"Try to hide you hand, forget how to feel…"
London: The Ministry of Magic- The Auror War Room.
The room was full of people running round, mostly when looking stressed and on the phone to people talking about confidential missions all around the world.
The room had many opaque boards with scribbles of lots of missions. But the room had come together for one mission and one mission only. Operation Gourgournite.
Pictures of Robert Murdoch and his men were plastered over the board with men going over the finer details. On a raised platform high above them, Stanford Parks was standing looking down on them working. He then looked back to the table which was full of the magical cabinet.
They all looked at Parks as he walked towards the table.
"Where's the minister?" asked Stanford.
"Running late." Said Douglas Rightpike, the Minister of Magical Affairs. "He'll be along shortly. And he's looking forward to this."
"As am I, Minister." Said Parks. "Alec has proof that this is Murdoch and that his deal is going down tonight."
"I should hope so." He said, "We've been so close to snaring this son of a bitch in the past, I know tonight's going to be our night."
Ping
The bell of the elevator sounded, the doors opened and the minister for magic walked into the room. He adjusted his suit and walked to the table.
"Gentlemen." He said walking over. "This occasion deserves more pompous circumstances than we can afford today. I suppose our reward for a job well done will be a job well done."
"Very good minister." Said Parks and showed him to a seat."
"Is the feed live?"
"Yes Minister. Live from Hong Kong." Said Parks.
"Who's the liaison?"
"Katherine Potter." Said Parks. "Her husband Alec is the one leading the Operation."
"What's happening now?"
"There just going through the final brief." Said Parks. "The operation will commence in half an hour."
"Good, very good. I'm seeing the Muggle Prime minister tomorrow, I want to tell him the joint operation worked."
"Yes sir." Said Parks.
"War room Alpha. This is War room Oscar. Oracle." Katherine's voice echoed around the room. Stanford Parks walked to the microphone and pressed the receiver.
"Copy Oracle. This is War Room." said Parks.
"Mission needing final clearance." The entire room looked at The Minister who looked deep in thought. He motioned for Parks to reply.
"Oracle." He said. "This is the Minister for magic…" he paused and looked around the room.
"Mission is ago." He leaned back and there were murmurs around the other cabinet Ministers. He looked around then the screen in the room.
Katherine Potter looked over at Alec. "Missions ago." She whispered. Alec sighed and kissed her forehead and ran his hands through her hair. Katherine sighed.
"Come back safe." She said holding him tightly. "Please just come back safe."
"I will." Said Alec.
"Do you know the layout of the building?"
"As good as I know you." Katherine chuckled.
"That fills me with optimism." She said with a cheeky smile that took Alec back years.
"And they know what they're doing?"
"To the second." Said Alec.
"…Are you ready?" she asked. Alec looked her straight into her brown eyes, the ones James had inherited. And he realised just how beautiful the flecks of brown, gold and green where.
"I was born ready." He said. He kissed her quickly and then turned round and opened the door into the War room. It was dimmed in red light of the underground with the rest of Team 7. They all looked up at him, Alec paused for a second before walking over and standing in front of the briefing board.
"Ok people." Said Alec turning round and pointing at the board.
"This is our target." He tapped a picture of Murdoch. "Robert Murdoch." The picture of a battle hardened Murdoch was passed out amongst the group. "Wanted on terrorism charges, murder, espionage, and other things that I could spend all day reciting to you."
Alec took a deep breath. "We know that this guy is here, all we need to do is get the son of a bitch." He looked at the men standing before him.
"I want him alive, his men, either way."
"Yes Sir!" they chorused.
"Ok, lock and load." Alec walked across the room to a cabinet. The rest of team 7 gathered around a table which projected a 3-d image of the building they were going to.
Alec opened the cabinet and pulled out his black over coat. He put it on and walked towards the table and raised the image of the building and with a finger he pointed to a layout of the room.
"Ok, let's go over this one more time."
Alec apparated in front of the building. He looked up as more flashes of blue light appeared either side of him. He then looked at the men either side and motioned them forward. They did, and like they had a thousand times, carried out the drill.
"Ok, we split into two groups. Alpha and Delta. Delta will come with me to the front entrance. Here." Alec pointed to the two entrances and motioned where each team would go.
Delta squad moved into position and the front while Alpha went into the darkness behind the building.
"Alpha will go in first on the ground floor where there are seven men stationed. They're going to be armed with Burner wands and light firearms."
"How do we take them out with them hearing us?"
"Alohamora charm." Said Alec. "Alpha team go in two minutes after Delta, when the men see us. Alpha will take them out. Wands to stun."
"Alpha team go." Alec heard them break in over the ear piece. He looked round at the rest of his squad. "Alpha team in place."
"Thirty seconds ahead, good." Said Alec. He nodded to the rest of the team and he pointed his wand at the door. With a quick wave the door opened.
"What was that?"
"Intru" The sound of cut off. Alec flicked on some glasses and he pressed a small button on the lens. His display was changed into a sonar reader. A small pulse being set out from the glasses mapped the entire room, even though solid walls.
"After that we rendezvous by the stairs." Said Alec leading the way with his fingers. "Second floor. There we split again, Alpha to take out a group of footmen on the second floor while Delta follows me up to the office on the top floor."
Alec looked up, he was able to see the group on the second floor outlined in white. He then looked up to the top floor and saw the two henchmen that Murdoch was usually with. Alec and Delta went into the lift and moved on up to the top floor while Alpha went towards the thugs on the second floor.
"Alec, we have a problem." Said Katherine. Alec placed his finger to his ear.
"What is it?"
"The police are on their way." Alec turned round.
"What!" he hissed.
"I've tapped into the police radio and there enroute, apparently they have a huge dossier on this operation." Before she could finish, the police sirens started to draw near. Alec looked outside from the lift to see the blue lights flashing and the cars racing towards the construction site. Alec heard the commotion from further up the building, and more from the room across the floor they were on.
"Sir, what do we do?" one of them asked. Alec processed the information in his head, he didn't want to lose this, he didn't want to lose Murdoch, but the anti-apparition charm would prevent his escape by magic. But the risk of losing him was now too great.
"Sir!"
"Take them all out." Said Alec. "Either Murdoch's jumping off this building or where taking him."
There was an awkward silence from the men in lift as they slowly reached the top, not knowing what they were going to.
"When we get up there you guys take out all opposition. I'll secure Murdoch." Said Alec.
"There are going to be men on the left platform as we come from the right. Alpha team will neutralise them for us."
The doors opened and Alec instantly bolted forward. He could Murdoch Guarded by a group of henchmen armed with rifles.
"Get him!" shouted Murdoch as Team 7 fired spells from behind him. Alec pulled out a wing-ding and threw it at one guard's hands that was about to fire. It hit its mark, causing him to howl in pain and point the gun up while firing into the air, causing the other one to panic.
"You two come with me!" said Murdoch. "Let's get to office, the rest of you, hold him back!"
"NO!" Alec though had to take cover from gun fire as the three men ran over to a set of stairs.
"We need to get to that office!" Alec shouted over the gun fire. Alec looked up as the men on the gangway fired bullets.
"PROTEGO!" the huge shield erupted from Alec's wand.
"Bombarda!" a blue pulse travelled over his wand before it shot out and hit the gangway. The men yelled out as it rocked and they fell over the edge.
Alec got up as the rest of team seven took out the guards. He had one prize to get. The sirens got closer, Alec ran up the stairs to the office. He turned to Moody.
"Ok, apparate out with them and set up the anti-apparition charm." Said Alec as the last guard was tied up. He narrowed his eyes at the door.
"Five Minutes should do."
He holstered his wand as the rest of them apparated away. He kicked the door down. Everyone in the room turned to him. A few quick waves disabled the guards, it was too easy. Alec saw him and launched towards him without thinking straight.
One of his guards fired at him. Alec ducked and threw out a smoke bomb, it exploded, filling the small office in a thick purple smoke.
"Quick, let's apparate!"
"Wait, it isn't working, why isn't it working!"
"Potter." Said Murdoch.
"In the flesh." With a swish of his wand the smoke disbanded impressively. He held an unconscious guard up by the scruff of his neck. He let him drop and made his way towards Murdoch and his last guard.
"You have no were to run." Said Alec taking a step closer. "No were left to hide, it's now just you me and thirty stories."
"Well don't just stand there, get him." Murdoch shoved the guard in front of him and went for Alec. Alec easily disarmed him with sharp palm to his wrist. He caught his gun and smacked him unconscious with the arm rest. He walked closed to Murdoch while taking it apart, leaving a trial behind him.
"Well, what are you waiting for." Asked Murdoch. Alec charged at him.
The sound of a huge switch filled the air as a bright floodlight shone on the two men as the struggled in the office. Alec kicked Murdoch and flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him into the office table.
"You!" Alec threw him across the room into the wall. "Are! Finished!" He went and picked him up again.
"Unlikely." He said. Pushing Alec back. He then brought his fore arm down. Alec blocked it, the force sending Murdoch off balance. He then kicked him hard in the chest which made him fly across the room.
"Roparo!" the lasso shot out and snared him.
"Retracto." The lasso shot back into his wand, pulling Murdoch with it. Alec clothes lined him and he smashed into the floor. Alec then picked him up and threw him into the wall. It was all too easy, thought Alec. Murdoch was a much better fighter than this, and yet Alec had got in a few good shots. He was never this sloppy.
Alec punched Murdoch and blocked his counter. It was too easy, had America softened him up so much. Being behind the scenes instead of out in the field. Alec picked Murdoch up and slammed him into the wall.
"This is too easy." Said Alec. "Has old age softened you up?"
"Not…likely." Gritted out Murdoch. "Take a look for yourself." Alec calmed for a second, he looked at Murdoch's face. He frowned.
But something was different…Alec studied his face…his eye…he had two! Alec looked on dumbfounded. No…this was a fake. Alec started to breathe deeply, he shook his head.
"NO! He shouted slamming the imposter into the table, of course this was too easy, it wasn't him. It never was, that's why this was so easy. He picked the imposter up and banged him against a wall.
"Alec, Alec, is everything ok?" asked Katherine.
"You!" he said. "Where is he!" Nothing, the idiot just grinned as he slowly changed back. Alec threw him around into another wall.
"WHERE, IS HE!" Alec shouted. The imposter slowly sat up.
"I've….ah….tuned out, his location." He said, smiling through broken a bloodied teeth. Alec roared, he picked it him up and threw him again into the table.
"I'M NOT PLAYING GAMES! WHERE, IS HE?" the man began to laugh, his laugh manically echoing around the now abandoned factory. Alec's breathing became deeper as the laughter came more manic.
"You." He spat out blood, "You… you, think I'm going tell you." He laughed again. "You have…nothing…" he said. "Nothing to do, with all your strength." Alec picked him and up threw him into another wall. The satisfying crunch running through his body. Alec picked him up by the collar and dragged him to the bathroom. The single dingy light swaying as it came on.
"You said you 'tuned out' his location." Said Alec, he yanked on the light so it snapped, and left an exposed wire.
"I'll ask you again." Alec Growled. "Where is he?" He held the imposters face over the toilet bowl.
"I don't know." He said calmly.
"Try!" Alec thrusted his face into the toilet bowl and put in the exposed wire in. The water lit up sparkling white with little sprites sparking up from the bowl. The imposter groaned into the water. Alec held him there for a few seconds before pulling him out.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Ok, we'll try again." said Alec. "Has it 'tuned' in yet." The imposter gasped for air. Alec raised his eyebrows.
"Well?"
"N…no."
"Wrong answer." Alec shoved the wire in and the bowl turned white with the electricity.
"No, no." Alec shoved his head in again. His scream muffled by the water.
"Alec." Katherine's voice coming over the ear piece. "Alec!" Alec held the imposter down.
"Alec, he's had, enough!" Alec pulled him out of the water and threw him into the office, the pane smashing as he did. He coughed and spluttered while shaking slightly. The floodlight shone again into the window, lighting up the room. It passed quickly as Alec breathed deeply. The imposter had passed out.
"FUCK!" Alec kicked a stray piece of wood against the wall.
"Well done, no really well done." Said Katherine.
"Shut up!" said Alec. "I need to think."
"I have Parks on the line, he wants to speak to you."
"Not now!" he growled. The light flashed across the room, he placed his hand up to stop the glare.
A phone went. Alec paused…he then turned round. On the one desk he hadn't smashed lay a telephone. The phone rang again as the floodlight made its round.
"What is that?" Alec stayed still as the phone rang again and the floodlight moved over. He then moved over towards it, the floodlight moving over the office as he walked to the ringing phone. Alec answered it as the light flashed across the room again.
"Hello Alec." That voice was unmistakable, that same thick Scottish twang….Murdoch. "I'm glad you picked up. I would have thought you'd have company by now." Alec's stomach knotted and a feeling of dreed flooded over him. He'd failed.
"There too timid and shy." Said Alec.
"Ever the sense of humour." He replied, "But, no, you see, I wanted to lure you here." Alec turned back and faced the food light as it shone in the office to.
"So Burns was working for you."
"Oh yes." said Murdoch, "Yes they have, but…not me directly, as you have by now found out." Alec narrowed his eyes.
"But my guess you have been in America."
"No wonder they call you the world's greatest detective for nothing." Said Murdoch, "But, you see, all this has been an elaborate scheme."
"You took control of an entire underground crime ring for another scheme. To what end?" There was a slight pause.
"Would you believe me if I said, good old fashioned, revenge?" Alec went tense. He got that sixth sense that said he was onto something rotten.
"You see, you left me in a very bad way after our last dance in London." Explained Murdoch. "So I needed to lay low. I came out here because I knew some old friends from the loyalist days."
"Not for the food then."
"It was a pleasant bonus." Said Murdoch. "But I needed money and refuge to make you pay. America provided both for me. That's when the plan came into place."
"To kill me." Assumed Alec.
"At first. Yes." he said. "But…" There was a pause.
"Murdoch."
"I wanted to make you suffer." He said, "I wanted to you to lose everything, and I heard about your daughter." Alec bowed his head.
"Terrible accident."
"If you-"
"Oh I had nothing to do with it, unfortunately." He said, "You would have known otherwise."
"So."
"So, I saw the article on It." he said, "And the corresponding ones after about how the great and mighty Alec Potter had been reduced to a mess over a death in his family, a knight from round table deceased, a brick removed from his castle." Alec didn't say a word.
"And there…" he laughed softly. "I saw him."
"I saw him, a child that was just like you, and I knew he had to be your son." That feeling got stronger within Alec.
"But, knowing you like I do, I knew you wouldn't let him stray too far. So I had to wait, wait until he went to school."
"Leave James out of this." Said Alec sternly, "It's me you want."
"Want? As in kill?" asked Murdoch. "Oh no Alec. No, no." Murdoch chuckled from down the line. "I don't want to kill you." He said. "I want you alive so I can destroy your life, and watch you suffer while your kingdom crumbles at my feet." Alec clenched his fist.
"So…I've had young master James watched ever since he came to Hogwarts." Alec punched the table. "And, of course, with you being away, it was too easy. The lure of chasing me round the globe too much for you to turn down." Alec sat down on the desk.
"It was easy." He continued. "A few clever payments here and there and I was able to get a good lowdown on your boy."
"He isn't the one you want, I am." Said Alec. "Leave him alone. You here, I'll surrender myself to you." Murdoch started to laugh.
"Here, as in Dallas?" he said laughing still.
"No, no, no. I haven't been there for a long time." he said. "I've been watching your son for months myself." Alec's blood went cold.
"What do you mean?"
"I've outsmarted you again." he said. "I haven't been in America for as long as you've been here." Alec stood up. "Your problem is you look for the most complicated solution, when really, it's the simplest plan that gets things done."
"You're near Hogwarts." Said Alec.
"Very good Alec." He said, "I've seen your boy in action." There was pause.
"He put up a good fight." Alec dropped to his knees and looked blankly into space. "You would have been proud, he's very strong for his age." Alec closed his eyes and could see James smiling back at him.
"I'll give you one chance." Said Alec opening them again. "Let him go, otherwise, you are a dead man, that, I promise you."
"Well…how far are you willing to go." Said Murdoch. "Oh and Parks". He said loudly, "I know you have your monkey here wired up, so I'll let you know that I have your brat to. Two for the price of one."
"Now, I'll let you get on with the next bit. Because, well, couldn't make it too easy for you could I?"
"ALEC POTTER! WE HAVE YOU COMPLETELY SURROUNDED, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO COMPLY, AND SURRENDER, OR WE WILL USE DEADLEY FORCE!"
"Oh, yeah, maybe I should have mentioned that I have set you up in this." He said as an afterthought. "See you down the rabbit hole." He then cut off. Alec roared, a sound of pain and raw anger, he threw the phone out the building.
His son, James, in the hands of that maniac, without him to protect him. Alec fell to his knees again and ran his hands threw his hair. He couldn't believe he'd been this stupid, of course it had been too easy, it had meant to be. He was so fixated on catching him he didn't see the pattern before it was too late, and now his son was in that mad man's clutches.
"Alec." Katherine's voice was tearful. "He…he has James. Doesn't he?" Oh god, Kat. Alec closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He slowly got to his feet.
"Yes." said Alec. He ran a hand through his hair. He walked to the window and saw several SWAT teams below him storming the building.
"What are we going to do?" her voice on the edge of tears. Kill him, I'm going to kill him thought Alec. There just wasn't anything else in his mind that made sense, he just wanted to grip Murdoch's throat and not let go till he went limp in his hands. But Katherine couldn't hear that, she need reassurance right now.
"We will find him." said Alec, "H, I need you to help me get out this."
"Ok." He said after a deep breath.
Alec flipped on the glasses, and the sonar ran through them, mapping the entire building. He looked down and saw a SWAT team by the front door. He then looked up and saw a helicopter with men ready to rappel down from the roof.
"Ok H, what have we got?"
"Company on the front, and on the roof, not to mention the team going up the Lift." Alec nodded and looked to the Lift to see six of them going up the metal shaft. There were ten by the front of the office already while there where another six rappelling from the roof. Twenty two verses him.
"How long before the anti-apparition charm where's off?"
"Three minutes." Said H. Alec took the goggles off and looked down at the floodlight which was scanning the building.
"I'm ok from here Kath." Said Alec. "Go contact Hogwarts, ask them what is going on." He heard her throw her ear piece to the floor.
"YOUR TIME IS UP!" Alec stepped back and faced the door as the floodlight shone into the office.
"I HOPE YOUR READY, HERO."
Alec looked back at the floodlight scanning the office. "When you are." Said Alec as he opened the door back to the open floor plan. He then looked up at the gangway, the higher ground would be more useful. Alec used the Roparo charm and pulled himself up to the walkway.
He heard the first door being blown open and the team moved in. Alec watched them.
"Can't see a bloody thing in here." They turned on the torches attached to the guns and ten beams of light came across the room. Alec planned in his head how best to take them down.
"Any sign of him?"
"No, maybe it was a dud lead." Said another. They were about to see about to see how dangerous he was. He needed to release some of his rage, they were the unfortunate ones to be at the end of that.
He jumped over the gang way.
He pulled his wand out. He landed on two of them, causing them to cry out.
"THERE HE IS!"
One of the policemen turned. Alec grabbed the nozzle of his gun and pulled it into the floor as he fired. Alec sent a rope charm over and it snared another gun by the nozzle, and pulled it from the guys grasp, it flew over towards Alec. He ducked and hit one of the swat members in the face, knocking him out.
"Waste him!" There was a rain of gun fire. Alec didn't dodge.
"Protego!" a green pulse flew out, deflecting the bullets. Alec slipped two smoke pellets into his hands and threw them at the remaining six members, engulfing them in smoke.
"Hold your fire!" one of them shouted.
"Hold your FIRE!" Alec sprang forward, turning the goggles back on. He saw lone swat member in front of him, Alec swivelled, placed an escrima stick in his hands, using the momentum and turned and smashed him in the face with it.
"Over there!" Alec thrusted the escrima stick towards the ground and it elongated into a bo-staff. He swivelled it to disperse some of the smoke. He saw another swat member and hit him in the stomach causing him to fall forward. Alec then brought the other end up and smacked him in the face, causing him to fly back.
"I see hi-UMPH!" not now thought Alec.
Alec looked down at the SWAT team now coming up to the floor he was on. He then looked up and saw the sonar outline of them starting to rappel down the side of the building. They were going to be in, in two minutes. The SWAT team underneath were going to be up in one. He had to take them out. The first one came towards him.
"FREEZE DIRTBAG!" Alec twirled his wand, a flash of light and the soldier was up in the air. "AHHHH! GET ME DOWN!"
"FREEZE!" Alec looked round and picked up some spare climbing rope. He then re-calculated the officers coming for him, and then back at the rope.
"Sorry. I don't do like standing still." Said Alec. Another five raced behind their comrade and took up positions, clocking their guns.
"It looks like you don't have a choice, mate." Said one. Alec smirked. He held up his wand.
"Lumos Maxima." The bright white shone, the soldiers had to put their arms up the shield their eyes. Alec threw a wing-ding at the elevator shaft controls. It hit the mark and caused the elevator to stop at the floor below them. He could hear them evacuating the lift, he threw a couple of smoke bombs down there as well.
Alec sprang forward, he rugby tackled on of them into the hole to the floor below. They landed with thuds on the concrete floor below him and disorientated by the smoke. He wound wrap the rope round a steel gurney. He then went for the soldiers. He grabbed one of their guns, turned and hit another one with it.
The light died down and they got their bearings. But not before threading the rope and knotting it inside the belt of one of the soldiers. Alec looked up, the team rappelling from the roof was now above them and getting ready to breach. Alec pulled out some sticky bombs and threw them around so they stuck to the roof.
Alec smirked and heard the countdown. He stepped forward and knocked another soldier's gun out of his hands. The soldier went for the punch, as did another one. Alec used a series of blocks to stop there on going barrage. While they were preoccupied, Alec threaded the rope through their belts and knotted it.
"Breach, in 3...2…1!"
Alec looked up and saw the men from the roof coming down. He heard the clocks of their guns. "Open fire on opening."
Alec cast a shield charm around himself.
"NO YOU IDIOTS! HE'S ON THE FLOOR BELOW!" They opened fire; Alec could see the Sonar going crazy above him with the loud noises.
Alec pulled waved his wand and the floor gave way. The cries of the swat team all around him as they landed
He picked them off and they emerged from the debris. Some fell into the building rubble for cover, trying to get their bearings as Alec picked them off one by one.
"Get him!" Some reclaimed their bearings and clocked their weapons, Alec thrust his wand forward, and the lasso shot out and grabbed an officer's gun that was about to fire. He whirled the gun around and hit him with his own gun.
"Confundus!" A section of them fell down onto the floor. He then had to turn as the others started to fire at him, one soldier went to punch him, he then ducked and punched up, knocking the officer down, He then pulled him up and threaded the rope and knotted.
"Zeta, get up here! NOW!" Alec looked and saw the team at the ground floor going to the lift, he couldn't deal with all of them. He turned and threw a sticky bomb at the elevator shaft. It exploded, sending the lift hurtling down the shaft.
"Alec."
"Katherine? What are you doing?" He raised his fist and knocked another soldier.
"James, isn't at school." Alec punched another soldier, grabbed his gun and threw it at another, he then threaded the rope through and knotted.
"What!?" Alec punched someone very hard, shattering their visa. He then heard a helicopter behind him. He looked back.
"They've placed the school in lockdown…" said Katherine, "James is missing…and someone else to."
"Wait there." Said Alec, threading the rope through another person's belt with ease and knotted it.
"I'll be there soon." He added while kicking another Soldier while blocking another and threading the rope thought both of them.
He then turned to the last guy he needed to tie up. He ran towards him, dropped onto his knees and threaded the last rope in and he rose to his feet by the hole in the wall.
But too many people had got their weapons in time and where now on their feet. Their weapons clocked and all their guns focused on Alec. Alec put his hands up in their air, as they were telling him what to do. The helicopter then hovered outside behind Alec and shone the light on his back.
"FREEZE!"
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"
"STEP AWAY FROM THE EDGE!"
Alec looked down at the policeman at his feet. The man looked up a little fearfully at him. Alec couldn't blame him.
"I hope you're not afraid of heights." Alec kicked him over the edge.
"No, no, no, no!" The man screamed, Alec could see the rope unravelling then, another one screamed as he was pulled away.
"What the?"
"AHHH!" then another, then another fell away.
"POLE!" one of them shouted. The last one left on the floor tried to grab to pole but failed as it came with him as he fell over the edge of the building. They were dangling from the edge, all hanging from various lengths.
"Who is this guy?"
Alec put his hands down and walked away.
"The spells gone." With a flash of blue, Alec disappeared.
He reappeared in the hotel room. Katherine thumped into him, crying hard. He instantly hugged her and kissed her hair.
"I don't want to lose him to." She said tearfully. She shook her head and buried it into his chest. "I don't want to lose him to."
"We won't." said Alec, gently patting her head. "Come on. We have to go get him back." She held on tight as they apparated away to Hogwarts.
They landed outside the gates. They opened automatically and they ran up to the castle. Their footsteps echoing on the dry leafs and gravel Alec opened the doors to the entrance hall and they made their way up the marble staircase to the halls and corridors. The entire building was in lock down after two students were kidnapped.
Alec got to the entrance of the Headmasters office. A place he knew very well. The gargoyle moved aside at once and made his way up towards the office. They both pushed the door open and stepped inside.
There were three people already in there. Dumbledore, Parks, and Isabel. A glimmer of hope went through Alec, if she was here, maybe James was ok to.
"What is going on!" asked Parks as Alec came in. "He said that Isabel was gone as well."
"I don't know." Said Alec, "Is James here? Was he just bluffing?" There was a horrifying silence in the room.
"No." Katherine said, tears rolling down her face. She shook her head. "No, no, please say it isn't true."
There was another silence.
"PLEASE!"
"I'm sorry Katherine." Said Dumbledore, Katherine burst into tears and hugged Alec who kissed the top of her head. He then looked up at Isabel.
"Why did Murdoch say he had you?" asked Alec. Isabel and Parks looked up.
"Is this the time Alec, your son is missing." Said Parks.
"I know." Said Alec. "But clearly Murdoch has some little girl who scared out of her mind." Parks went quiet.
"Lily." said Isabel.
"Who?"
"Lily Evans." Said Isabel. "She and James had an argument, he stormed off and she followed him."
"And they didn't come back?" Isabel nodded.
"We only knew they were missing when Katherine alerted us." Said Dumbledore, "The whole school is in lockdown."
"How did he get in?" asked Parks. "This place is supposed to be a fortress."
"James would of gone into the woods outside the grounds." Said Alec.
"How do you know that?" Alec looked down.
"It's what I used to do." He said quietly. There was another silence.
"Did you tell him where you used to go?" asked Katherine.
"Yes."
"So…he could have been taken from there." She said a little hope in her voice.
"It's possible." Said Alec. Katherine looked up with hopeful eyes. The big brown eyes that made Alec crumble.
"Take a look." She said. "Please, you know he won't ask for a ransom." Alec nodded and she disembraced. Alec looked up at Dumbledore.
"Keep the castle in lockdown." He said, "Have the girl's parents been informed of what's happened?"
"They have." Said Dumbledore, "Minerva is picking them up now."
"I want to be here when they arrive." He said, "See if can learn anything from them."
"Wait." Said Parks walking in front of him. "You seem to be under the impression that your taking on this investigation."
"Yes." Alec said, as though it was obvious.
"No." said Parks. "You're going to stay here and wait. Waller will do it." Alec walked up to Parks. He towered over him and looked down.
"I'm doing this investigation." He said, he narrowed his eyes, Parks stepped back a little. "Unless you're going to try and stop me?" There was a mini stare off between the two men. Parks then stepped aside.
"Fine." He said.
"Good." Said Alec. "Get Moody on the line, I want a canvass area on these co-ordinates." He pulled out a pen and wrote some parchment and handed it to Parks.
"Contact me when you have something." he said, "I'm waiting for the parents to arrive." Parks nodded and walked out of the room. Katherine bumped into Alec gently. Alec instinctively wrapped his arms around her.
Lavender was smiling as she flipped the duvet on Lily's bed. Purple, her favourite colour. She let it fall gracefully onto the bed and then straightened it out. It had got easier over time, Friday's, cleaning Lily's room. Now, it was nice to see things from her school dotted around the place.
Photos of her friends and of places round the castle that Lily found interesting. Lavender smiled as she dusted the frames and then moved over and checked the wardrobe. All clothes neatly folded and put away in order.
"Hey you." John walked into the room and wrapped his arms round her waist. He gently nuzzled her neck.
"Hey yourself." She said in an airy voice, she intertwined her fingers with his and squeezed them gently. Lavender tilted her neck for better access. She was a goner and she knew it.
"Where's Petunia?" Asked John, nuzzling becoming small, feather light kissed on her neck. Lavender sighed as his hands outlined her body, resting on her hips.
"At Gwen's." Said Lavender. She could feel John smirk against her skin. "For the, AH!" John's hands where now slowly unbuttoning the front of her jeans. "Evening." John's smirk increased.
"And Lily?" he asked. Her jeans fell to the floor and she stepped out of them, toeing her socks with them and kicking them away.
"She's, a…she's…" Lavender closed her eyes and whimpered as John's fingers rubbed small circles into her thighs. "She's in Scotland." She said. She turned round and tugged on his tie, slowly pulling it loose. She then reached up and kissed his neck gently, John sighed as she started to undo the buttons on his shirt.
"Isn't it nice." Said John. Lavender acknowledged with a small moan, "Having the place to ourselves."
"To…Uhm…do this?" Asked Lavender breathlessly. John's shirt fell onto the floor and they kissed.
"Shall we…Er…move this somewhere more, appropriate?" said Lavender unbuckling his trousers.
"What's wrong with here?" asked John.
"It's Lily's room." said Lavender.
"You didn't mind in Petunia's?" he said unbuttoning her shirt and pulling it over her head. Lavender sighed with need.
"That was different though." She said, now talking in-between kisses, "You pounced on me in there."
"Like I am now." said John now cupping her bum and stepping out of his trousers. Lavender giggled, she jumped up and wrapped her legs round him and he moved over towards the bed and they fell down on it giggling.
"Mmmmm, new bedding." Said John. Lavender laughed as the assault continued on her neck.
"You're bad…" she said running her hand down to his boxers.
"You're the bad one." he whispered in her ear. "I wouldn't of done half those things until you begged me." Lavender giggled.
"Yeah right." She said pulling his lips to hers. The blissful silence was broken by a sharp knocking on the door. They both sighed. Lavender noted the disappointment in John's face. She kissed him.
"Later." She said, gently pushing him up. Lavender changed quickly and walked down the stairs. John grunted and got changed himself.
Lavender just did up the last button before opening the door. It was like deja-vu, the strict woman in the emerald cloak looking sternly at her.
"Mrs Evans." She said. "Can I come in?"
"Yes, of course." Said Lavender showing her in. McGonagall swept through. John had just come down the stairs when he saw her.
"Professor McGonagall." He said, "Is everything ok?" he walked next to Lavender in the kitchen. "Is Lily ok?" Lavender looked at John and then at McGonagall. She sighed.
"I don't quite know how to explain this." She began. "So I'm going to tell you straight." Lavender held onto John's hand, a horrible feeling going through her stomach.
"…Lily's gone."
"Gone? What do you mean gone!" asked Lavender forcefully.
"She's been kidnapped."
"…Life is gone, with just a spin of the wheel."
You Know My Name: Chris Cornell
The Marauders Proudly Present Alec Potter In: The Marauders Year One
Chapter Thirty One
Spin of the Wheel
Written By Chambers10