ask you one more time. Who are you?"

"Who wants to know?"

"Harry Potter. Now who are you and what were you doing at the Paradiso?"

"Watching the show – of course."

"CRUCIO." And a bright jet engulfed the wizard. Squirming and writhing in pain the wizard groaned and shook. Harry held the curse for several seconds before waving it off.

The wizard had partially shaken off part of the cloak. He was wearing regular trousers and a pair of black trainers.

"With that outfit – I don't think so. Now are you ready to tell me who you are or do you want some more?"

"I'm part of an Order," he said and then clammed up.

"An Order? What kind of order goes around stalking women?"

"We stalk no one," he spat out the reply.

"Well then answer my questions who – are you?"

"Go to hell!"

"CRUCIO," Harry conjured the curse angrily and again the wizard shook with pain until his teeth clattered. When the wave of torture subsided Harry resumed the questioning.

"Were you in London? Did you fight two Aurors in London?" Harry demanded.

"No, never," he managed at length.

"Then why are you following this woman?"

"It's Lasaurus you seek. But he did not know they were Aurors."

"And who is Lasaurus?"

"You'll find him soon enough.. You won't be so lucky with him," the wizard said with foul contempt.

"Then where is this Lasaurus and why is he stalking this woman."

"I don't know," said the wizard and Harry raised the wand again. "Wait," the wizard interrupted. "This friend of yours, Penthane – she has stolen from Lasaurus – from the Order."

"Stolen – stolen what? What's this all about?"

"I can say no more."

Harry shook his head with frustration and raised his wand to curse the wizard again.

"Well, we'll see about that," said Harry angrily.

While shaking and rolling under the effects of the torture curse, the wizard had managed to wiggle a hand free from the vines of the Incarcerous spell. In the excitement of the chase and overly confident in the wrapping vines, Harry had failed to disarm his opponent. It was only too late when he saw the wizard wriggle the tip of his wand under his own chin.

"NO!" Harry shouted and raised a wand to stun the wizard.

There was a faraway look in his eyes when the wizard muttered his last curse. The wand tip exploded in green light to completely envelope the wizard's head. In the time it took the spell to dissipate, the wizard was dead.

Harry stood there, for a long moment, stunned and wondering what the hell to do next. He had a dead wizard at his feet and he was in the Netherlands covertly. He'd have to get a message Patronus to Kingsley and there would be one more person to add to this investigation: Penny.

An Order, the wizard said. Could there be more hooded wizards running around? There was a nagging thought, that the whole thing might have been a diversion. Straddling the dead wizard, he quickly pried the wand away from cold fingers and relinquished the Incarcerous curse. He tore open the robe and searched the body for any identification but found none. Leaving the wizard in the street, he raced back through the cool evening air to the Paradiso.

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