A/N: A huge thanks to the reviews! and those who added me to their Author and Story Alerts Etc! Now onwards with the Story!
Chapter 13.
"Aurors have blocked off Knockturn Alley. Apparently there were a few raids today. I brought the extra potions you asked for" Montague said after he stepped through fireplace into Warrington's study. They had been contacting their network trying to find someone who knew where Alicia might be. They also put out feelers for Master Shikai as he was a necessary component to breaking the curse, his Wei Qi treatments helped Alicia there was no reason to believe he wouldn't be able to help her through the transition of the bindings being severed on Alicia and removing the toxins that would have accumulated in the last couple of weeks.
"Yes, so I have read" Warrington said holding up a letter in his hand. Montague went to pour himself a finger of fire whisky before he took the letter from Warrington. He perused the note and his eyebrows rose as he read the letterhead.
"Jordan and Flint. I had no clue Lee Jordan was a Solicitor and working with Flint but then it has been many years" Montague commented, it was about six. But still a slytherin playing second chair to a Gryffindor was definitely something he never thought he'd live to see.
"Yes, Flint is Alicia's solictor" Warrington said, he mused how the world worked in mysterious ways.
"She assaulted Adler didn't know that twerp was an Auror" Montague remarked with a chuckle. Adler was a Slytherin three years behind them in Hogwarts. He was not from a rich pureblood family so he always had a chip on his shoulder as those from privileged families didn't give him the time of day unless they wanted him to do something.
"Indeed" Warrington said dryly.
"He wants us to come to his office to discuss her situation and to bring her potions. Shall we?" Montague asked as he held up his healer's satchel.
"Warrington, Montague. Good to see you gentlemen after such a long time" Flint said in open friendship, of course the two gentlemen responded in kind. Playing Quidditch during school formed bonds and even after 6 years of no contact it seemed like not much had changed except Flint's teeth and he had found an impeccable tailor.
"Indeed, perhaps we can skip the pleasantries and you can tell me what's happening with Alicia" Warrington said as he and Montague refused a drink and sat down in the guest chairs of Flint's office. Flint lips quirked as he noted Warrington's impatience, he was always amazed at how beautiful women led to the downfall of powerful men. Alicia was Warrington's weakness, one that was currently susceptible for exploitation.
"The Aurors are grasping at straws to quote a muggle. They have no evidence of any wrong doing only hearsay and wrong place wrong time. They can insinuate what they wish and to be honest if she isn't helping herself by looking like a washed out potions Junky with all the trademarks" Flint told them from behind his desk.
"It's not withdrawal" Warrington told him.
"Well the aurors believe so and they are holding under section 136 of the Wizarding Mental Health Act of 1887. 72 hours holding if she shows no improvement then a Healer is brought in to assess her state and so forth from there" Flint said as though he was repeating a very dull story.
"And what are you doing to fix this?" Warrington asked.
"I've submitted for an audience with the Wizengammot within the next hour." Flint answered ignoring Warrington's dry tone.
"Will there be any issues" Warrington asked.
"None, she will be released. She has no record and Shikai is backing up her claim that she was there for treatments. You have the potions?" Flint asked, Montague opened his bag and pulled out two vials and handed them over to Flint. He pulled the stoppers out of the vials and took a sniff.
"Amino acids, magnesium" Flint named a few more natural ingredients of the potions, it was one of the few classes in Hogwarts he excelled at as he had an exceptional sense of smell. It helped at dinner parties and describing wines "These are potions that can be readily bought over the counter" Flint commented as he placed the stoppers back in. It wasn't his first Potions Junky case but it was the first one where the client was not guilty.
"They are just a stop gap. She's been cursed, the details of that are irrelevant how quickly can she be released after you get a court ordered release?" Montague asked.
"Two hours at least the Aurors will be difficult, so if you wish you can wait here or I can send you an owl when it is time to pick her up" Flint told them.
"What do we owe you for this?" Warrington asked as nothing ever came for free or from the goodness of one's heart.
"Olive branch of friendship. Nothing more, she is my community service but I would like for us all to catch up" Flint said. The catch laid in the line that Flint wanted future contact.
"Ok well we have to make final preparations back at my place. Those potions would work well being mixed with a Liquid. Alicia is a fan of Acai and Blueberry Green Iced Tea. It should be easy to slip by the Aurors" Warrington told him before he and Montague stood up and left the office.
"It's like a Hogwarts winter in here" Lee commented to the Auror who had opened the door to the interrogation room they were holding Alicia in. The door closed behind Lee, leaving just the two of them in the room. Alicia pulled Flint's Jacket around her tightly to keep warm in the cold room. She turned her head at hearing Lee's voice.
"Lee?" Alicia said she couldn't believe her eyes. She had to be hallucinating Flint said he was coming back. What was Lee doing here?
"Damn you look like death" Lee cursed as he placed his bag on the ground and pulled up a chair next to Alicia. She was practically a ghost with her washed out appearance, she was shaking, her skin shone with sweat and her dark hair stuck to her face.
"Thanks, it was the look I was going for" Alicia drawled. Her eyes fluttered closed as Lee placed a warm hand on her face, she relished the heat radiating off his hand.
"Why didn't you tell anyone it was this bad?" Lee asked her in a low voice. She muffled a groan as his hand left her skin, she was so cold.
"Can we do recriminations when I'm out of here?" Alicia asked as she could equally argue that her friends could have been more observant or pry into her personal life like Warrington and helped her. It wasn't like they didn't have the connections to so.
"Sure, here I brought you something to drink, Montague said it was your personal favourite" Lee said as he opened his satchel and pulled out a bottle of Acai and Blueberry green iced tea.
It was her favourite. She watched as Lee opened the bottle and put a straw in it. He held it for her as she was shaking and too weak to hold the bottle herself. She took slow sips and tried not to choke as it had a foul after taste. She soon felt a small reprieve as her muscles that had been tense and cramped relaxed. It didn't take a genius to know it was laced with her potions but it definitely destroying her love for the tea. A small price to pay as she sighed in relief for break and put her head on the table rolling it to the side so she could look at Lee.
"Thanks, what are you doing here?"Alicia asked him.
"I work with Flint, you need to finish this" Lee told her as he held the bottle out to her and gesture she drink more.
"You work with Flint?" Alicia said in disbelief before she continued to drink the foul tasting tea. She felt better than before as the potions worked their magic. She knew it would last long so she continued taking slow sips making the drink last.
"Yeah we are business partners" he told her, Alicia couldn't wrap her head around the concept of Lee working with Marcus Flint but then again it made sense why Lee made his Mediation work sound boring that the twins would turn the conversation onto other topics. Why did it seem like all her friends were keeping secrets that invovled ex-Slytherins.
"What?" Alicia asked he laughed as she looked at him in shock.
"Jordan and Flint Associates" he said as he pulled out his business card as proof. Alicia looked at the card and then at him. Lee owned a company with Marcus Flint and told no one about it.
"Seriously? How did you get your name first? What about mediation thing you're doing? You work with Flint for how long?" She asked him. Lee laughed at her again as it appeared Alicia's mind was a jumbled mess.
"I've been a private investigator the last 2 years and I got my name first because it sounds better that way and well...Flint lost a bet." Lee said with a smug smile.
"Right but what about your mediator licence thing?" Alicia asked.
"Still working on it, I'm getting my hours it's all a part of the plan and the pay is not so great but we are building our own clientele and the work is good. Oh and I get to use my brain besides my beautiful voice. Oliver helps in his off season"
"My head is spinning." Alicia groaned as it was all a bit too much for her.
"Should I ask for a bucket?" Lee asked as he thought she was going throw up.
"Oliver is working with Flint. After all the years in Hogwarts hating each other's guts?"
"Hey, he can't play Quidditch forever and he was a brilliant tracker in the war." Lee said, Alicia agreed he was one of the parties that had recovered her and many other war victims.
"Makes sense. Why didn't you tell me or the others?" Alicia asked.
"Same reason you didn't tell anyone about Warrington. Gryffindors working with a Slytherin I didn't need the ribbing from the twins and Ange getting her knickers in a twist. We all Katie would just ask if he was shaggable for the enemy" Lee joked. Alicia gave a weak laugh.
"True" Alicia said.
"Flint is getting a Wizengammot Injunction for you to be released immediately under the grounds of illegal detainment. The Injunction will get you released and the Aurors can't pick you up again without a warrant for your arrest" Lee informed her.
"How long will it take?"
"A couple of hours, so drink your tea" He told her.
"You bringing that Fire whisky with you?"Warrington asked Montague who was still holding onto a highball glass with a finger of whisky. They were just about to step out of house to meet up at Flint's office to go retrieve Alicia among other duties that needed to be performed.
"Well I-" Montague didn't finish the sentence as a knock sounded at the door. They both look at each other oddly as Warrington's townhouse was untraceable only those who were told the address and the key word could find it and those people never knocked.
Warrington opened the door and raised an eyebrow as Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell stood at his doorstep.
"Johnson, Bell, what are you doing here?"
"We want to speak to Alicia"
"She is not here" Montague told them as he sipped his whisky.
"How did you find my townhouse?" Warrington asked them.
"I know people" Angelina told him in a smug tone as she folded her arms across her chest. Warrington knew Angelina was a bigwig in the International Law department hence the immaculate suit and fineries she wore and the entitled air she put on.
"I do believe this is the part where I put my glass down and we applaud the Gryffindor for doing something besides breathing and being intolerable" Montague drawled sarcastically to Warrington.
"Right, do use a coaster that mahogany is antique" Warrington said to Montague who finished his whisky in gulp. He pulled a coaster from the drawer on the bureau and followed Warrington's polite order. Angelina folded her arms and pursed her lips unimpressed as the two grown men golf clapped at her.
"Are you finished because I'd like to see my friend now" Angelina stated.
"No" Warrington said.
"No?" Angelina said in disbelief.
"I said she wasn't here, she's being held in the Ministry for Illegal Potions and Assault charges" Warrington informed her as he stepped out of the house. Montague closed the door.
"What?" Katie exclaimed.
"Indeed, don't concern your meddlesome selves over it as I have people working on her release. She'll be out in an hour. So if you'll excuse us ladies we have an appointment we can't be late for" Warrington said as he moved onto the street. He turned and looked up at the two women.
"Oh and Johnson, don't darken my doorstep again without my express invitation or I shall bring you up on charges. Breaking into private and confidential files not a smart woman in your position" Warrington told her. Angelina narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a dark look as she couldn't think of a reply.
"Hey Bell, big fan of your form. Call me" Montague told her in a flirtatious manner. He gave her his most charming smile and a wink before he and Warrington apparated away.
"That went well" Katie said as she looked to Angelina. "I told you it was a bad idea coming here" Katie added.
"We have to find Alicia" Angelina said.
"No, we have to step back and let Warrington handle this." Katie told her.
"No, we should go to the Ministry. We can bail out Alicia. She is our friend and we got her into this mess. If only she had be honest and upfront in the first place we wouldn't be here" Angelina said
"Yeah, because we couldn't have just hidden her potions and make her explain herself. No, we had to just take drastic measures. The only people to blame right now are ourselves as we nearly killed our closest friend with good intentions!" Katie told her.
"Where are you going?" Angelina asked as Katie moved to where Warrington and Montague had been before they had apparated.
"Home, I'm going to go home and write a missive to Warrington to apologise for trespassing and invading his privacy and to ask that he kindly keep us informed on Alicia's current state and when we can see her" Katie told her.
"You must be really good in the sack" Adler whispered in her ear. Lee had to leave to take a floo call. Alicia shivered in revulsion as Adler breathed on her neck. "Especially since Lord Warrington is paying your bail" he took a deep inhale and sighed. "You know I'd take you now if you weren't his property." He said.
Alicia said nothing while silently begging for Lee to come back so Adler would leave the room and her alone. Her skin crawled as he moved closer to her he placed his hands on the table one either side of her enclosing her. He knew his close proximity was affecting her, it wasn't him personally it just the way he reminded her of when Dolohov would breathe onto her neck whispering vile things to her.
"Not going to talk?" he teased he moved one hand and gently brushed her hair to one side. "Well there has to be a story behind these scars" he commented, he gently traced them with a finger making her stomach roll with nausea. She flexed her body forward and away from his touch as she took slow and steady breaths.
"Please don't touch me" Alicia told him in a stern voice she winced as her voice quavered when she said 'me' as he had grabbed her by the back of the neck digging his fingers into the pressure points at the base of her skull. She gasped for air as the pain was intense.
"I wish you'd just save us all this time and confess to the crimes" Adler told her.
"Let me go" Alicia bit out.
"This is ju-" Adler stopped and released his grip on her immediately as the door to the interrogation room opened. Alicia dropped her head on the table and heaved for air.
"Adler what the hell are you doing here?" Auror Williams demanded.
"Just keeping an eye on the suspect" Adler said as he stood up and moved away from Alicia, her shoulders slumped in relief as she had her personal space back. "She is really quite unwell" he commented.
"Indeed, I suggest you step away from her" Alicia lifted her head up to see Warrington at the door way. He moved into the room followed by Flint and Auror Williams. Warrington shucked off his outer cloak and wrapped it around Alicia's shivering form. "Uncuff her now" he ordered as Alicia leaned into his strong arms that were wrapped around her.
She closed her eyes as exhaustion and relief swept through her as his body warmed hers. She felt the shackle that her right wrist to the table. Warrington gathered her up in his arms, just holding her close. He held her tightly for few minutes before he pushed her back into the chair and brushed her hair back from her face. She had no energy for pretenses as she looked at him through tired eyes.
"Can you walk?" he asked her.
"Not without assistance" Alicia told him, he smiled at her strength as she was completely washed out of energy and trembling badly.
"Then allow me the pleasure to escort you from this undesirable location" Warrington told her as he tied the string of the cloak so it would stay on her. He helped her out of the chair and placed an arm around her waist holding her up as one of her arms around his shoulder.
"We're not finished with her" Williams told them.
"If you have any questions then I suggest you direct them to me in written form" Flint told him as he picked his jacket off the chair where Warrington had left it before escorting Alicia out of the room.
"Aleksandra, you're looking beautiful as ever" Montague said as he sat down opposite her in the exclusive Wizard Tea House in Diagon Alley. The elderly Witch looked at him with shrewd eyes, annoyed that her peace was being disturbed by the young fellow.
"No matter how much flattery you throw at me I will never be charmed" Aleksandra said as she sipped her tea.
"I have stamina" he told her. She tried not to roll her eyes at the blatant innuendo like he thought he could derive a feminine blush from her with such a remark. At least he was dressed appropiately for the establishment.
"I assume you came here for another reason than to be cut down" Aleksandra said dismissively.
"We found the dagger and Miss Spinnet who ran into a spot of trouble with the Ministry. You wanted to be there when we broke the curse. We are doing tonight" Montague informed her.
"Fabulous I shall go home and change into more appropriate garb. I assume the room is prepared to my specifications?" she asked.
"Of course" Montague drawled before he ate a small fruit tart, leaving Aleksandra to her afternoon tea.
"Cassius, I can't walk any further" Alicia whispered, they had barely made it out of the interrogation room. Her legs were having trouble keeping her upright even with Warrington doing all the heavy lifting it was just awkward and unnecessary. Without a word he lifted her up into his arms bridal style.
"Once we are outside I shall apparate us home. I have some very good news to share with you" he told her in a low voice as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Can't you tell me now?" Alicia asked in an exhausted tone.
"And ruin the surprise?" Warrington teased.
"I don't think I can handle anymore surprises for today" She sighed as she closed her eyes. It didn't take long before she slipped into a light sleep in his arms.
TBC- Next Update in a fortnight.. Where the curse will finally be broken!