A/N: Big Thanks to the reviewers! you made me smile and also a thanks to those who are taking the time to read the story! Enjoy this little installment and see you all in two weeks!

Chapter 12

"Theo, so good to see you again" Warrington said as he gripped the man by his suit jacket and slammed his back into the closest wall. They had stopped by the Malfoy Manor and had a brief meeting with Lucius after a few business agreements in exchange for information Warrington and Montague decided to hit up Theodore Nott as his name was at the top of the list. Theo had welcomed them into his study before Warrington decided to get physical with the man.

"Warrington" Theo choked out. Warrington pulled out Theo's wand and snapped it in half tossing the broke pieces over his shoulder before he shoved Theo back against the wall.

"I was just saying to Montague this morning, how sad it is we never get to see the old gang much these days. Didn't I?" Warrington asked Montague who closed the door to the study.

"Yes, quite sad I do miss the whole gang we had before the war. Ooo 200 year old Whisky" Montague said excitedly as he spied the bar.

"Help yourself Montague while Theo and I catch up here. You're going to give me that dagger" Warrington told Theo with a cold and commanding look.

"What dagger?" Theo asked innocently.

"Antonin Dolohov's dagger. It's a family heirloom of mine which you stole from my family. You know how I feel about my possessions being in other people's hands" Warrington informed him.

"He doesn't like it" Montague said.

"If I had such a piece of art. It was rightfully propagated after the war…Finders keepers like how you found Alicia Spinnet. She is something isn't she? You know Dolohov would let us watch but we couldn't touch. No, she was a special project only Dolohov could touch her, taste her" Theo said with a sick smile until Warrington punched Theo in the solar plexus hard. The man would have sunk to floor but Warrington held him up as Theo half laughed and wheezed in pain.

"Oh bad move with bringing up Spinnet even I know better than to go there" Montague commented as he sipped on the whisky.

"Where's the dagger? I know you have it" Warrington told Theo.

"I may have it stashed away" Theo drawled.

"How fortunate. What's your price?"

"You can't buy me"

"Then I guess I will have to use the few tricks my father taught me for when interrogating your enemy." Warrington said as he grabbed Theo by the neck and pushed him to the nearest chair.

"Ok feet apart… mmm what do we have here?" Adler asked as he pulled her lip balm from her back pocket of her jeans. The Auror in front of her leered at her between writing in the ledger about her physical appearance etc as she wouldn't give them her name. She swallowed her nausea as the Auror Adler behind her felt his hands into her pockets as he frisked her far too intimately for her liking.

"A set of keys, lip balm- apple blossom flavoured... so far I'd mistake you for a muggle if it wasn't for this bag" he stated as he dropped them on the table she had her hands on. The Auror in front of her wrote down the information "one bag of Galleons- 20 Galleons and 3 knuts" He said.

Alicia whipped her head around angrily glared at him. "Try 200 galleons" she snapped. The Auror behind her smiled as he grabbed the back of her head and slammed her head hard into the desk making her bend over further than before.

"I told you to keep your hands on the desk" he told her firmly. He leaned over her body and pushed his lower body into hers intimately. She groaned in pain and struggled to breathe as the man held her down hard.

"Bet you're use to this. Let me ask you. How much does a junkie with tight little ass like you makes these days?" he whispered hot in her ear.

"More than your mother" Alicia bit out. Adler grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head onto the table again. Alicia's head swam from blow and she the world spin around her when a voice called out.

"What the hell is going on here Adler?" the male voice shouted unimpressed.

"Nothing sir, this one is just a little feisty" Auror Adler said lifting off of Alicia. She tried to keep her eyes open but found it difficult as the room was spinning. She was pretty sure she had a concussion or was pretty close to qualifying for one.

"We talked about suspect treatment before. Now process her and throw her into an interrogation room. Auror Williams don't need you messing up the case for him again just because you can't keep it in your interactions on a civil level"

"Yes Sir"

Around mid afternoon, Warrington knocked on the door to Alicia's apartment. He had sent a owl to his grandmother saying they had found the dagger. He was amazed at the prompt answer where his grandmother gave him or rather Montague a long letter with all the preparations that they needed to arrange before they attempted to remove the curse. He was about to knock again when a worried looking Katie open the door.

"Warrington? Is Alicia with you?" Katie asked looking around the empty hallway.

"No, she and I were meeting up tonight but I finished early and sent an owl to meet up early" Warrington said, he and Montague had been successful in acquiring the dagger and it didn't take too much persuasion on Warrington's behalf just a few whispers about what he's do to Theo and the man was weeping like a baby and getting an elf to hand the dagger over. His father always told him as a child to know your enemies like you knew your friends and to use their weaknesses against them to make you stronger.

"Your owl is waiting on our balcony" Katie said.

"I assumed when that when he hadn't returned" Warrington said unimpressed with Katie's lack of manners at not inviting him in. It wasn't like Alicia to not return an owl or Floo call. But when she didn't answer he had assumed the worst and figured he'd start with her home.

"Who is it?" Angelina asked she looked at Warrington and scowled. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for Alicia" Warrington said in a rather cool tone as he remained as polite as he could in Angelina's company.

"She's not here" Angelina replied tartly.

"So I've been told do you know where she might be? We have a reservation" Warrington lied as he checked his pocket watch for the time.

"Maybe she doesn't want to see you anymore" Angelina said. He did not miss the hostility in her voice but was confused was Alicia there or not. He was about to say 'I highly doubt that' and question whether Alicia was there or not but Angelina continued to speak

"Look the jig is up we know you got her hooked on potions. But guess what we are taking our friend back she will no longer be servicing you for a high. She is going to get clean and I made sure to throw away the potions you gave her. So why don't you try being a gentleman for once and bowing out gracefully" Angelina said went to close the door in his face but he stopped the door with his hand.

"You threw away her potions?" Warrington asked for clarification ignoring the jibe at his character.

"Yeah the ones you got her hooked on" Angelina told him.

"You are singularly the most stupid person I know Johnson" Warrington said as he pushed the door completely opened and walked into the apartment to see if Alicia was truly there.

"Excuse me!" Angelina said looking insulted.

"Alicia has been cursed for the last four years not spell damaged-" Warrington started only for Angelina to roll her eyes and make the hand motions of his talking before she spoke over the top of him.

"Blah blah blah.. I won't believe your lies. I was there when they told her she was spell damaged. Just because Montague is happy to lie to Alicia and give her hope is sick. You make me sick with how you twisted my friend up in knots and took advantage of her state for your own end, now go away!" Angelina told him.

"Yes, I took advantage of your friend by treating her with respect, by helping her out of debt and getting her proper medical attention. Isn't that something you should have helped her with as you are supposed to be her friend? Because those potions you threw away were two of three things keeping her from falling into a coma and dying of toxic poisoning." Warrington told her.

"What?" Katie said looking to Angelina who had also paled wondering whether they should believe him or not.

"I don't have a year to sit down and explain to you in slow docile tones how you have possibly killed your friend" He told them as he walked to the door.

Alicia sat in an interrogation room looking at Auror Williams. The man in his early 40's with light brown hair leaned against the wall opposite her in grey wizarding robes. She didn't know how long she had been sitting in the room but it felt like it had been days. She wished there was a clock to tell her as she wasn't about to ask the Auror.

"You ready to tell me your name?" he asked as he pulled off the outer layer and hanging on the chair opposite her at the silver table. Alicia had her right wrist shackled to the table. Her left arm wrapped around her middle trying to keep warm as she trembled from the cold air in the room. The cold did not help her body as her muscles ached painfully. She was also trembling as she really needed a treatment and potion. Something she knew she wouldn't get in the next hour, she was going to have to suffer through. She breathed through her nose and slowly exhaled through her mouth trying to remain calm. She told herself it would only be a matter of time before Warrington knew she was missing and find her. He'd come for her. She held onto that comforting thought.

"I want to call my solicitor" Alicia told him again.

"He's on his way" Williams said.

"I haven't told you who my solicitor is yet" Alicia said.

"One can tell from your attire and current state that you need one appointed to you" he said in a bored.

"Looks can be deceiving, now I want my floo call so I can contact my solicitor" Alicia said, she didn't have a solicitor but knew Warrington would help her.

"How about you give us the contact number and we'll give that person a call for you and say you need them" Williams said.

"How about you not violate my rights" Alicia replied darkly.

"Whoa calm down Miss your rights have not been violated. If anything you have made our job very hard. We don't even know your name"

"I don't have to tell you my name to get my floo call. So allow me my right to call my solicitor" Alicia told him.

A knock sounded at the door and to Alicia's surprise Marcus Flint came in. He was dressed in a well tailored iron grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a thin black tie. When she invisioned Flint's future self she imagined something resembling an ogre but instead he turned out just like Warrington, he looked like he walked off the pages of a magazine. It was definitely not fair as she looked like a washed out junky.

"I'm here as a court assigned solicitor to represent…" Flint looked at Alicia not shocked at her appearance or that she was assigned to him. In fact he smiled and the gnarled teeth he had as a teenager were now straight and white. Definitely not fair Alicia thought. "Miss Alicia Spinnet. I would like a moment in private to confer with my client" he said to the Auror.

"Miss Spinnet, I'll update the files" Williams said with a smirk as he moved to leave the room.

"I would also like the room's temperature to be risen to a more comfortable level maybe a balmy 24 degrees" Flint said in a smart arse tone at the Auror.

"Sure would you like some tea and scones?" Williams asked.

"No need to be snide Williams just because I know your tricks. You know if you want to break a junky you turn up the heat and make her sweat. Don't you know anything?" Flint asked Williams as he sat down opposite Alicia at the table. Williams shoot his head and left the room.

"Wow Spinnet you look like hell. It must be my lucky day, here I was bemoaning to my partner about being stiffed with a nameless witch refusing to give up her name." he said he opened the file in front of him. "Potion Addict trying to procure illegal potions, resisting arrest. Don't worry you can tell me all your filthy little secrets they are protected by client solicitor confidentiality" he said with a smile. He pulled out a white hankerchief with his initials stitched in it. "Here, you clean yourself up. If I had my wand I'd heal you but wands aren't allowed in the interrogation room" he told her.

"I ask myself why is it when I'm at my lowest all the slytherins come crawling out of the woodwork?" Alicia said as she picked up the hankerchief and held it in her hands. She saw no point in cleaning herself up.

"We just have a six sense for when a Gryffindor falls from grace. Damn" Flint said with a sly smile as he was just enjoying himself.

"Yeah enjoy it while it lasts but just do me one favour and call Cassius and tell him I'm in a bind" Alicia said.

"Cassius, so it's true you two are sweet on one another. The Daily Profit actually got it right this time?" Flint said.

"Flint, I'm in serious trouble here can we save the reunion for later?" Alicia asked in annoyed and slightly panicked voice.

"Sure but just for the record you should consider yourself lucky I'm on community service for some Wizegamot court antics otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to take your case. Those council members have no sense of humour" Flint replied with a smile.

"I'm sure" Alicia said as she wasn't sure what to make of her current situation. Her head started to spin as the room warmed up by a couple of degrees it wasn't exactly warm but it was better than before.

"What's wrong with you? Warrington didn't have time to explain the situation before your file was tossed on my desk. The Aurors want to rush your case" He told her as he looked at as though she were contagious.

"I'm not contagious just cursed. I was in Shikai's place for Wei Qi treatments which as far as I know are not illegal." Alicia informed him.

"Wei Qi?" he asked looking at her blankly.

"External energy healing, he uses his life energy to cleanse and heal mine. I didn't touch any potions" She told him.

"You asked for them" he said.

"It's not illegal to ask, only the exchange of money for the potions and having them in your possession without the proper prescription which I have" She told him

"Well someone knows their stuff for a junky"

"Flint, I feel lousy could you just dig deep in the recesses of yourself and not be an asshole for a few minutes" Alicia asked as she put her head on the table. Flint pursed his lips as he watched the woman in front of him shake uncontrollably before he rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. He really did not like pro bono work because who wanted to listen to someone's sob story. There was also the fact they never paid off and he didn't get that rush people spoke about when you did something good. At least Spinnet had Warrington not only could he use her for his community service hours but also be able to reconnect with Warrington since the two hadn't spoken in over 6 years.

"Spinnet, how long have you been like this?" He asked the closest he got to not being an 'asshole'. He was not about to hold her hand.

"I'm having a bad day. This is just the precurser, the cold air isn't helping if I don't get treatment soon it won't be pretty" She told him. He heard the reluctance in her voice as she told him this much. Gryffindors and their pride.

"How bad?" he asked.

"Bad, I'll eventually start having full blown seizures and it goes downhill from there" She told him not lifting her head from the table.

"Ok, I'll contact Warrington after this meeting. See if I can get the Wizengamot to move up your bond hearing and get you out. Is there anything I can get for you?" Flint asked.

Before Alicia could answer the door opened and Auror Williams came back into the room. He pretended to look embarrassed at interrupting them. Alicia lifted her head from the table and sat back in her chair while Flint moved his chair to sit beside her.

"Sorry are you finished?" Williams asked.

"We haven't begun" Flint said to Williams who had magicked another chair and sat down at the table opposite them.

"Oh? Well then do continue I was bored waiting outside" Williams said as he made himself at home.

"I want my client to be given medical attention by a healer of my choosing" Flint said

"Please she just coming down from a high and you can't bring in your own healer it has to be a Ministry approved Healer" Williams said smugly.

"My client is ill and was assaulted by your Aurors. We will be filing a suit for sexual harassment and assault of course. As such I will have a healer within the hour to examine her injuries and record them for our claim. Such a shame you can't control your department especially Adler. I heard him talking with my partner about how 'luscious and firm' Miss Spinnet is" Flint drawled. Williams shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the thought of another scandal.

"We both know you can't call your partner to the stand to testify" Williams said.

"Of course I can when he volunteers to testify under the influence of Veriterserum. He's also not a solicitor which you keep forgetting. He's my investigator, so I can call him up to testify. He's also an ex-Gryffindor. I have found out they do have their uses especially with being honest and credible witnesses" Flint said with a smirk.

"Perhaps we could just get to the questioning part and then I can decide whether charges will be pursued." Williams said shrinking back slightly. Alicia was impressed but then Flint was intimidating with his cold unwavering stare.

"Yes, let's" Flint said.

"I would like to know why she was there at Master Shikai's" Williams said.

"My client has regular external healing treatments with Master Shikai. He is also a Traditional Eastern Medicine Practitioner. I remind you that Eastern medicine magical or muggle is not illegal practice in the United Kingdom" Flint said in a bored tone.

"You're right it's not but this is about purchasing illegal potions the transaction was heard by the Aurors before they raided the premises"

"Heard? So nothing was even seen. No actual proof, I'm so glad you'd had my client in here for over 5 hours without food or water on Hearsay and a case of wrong place, wrong time" Flint commented as he looked over at Alicia.

"She's been seen dealing with Shikai before" Williams said.

"Proof? Evidence?" Flint asked in a commanding tone.

"We can't-"

"So you have nothing. Incompetence is a theme I'm currently enduring with the Ministry and its employees. Uncuff my client we are leaving. When you have actual physical evidence of her activities that could be construed as illegal, we're finished" Flint said, Alicia

"Sorry Flint but I can't do that. She has an unstable mental state as such I'm able to hold a person whose mental state is questionable for 72 hours section 136 of the Wizarding Mental Health Act of 1887. We'll hold her here for the safety of herself and the general public until an authorised Ministry Healer can examine her. The laws can't be bent in your favour in this case" Williams said with a smile.

"We both know that will take more than 72 hours for the Ministry Healer to see her"

"Well I'm only doing what is best for the public" Williams said Flint narrowed his eyes at Williams.

"I'll be back to visit my client in half an hour. Try not to lose my jacket or my client" Flint said as he shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it around Alicia's shoulders. She looked up at him and mouthed 'thank you' as she snaked her left arm through one arm and pulled the right side over her arm as best she could relishing the warmth of the jacket.

"Oh I'll just keep her company here until you come back" Williams said. Flint looked to Alicia.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you Miss Spinnet to keep your mouth shut" Flint said.

"I'm sure I can manage" she said before she sank further in her chair closing her eyes trying to focus on happier times as she rode out the sickly tremors running through her body. She heard the door to the room open then close with a crisp snap. Never in her life had she ever thought she would be depending on anyone from the house of Slytherin to save her but here she was.

TBC- See ya all in two weeks with an Update! Also I'm open for suggestions on who Marcus Flint's partner is going to be... just remember has to be a male gryffindor character :-)