Chapter Twenty-Nine
A View to a Film
Wilder was already waiting in the window when Alex got home that night, sliding Austere out of his cage with exasperation.
"You are so stubborn, Austere! Here, get back in your warming bed already," Alex said, quite done with his attitude.
"I am exhausted. I am going to sleep here all day tomorrow to recover from the experience of today," Austere hissed.
"You'll do no such thing. Tomorrow's Thursday, so it's a work day," Alexandria scolded him.
"Then you'll have to work without me. I'm going to sleep," Austere said, curling up in a coil. Alexandria growled.
"I'll go to the office with you tomorrow, Alex," Wilder offered immediately. "You did say I was an Agent Owl in Training now. I need trained!"
Alex grew thoughtful, then frowned.
"You know what? I'm not feeling tomorrow either. Maybe I need a day off too," Alexandria brooded, going to the kitchen to make herself a drink.
"But that doesn't make any sense," Wilder hooted in confusion. "You said that you had to keep constant vigil on Bagman's agents right now because they are very active. And you said that the Minister of Magic is breathing down your neck because of the Magician fellow."
"Well... maybe I'll take a half day off," Alex grumbled, mixing a drink and sitting down at the kitchen bar. "You're right about my needing to keep up on the situation with Bagman, and I am worried about what would happen if the Magician ever leaked his information to him."
"How are you so sure that it hasn't happened already?" Wilder asked.
"Because Bagman's men are becoming more active, not less. That implies they haven't gotten the information they're looking for yet," Alex explained. "On top of that, I've also been worrying about the way they sometimes congregate and sometimes fall off the map."
"Why is that a worry?" Wilder hooted.
"Because normally spy networks don't all move at once. All of the cogs go at different speeds and have different routines and targets. And the fact that sometimes they move at once makes me wonder if Bagman himself has moved back to the country... or at least within close Portkey distance. The last thing I need is for him to move back into my territory when I'm still having to deal with the Magician thing," Alex said, sipping her drink.
"I see," Wilder hooted softly. "Is there anything I can do to help? I'm an Agent Owl in Training now."
"You're a pawn," Austere hissed. "A stooge. A minion. A sheep. A..."
"Thank you, Austere, nobody asked you," Alex said sternly.
"I'm being helpful," Wilder hooted at him. "And you are not."
"Woah! Stop it both of you. If you start fighting, I'll throw you both out," Alex warned.
"Then you'd have to stop drinking, because you shouldn't drink alone," Wilder reasoned.
"That's true," Austere hissed.
"Agents in Training do not hoot back to the Minister of Mysteries," Alex scolded Wilder.
"Another good reason not to be an Agent," Austere reasoned.
"And secretaries shouldn't either!" Alex snapped.
"In your opinion," Austere replied, quite unconcerned.
"Never mind him. I am willing to help. What do you want me to do?" Wilder asked, a bit afraid that she would make good on her threat and chuck them out.
"Nothing at the moment," Alex replied. Wilder was disappointed, hopping off the window ledge onto his perch. "Right now I'm pondering some advice my brother gave me and trying to decide if it's worth the risk."
"Advice about the Magician?" Wilder hooted.
"Yes, he thought I should make a pact with the devil, so to speak," Alex said, pouring the rest of the mixed drink into her glass before walking into the living room area for a more comfortable chair.
"What is that?" Wilder asked.
"I can't catch the Magician until I've understood all of his patterns and found an effective way to flush him out when he's pretending to be someone. Passwords don't work because he always seems to know them, and by the time we find him, it's usually after getting access to sensitive areas of the Ministry. It takes knowledge, time, and planning to catch someone that skilled. We don't have knowledge and we certainly don't have time, since Bagman could get in touch with him at any moment about those security plans he wants."
"You left out planning," Wilder hooted.
"Well, my brother's idea was to get the Magician to agree to a temporary truce to see if he's willing to work for our side," Alex explained. "If he agreed to it, it'd not only buy us some time, but I'd also be able to learn more about him. Even if he ends up working against us, we'll still get something out of it."
"Oh, because you get more time and more knowledge for more plans. Brilliant idea! You should do it," Wilder hooted enthusiastically.
"So says my 'yes owl'," Alex said, shaking her head before looking at the Winged Serpent. "What do you think, Austere?"
"I'll agree to any plan that lets me lie in tomorrow morning," Austere hissed.
"Just the fact that you didn't call the plan stupid or ill thought out is something," Alex said knowingly. "Fine, we'll try it. Now I'll just have to figure out how to get in touch with him."
"He seems to show up when you're at a tavern or pub," Wilder noted.
"I need something a bit more reliable than that," Alex said with a sigh. Wilder, who thought his suggestion was quite reliable, ruffled his feathers into place. "Jeremy Miller used an ad in the newspaper to get in touch with him. I could do that, but of course, that does mean that Bagman will see it too and know that I'm trying to get in touch with him."
"You could call him the Magician," Wilder hooted. "Most wizards call him the Dashing Doppler."
"I don't think that'd fool anyone, Wilder. Still, you may have given me an idea," Alexandria said with a smile, finishing her drink.
It was as Jeremy and Quintin were going through newspapers as the start of class the next week that Jeremy tilted his head, not quite believing what he was seeing.
"I found the most bizarre thing just now!" Jeremy told Quintin.
"That's what you get for reading the Guardian," Quintin sighed, not looking up from his Wizard Weekly Digest.
"It's in the jobs section," Jeremy said, folding it up so it took up less space.
"What in the world were you doing in the jobs section? That has absolutely nothing to do with Defense," Quintin said critically.
"Not typically, no. Generally I read a few for a laugh when I'm bored... but look at this one! It's from your sister, I think..." Jeremy insisted, putting it in front of him.
"What? Can't be..." Quintin said, then read the entry Jeremy was pointing at.
Required: Street magician for children's party in remote location of Scotland. Must be able to perform high level illusions, including changing into different animals and producing flowers at will. Travel expenses not included, and is expected to work free of charge. For more information, contact Ms. A. Clemmons at place of work.
"See what I mean, Quintin? It has to be her, it doesn't even mention what her place of work is, and no one would answer such an advertisement if they have to work for free," Jeremy pointed out excitedly. "She must be trying to contact the Dashing Doppler and decided to use my method to do it."
"Jeremy, what is with all the muttering? That had better be a Defense article this time," Laura warned.
"It is!" Jeremy confirmed proudly, and Quintin circled it and handed Laura the newspaper.
Laura stared at it. Then she folded it up and pocketed it.
"You're right, it is Defense, but I think it's better if you don't point it out to anyone else. So um... ten points for Dusthorn, and do me a favor and find something else," Laura suggested.
"It's probably best," Quintin agreed solemnly. "I mean, we shouldn't draw too much attention to it, Jeremy. What if Bagman notices it?"
"Let's hope that he doesn't," Laura murmured back, going back to the table and stashing the other copies away for the day.
The next morning, it was quite evident that the discrete advertisement had indeed been noticed. For printed on an entire inner page of the Daily Prophet was an advertisement that couldn't possibly be missed by anyone.
Required: Private citizen to help uncover corruption within the Ministry of Magic, who is adept at information gathering, undercover work, and has a strong sense of civic duty. High salary paid by party sponsors. Inquire at the Wizard Solidarity's department of Government Transparency.
"Well, that was subtle," Alex said out loud as she read the paper, earning a curious hoot from Wilder. "Oh, apparently Bagman saw my advertisement in the Guardian because he countered with a large ad in the Daily Prophet. That's what I get for taking that sort of risk," Alex said with a sigh. "I was betting that the Magician might have seen it because he seemed to have a lot of interest in Muggle stuff, especially films and cinema, and those ads are close to that section. Apparently that backfired."
"You don't know that," Wilder hooted. "Yours still came out first. Maybe he already responded. You haven't gone through the morning post."
"I haven't even finished my coffee," Alex protested, but glanced at the stack as she took a sip.
Setting aside the newspaper and her cup, Alex began sifting through the pile to see if there was anything that stood out. Finally she found something; it was typewritten as if it had come from the Wizard Weekly office, and yet didn't have the normal stamped address in the corner.
"Did you find something?" Wilder hooted when she stared at it.
"Maybe. Probably just another sort of advertisement," Alexandria reasoned, but opened it anyway.
Inside, the note wasn't typewritten at all; instead, it was handwritten note card.
If you want to compel me to meet you by non-magical means, then I suggest going to the cinema followed by dinner, your treat. I'll pick the movie, and you can choose dinner. If interested, meet me at the Odeon tonight at seven-thirty.
"Tonight? Man, he doesn't waste any time!" Alex exclaimed.
"Was it an advertisement?" Wilder inquired.
"No, it was an offer...bribe... date... thing. Actually, I don't know what to call it, but apparently the Magician is willing to meet with me if I take him out... and pay for it. Again. Well, at least he's up front about it this time. Last time he just stiffed me for the bill," Alex said with exasperation.
"Maybe he doesn't have any money," Wilder suggested.
"You have a point, he may not have any money. And if that's true, that's a problem," Alex replied. "Bagman has a much bigger budget than I do if it turns into who can offer the most."
"Just because someone doesn't have money doesn't mean they are motivated by it. It might be the opposite," Wilder suggested.
"Money is a trivial wizard matter," Austere hissed. "It is foolish to be motivated by it."
"Well, you're motivated by food and a warm bed, and I can't provide either one of those if I don't have money," Alex informed Austere.
"There, you see? It only complicates things," Austere hissed. Wilder hooted softly in a way that sounded like a chuckle.
"I envy the simple life of my familiars, who are spoiled and take their comforts for granted," Alex said dryly.
"I do not," Wilder replied indignantly.
"I deserve to be envied," Austere decided.
Rolling her eyes at that, Alex got down her lukewarm coffee and tried to sort out Agent assignments so that she'd be free to take off that evening.
Alexandria checked her watch impatiently, more than a little annoyed that he was running late. The wind was cool and the air damp, reminders that winter was just around the corner.
It hadn't taken her long after positioning her guards that she realized why the Magician might have wanted to meet in such a place. It was crowded despite the weather, which made it difficult to get away with any magic and impossible to try and conduct a capture, especially if it involved someone as skilled at shape-changing as he was. How was she even going to know what he looked like, she wondered, uncomfortable about how easy it would be for Bagman to send someone claiming to the Magician to trick her. In fact, the notion had made her so jumpy that when he touched her shoulder, she jerked in surprise, causing him to apologize profusely. The Magician looked almost exactly as he had the first time she had seen him, albeit with a more striking eye color.
"I am terribly sorry to have frightened you, Minister," he said once again, sounding quite sincere.
"You're late," Alex said irritably. "And I didn't know which film to buy tickets for."
"Can we see the new James Bond film?" he suggested brightly. Rolling her eyes at that, Alex walked over to the queue. "I also apologize for being late, but we were being watched, you see, and I decided it would be much safer to put them all to sleep."
Alex's jaw dropped.
"You put my guards to sleep?" she asked flatly.
"Two of yours, and two of someone else's over there on the roof. Don't worry, I tied them down so they won't fall. They'll be perfectly safe," he assured her.
"Two of someone else's? In other words, Bagman's men... how did he find out about this?" Alex asked.
"My guess is he that they've been following one of your guards," the Magician replied. "Can we get snacks as well?"
"Yes fine! Are you sure my Agents are okay?" Alex asked critically.
"Sleeping like babes in mother's arms and out of sight of the other two men," he assured her unconcernedly.
"You know that interfering with Agents who are carrying out their duties is another reason to arrest you, right?" Alex informed him.
"Is it? Oh well! What's one more reason at this point?" he decided with a shrug. "You will buy good seats, won't you?"
"It'd be easier if we weren't running so late," Alex pointed out, then paid for their tickets.
If Alex had been hoping to get a word in once they were settled in their seats, she was quickly disillusioned. He hushed her at once and was immediately absorbed with what was on the screen, staring at it like a child eyeing his presents at Christmas. Every moment of it seemed to fascinate him, and the only time he seemed aware of anything else when he was reaching for the popcorn. Even when they got to the obligatory sex scene, he stared at the screen like a twelve year old who'd never seen anything like it, while Alex hid behind her hand, wondering what she had gotten herself into. Just who was this guy? Maybe it wasn't the same person that had sat with her that day at Hogsmeade, she thought suspiciously, watching him as intensely as he was watching the film.
It was only as the film got to the quiet before what was sure to be a non-stop explosion-filled action-packed ending that it suddenly occurred to her...
This is what she had once been like.
Back before the job had seasoned her and her family life had turned into a train wreck, she had been the girl with the wide-eyed fascination of the Muggle world. Everything they did was exciting... it was all new and foreign and she would delight in every new experience she had. She loved having world adventures with her siblings, traveling from the Sahara to Siberia. She loved tasting new foods and meeting new people, learning all about their cultures through her gift with languages. She became friends with creatures great and small, read books from around the world, and soaked in every experience with a love of learning that went beyond what she could ever put into words.
How strange... she hadn't even realized she had lost that drive until that moment. She smiled softly to herself, glad to see it in someone else and recognize it for what it was. At least he hadn't lost that sense of wonder... perhaps he never would. She could appreciate it in others, just as she could appreciate how she saw life on the other side and be grateful of it.
She was so lost in thought that she was more than surprised when the last explosion hit and the car drove out of it, riding away to live another day. She gazed at the Magician as they wrapped up the adventure, still transfixed until the credits rolled, and he finally looked at her.
"We should stay until the end just in case there's an extra scene," he suggested.
"We might as well. I doubt the Enchanted Spoon will give away our reservation if we're a few minutes late."
"The Enchanted Spoon?" the Magician asked.
"It's the safest place," Alex explained. "It's owned by my uncle, and you won't need to put any more guards to sleep."
"That sounds promising," he replied, then looked rather disappointed when there was no scene at the end. "Shall we?"
"Yes, let's head to the Flag Shop, then I can use my key to get us there," she suggested, and the two of them worked their way outside.
"Is it far, this shop? I don't know how I feel about us being out in the open," the Magician inquired.
"I wasn't worried about it until you took out my guards," Alex said with exasperation.
"I'm quite certain I can protect you better than they did. They didn't even see the other two wizards at all," the Magician protested. "But I believe it would probably better to avoid any more charges for using magic, especially if I am to earn your good graces."
"Fair observation," Alex said unconcernedly, and led him into the back of the shop.
A Portkey later, and they were following their waiter to one of the private booths and presented with spoons.
"Is there an extensive menu here? I don't want to be a nuisance, but I don't eat meat of any kind," the Magician said.
"The spoons cater to different dietary styles and needs, mister ah?"
"Magician," he replied, and watched how Alexandria handled the spoon before copying her.
Alexandria tilted her head slightly, waiting for the waiter to step away to get their drinks.
"Aren't you ready to give me a different name yet? A nice, normal name that I can call you?" Alex asked evenly.
"Call me whatever you like," the Magician replied.
"A real name," Alex specified.
"If you want me to have a real name, then give me a real name," the Magician suggested.
"You are the most stubborn person I have ever met in my entire life, and considering that comes from someone who is both a Snape and a Craw, that is saying a lot," Alex told him bluntly.
"Thank you very much," he said cordially.
"It wasn't meant as a compliment!" she said with exasperation. She paused as their wine was set down in front of them.
"So tell me what you really wanted to see me about, Minister, since I very much doubt it had anything to do with a children's party," he asked once the sommelier had left.
"It doesn't," Alexandria confirmed. "What I'm proposing is a temporary truce, possibly even leading to amnesty if you play your cards right."
"Very well. Tell me more," he said, sniffing the wine thoughtfully.
"First I want the truth. Have you been working with Ludo Bagman?" Alex asked him, gazing at him intently. The Magician looked into his wine.
"He's made his fair share of inquiries," the Magician admitted. "But I have yet to respond to any of them. Should I?"
"Bagman is an enemy of the state. The trouble you're in is nothing compared to what would happened if you get mixed up with him," Alex warned.
"So far he has very little to offer me that would be appealing," the Magician responded. "I have but one objective, and Ludo Bagman has little to do with it... unless he makes the mistake of getting in my way."
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what your objective is?" Alex asked.
"I can only tell you that you will know when I have achieved it," he replied with a soft smile.
"Does it have anything to do with the plans for the prison security?" she asked in a low voice.
"No," he replied truthfully.
"Is your objective something that would expose Ministry secrets in any way?" she pressed.
"Possibly, but quite unlikely," the Magician decided.
"Good, then maybe we can work something out, despite your lack of cooperation," Alex replied, the Magician raising an eyebrow at that. "Ludo Bagman is dangerous, has a group of trained assassins at his beckon call, and is not hesitant about using them. Do you know what happened here seven years ago?"
"As a matter of fact, I have been actively working to get caught up on events in the country, including the spy war," the Magician admitted seriously. "I know how serious of a threat he is, Alexandria. And even though I know that his grandson has your family under his protection, Ludo would likely work against you if he thought he could get away with it."
"You really have been doing some digging," Alexandria said flatly.
"Let's just say that I am interested it making certain that Ludo keeps his promise and his distance away from you and your family," the Magician said sincerely. "In fact, I'm not one for violence in general, except the sort that's in films."
"I see," Alexandria replied, despite being more confused than ever.
She looked up as the first plates arrived, and she was served an antipasto plate while he had a fresh herbal salad with blue cheese and a boiled egg.
"I suppose you're a pacifist, then?" she asked curiously.
"I will defend myself and those I care about to the death if necessary. But in all other circumstances, yes I am," the Magician replied solemnly.
"And you're.. some sort of vegetarian because of it... but you'll eat eggs and cheese," Alexandria concluded pointed to his salad.
"Unfertilized eggs serve no purpose to the hen and harms no one, nor does using milk once the calf is properly reared, at least that is my philosophy. I can't help but wonder about your philosophies, however," the Magician said.
"What do you mean?" she asked with confusion.
"I mean that you can speak all languages, including animal languages, and yet you seem to have no problem in eating them," he said, pointing to her own plate.
"Oh, that. To be honest, I try to disassociate," she explained.
"Ah, I see. Like you do when you're doing your job," he ventured.
"Somewhat," Alex admitted with an apologetic smile. "I tried going vegetarian a couple of times, but it didn't go well and my doctor recommended that I not try it again. In the process, I learned that some people can get away with it, and others can't," she chuckled. "My father apologized and said it probably came from his side of the family. He said he never felt right on a Fae diet with he was in Tir Na Nog." She snapped her fingers and pointed. "Are you from Tir Na Nog?" she asked.
"No, of course not. I was born here," he replied. "Did you try a diet with eggs and milk as I have done?"
"No, I didn't," Alex admitted. "I'll ask Sagittari and see what he thinks. If he says it's alright, maybe I'll try it."
"That's a girl," the Magician said encouragingly. "It's at least worth a try, isn't it?"
"I guess you're probably sensitive to the idea because you can change into every animal, right?" Alex finally concluded.
"And communicate with them," he added, eating his salad. Alex gasped.
"You can speak any language too?" Alex asked, stunned.
"I can," the Magician confirmed.
"Wow! You know, I've met several Metamophmagi... there's even someone in the Auror department who's one... but I've never met anyone else who can understand all languages before," Alex explained.
"It is very good to know that I do have something in common with the lovely witch who is about to offer me some terms to a truce," the Magician said with a charming smile.
"Terms. Right," Alex said with a blink, getting back on track. "I need help making sure that Ludo Bagman doesn't get a hold of any documents that details any of the improvements going into the new high security wing. The entire reason we're redoing that prison wing is just in case we ever do catch him and put him away. We need something that's going to contain him."
"Are you quite certain that the current Warden of Azkaban is on your side, Minister?" the Magician asked with concern. She could tell just from how he asked the question that he had already discovered exactly who it was.
"If I wasn't certain, he wouldn't be there. In fact, he is the only person we can trust in that job," Alexandria said firmly. "Which means that if some of those details get out, he might be in danger as well. Considering you know who it is, I guess his name must have been on some of the documents."
"Indirectly. I can connect the dots," the Magician said evenly. "So you want me to help to make sure those papers are secure by... breaking in and showing you where your security holes are, perhaps?"
"That would be a great start," Alex agreed.
"So now that I know what you want, what are you willing to give in return? Because surely you understand that such a service would be worth more than a temporary truce."
"If you want me to drop the charges, I'd need to become an Agent, and I don't trust you well enough to do that. I don't even know you're name," Alex said bluntly.
"Agents have names that you give them as well," he pointed out. "Really, I wasn't thinking of becoming an Agent. I was thinking that perhaps you could take me out to dinner again."
"How about I just pay you for doing security work for me and then you can buy your own dinner," Alex said flatly.
"That's not necessary. Another dinner will be fine," he decided, but then became quite interested in the mushroom pasta that had been placed in front of him.
Alex watched as the Magician seemed to inspect the pasta with apparent fascination, pulling out the thick strands and inspecting their springy nature before finally slurping it up like a little bird eating a worm. Alex couldn't help but laugh at him, shaking her head.
"Just how old are you, anyway?" Alex asked, cutting her steak.
"What sort of question is that?" he wanted to know.
"It's just there are moments when you behave much younger than you look, like just now and when you were watching the film. You were almost overjoyed to be there. So how old are you?"
"I am certain I am the age that I appear at the moment," he said, looking in the back of the spoon to double-check. "Yes, I'm sure of it. I just happen to be very fond of the cinema, just like I'm very found of very springy food," he decided.
"You could always cut it, you know," Alexandria pointed out.
"But then it wouldn't be as much fun," the Magician said. "Tell me, Minister, when was the last time that you allowed yourself to have fun?"
Alexandria frowned at that turning to her plate.
"I don't know," she said uncomfortably.
"Did you have fun tonight?" he asked.
"I suppose it was a little bit fun watching you have fun," Alex admitted with a smile.
"I really don't think that's the same thing, though, is it?" the Magician said. "I think I have decided to amend the terms. Dinner, and something that is fun for you."
"I'd have to think about what that is. To be honest, there isn't much that's fun anymore," Alexandria admitted.
"I don't believe that in the slightest. You'll come up with something," the Magician reassured her. "I will help you test the security, and you will take me out for fun and dinner. Anything else won't work because you can't trust me and I can't be bribed with coin."
"Just fun and dinner," Alexandria said dryly.
"Exactly," the Magician said with a dashing smile.
"I'm never going to figure you out, am I?" Alexandria asked flatly.
But before he could reply, a witch came around with some tea.
"Are we just about ready for dessert?" she asked with a warm smile.
"Oh, yes please," the Magician said at once, immediately pushing away his half glass of wine in favor of the tea. "Ah, and this is for you," he added, pulling a rose out and handing it to her.
"Why, how lovely, thank you! What a charming date you have tonight, Minister," the witch said with a healthy blush in her cheeks. She poured Alex a cup before setting down the tea and clearing away the rest.
But Alex's expression was decidedly nonplussed. In fact, she looked quite annoyed.
"Is the tea alright? I quite like it... and I like that they served us together," he replied.
"It's probably because they got the wrong idea and thought this was a date," Alex said flatly. "But this is a business arrangement." She shouldn't expect any roses during a business arrangement, she told herself.
"Oh, yes," the Magician agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy dessert, does it?"
"I'm sure this will be entertaining," she decided with exasperation as their desserts arrived and he experimentally poked his finger into his plum souffle.
When Alexandria arrived at the office the next day, her mother was sitting at reception, reading some academic magazines.
"Why, good morning, Alexandria! It's good to see you! You never come this way," Jennifer observed with a warm smile.
"Typically I don't, but I needed to see Grandfather about something," Alexandria explained.
"Oh, he passed by a few minutes ago, walking with Draco. Neither of them really like coming in on the weekends, but they were working on the prison budget," Jennifer replied.
"Please tell me you're not mentioning that to everyone that comes through here, Mum," Alexandria said flatly. Jennifer sighed at her, looking at her over her spectacles.
"I am mentioning to you because you have proper clearance and you're the only other person in the room. I do have security clearance myself, you know, even if it didn't come out of your office," Jennifer reminded her. "Anyway, if you're curious, no one has come through here this morning except Father, Draco, Harry, and now you. Sunday shift is quite boring, to be perfectly honest, so I decided to get caught up on the latest research while I wait for Tonks to get here to relieve me."
"So no signs of the Dashing Doppler coming through here," Alexandria said.
"No, I've yet to see him," Jennifer replied.
"That you know of," Alexandria corrected.
"I know that Truth Seekers have trouble seeing through the disguise, Alexandria, but there are easy ways to compensate for that," Jennifer informed her. "All I need to do is strike up a conversation with everyone who comes through and ask them about their family. It wouldn't take long for me to tell from their responses if something was wrong, because a shape-shifter would not be able to hide the lack of detail, or the lack of emotional investment in the topic. And as you know, I keep tabs of on the families of just about every Minister and department head here already."
"I never thought of that," Alexandria admitted. "From what little I've found out from talking to him, I don't think he has a family."
"Then my method should work splendidly," Jennifer concluded, then paused. "Have you spoken with him again? The briefing I received said the only thing we knew about him so far was that he didn't like the name of the Dashing Doppler and he didn't eat meat."
"Well, while the others were treating you to a night out on Wednesday, I had a talk with Rel, Andrew, and Alicia," Alex said, looking around conscientiously.
"That much I know," Jennifer said, throwing up a Sonic Shield so that Alexandria could be more at ease. "Andrew sent Alicia a message saying that he had a snack emergency and she left with meat rolls."
"Well, Andrew advised me to call a temporary truce with the Magician... the Doppler, that is... while Bagman's men are active in the area," Alex explained.
"I see, and by offering them such a deal, you can also get a sense of where his loyalties are and have a better warning if he does leak information that would cause problems for the Ministry. So that's why you put that advertisement in the Guardian, then?" Jennifer concluded.
"You heard about that as well?" Alexandria said. "Since when do you read the Guardian?"
"Well, when that advertisement from Solidarity went up in the Daily Prophet the other day, Laura informed me that Quintin and Jeremy noticed it during their Defense class, although why they were looking in the jobs column in the first place, I have no idea," Jennifer said. Alex groaned, putting a hand on her forehead. "Surely you should have realized that advertisement would have be noticed. Our society is not a bubble, and a lot of wizards have a foot in both worlds."
"I thought I kept it vague enough that nobody would connect the dots..."
"You signed your name. That was enough," Jennifer pointed out. "So did you manage to broker a truce when you spoke with him again?"
"Yeah, but... he is so weird!" Alex said with such a burst of energy that it made Jennifer blink. "Just when I think I've got him figured out, he does something extremely bizarre and I can't get my head around it! In one moment, he is focused, serious, intelligent, and mysterious. But in the next, he acts like a little kid, slurping his food and sticking fingers in his dessert... stealing my popcorn... watching action films and acting like everything around him is new and fascinating with a wide-eyed expression that is entirely the opposite of the one he gives me when he's focused and serious and... why are you smiling at me at that? I don't trust you when you give me that smile. Whatever you're thinking, stop it," Alexandria ordered her mother, squinting at her enigmatic expression.
"I was just reliving an old memory, is all," Jennifer explained, the smile never fading. "Just be warned, Alexandria, it's the ones you can't figure out that make you fall the hardest in the end."
"I am not falling for anything!" Alexandria snapped fervently. "Being dashing is his whole shtick, I'm not stupid enough to be taken in by that sort of thing! It'd put the entire Ministry in jeopardy. On top of that, he's Public Nuisance #1 because he can get in anywhere and we've had no luck in catching him, or have you forgotten that part?"
"No, I haven't forgotten," Jennifer reassured her.
"Besides, I happen to know he isn't interested in me in the slightest. He sees me as a rival, and nothing else," Alexandria informed her. Jennifer frowned.
"How can you be sure of that?" she asked.
"Oh, he has this habit of giving a rose to every girl he meets regardless of age, but he's never given one to me," Alexandria explained.
"But he's singling you out?" Jennifer inquired with interest.
"Because he sees me only as the Minister of Mysteries," Alexandria insisted. Her mother seemed quite unconvinced, despite being unsure of the real reason behind it.
"So were you able to get the truce that you wanted?" Jennifer asked.
"Yes, although even that is strange, since the truce is for him to test our security on the prison information, and if he does it, I have to take him out for something 'fun' and dinner," Alex said.
"When was this?" Jennifer asked with a frown.
"Last night, actually," Alex replied.
"Well, if there's a date on the line, I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't already done what you asked," Jennifer concluded. "In fact, we might want to check your office."
"What!" Alex flailed. Jennifer dispelled the Sonorous Shield and followed Alex down the corridor. "Wait, what about your guard post, Mum?"
"Why bother watching the door when he's already been here?" Jennifer reasoned. Alex picked up the pace, entering the foggy corridor a few steps ahead of her mother.
Just as Jennifer predicted, on Alex's desk there was a pile of folders from different departments from the Treasury to Law Enforcement. There were even files out of the Ministry of Magic office with different tidbits of information that, when put together, gave a general outline of the prison extension.
"Stars and Constellations," Alexandria muttered, shaking her head as she spread them out. Jennifer looked over her shoulder curiously.
"He is really good," Jennifer said after glancing over the stack. Alex gave her a dirty look. "Sorry," Jennifer said sincerely. "But did you notice that one of these even came out of my father's office?"
"We'd better take these to Grandfather now," Alexandria said.
"Do you suppose your familiars saw something?" Jennifer wondered, realizing both the familiar tree and Austere's bed was empty.
"I don't usually bring them in on weekends because I don't stay all day, and when I do, I'm in and out of the office too much," Alexandria said.
"Then perhaps he took a bird form and flew in knowing that none would be here to catch him?" Jennifer suggested.
"That'd require him to know where this office is located, since it rotates. It's much more likely that he got in through the Ministry," Alex said.
"Well, as your father always says, just because it's less likely doesn't mean that it's impossible," Jennifer pointed out.
"You're right. I'll change both the location and the Ministry Portkey pattern," Alexandria decided. "Let's go see Grandfather," she said, picking up the files and hurrying out.
Several LE officers were picking through the office and going through files in a way that let Alexandria know they already had a break-in, so Alex knocked on her grandfather's open door and the two of them walked in to find him meticulously combing files of his own.
"Not now, Alex, there's been a breach. Since when are the two of you getting along?" he added, glancing between them.
"I'm the Auror on duty," Jennifer explained.
"Oh," Thomas said, still thumbing through the pages.
"Is this what you're looking for, Grandfather?" Alex wanted to know, pulling out the file from the office and showing it to him.
"What? How did you get this?" Thomas asked in surprise.
"I kinda challenged the Dashing Doppler to break into the Ministry to see if we have any holes in our security in exchange for temporary amnesty. Apparently he found some," Alexandria explained.
"If you can't beat him, join him, is that it?" Thomas said dubiously.
"Think of it more like I am trying to keep him close at hand. The last thing we need is someone with his talent for espionage joining Bagmen's Inner Circle," Alex explained, putting down the rest of the stack for emphasis. Thomas glanced at them only for a moment.
"Okay, you have a point," Thomas admitted. "So what's the plan? Are you going to make him an Agent?"
"Of course not, I don't trust him that far. I just want to keep him away from Bagman and maybe use him to find out where our security is lacking," Alexandria said.
"Fine," Thomas said, setting down the file. "I will make certain that all of the departments under my jurisdiction know to hold off pursuing him for now. Send me an initial report of security changes on Monday. Until then, I'll hold onto these files, regardless of whose department they belong to. I'm not giving any of them back until we've reduced the chance of the files getting stolen again."
"That makes sense," Alex said. "I'll see if I can get another meeting with the Magician to get some insight into what safety changes we need to make."
"And as soon as possible," Thomas added for good measure. Alex glanced at her mother and the two of them left.
"I suppose I should get back to my post now," Jennifer ventured as they walked back down the corridor again.
"Yes, probably. Sorry about that. If Harry says anything about you leaving your post, just send him to me," Alex offered.
"Yes, alright," Jennifer said. "So where are you taking the Magician for 'fun and dinner'?"
"I have no idea. He said he wants to do something I think is fun this time, since he made me take him to the cinema," Alexandria explained.
"Do you mind if I make a suggestion? It may end up helping both of us," Jennifer offered, and Alex looked over curiously. "Why don't you invite him to the next Hogsmeade trip? Shopping is a fun activity for you, is it not?"
"I'm not sure I like that idea. He'd be too close to the boys," Alex said with a frown.
"I doubt he's concerned about them. My point is that the next Hogsmeade trip is in December, and that gives me plenty of time to arrange for going on the trip to chaperone. Then I'll finally have a chance to see him for myself," Jennifer explained. Alex pondered that.
"Well, it's a few weeks away, and there's that American Thanksgiving thing in between..."
"How well I know it," Jennifer said with amusement.
"I'll see if he'll agree to it," Alexandria replied.
"Good. Because I must admit, the more I hear about him, the more curious I get about who he is," Jennifer said, walking back over to sit at the reception desk.
"Me too," Alex agreed, then left to change the entryways to her office.
By the time Jennifer finished her shift and had gone home for lunch, she had plenty to tell Severus. She gave him a full update of what happened that morning, especially when it came to Alexandria's frustration with the Dashing Doppler.
"You would have been quite amused had you been there, Severus," Jennifer told him with open excitement, barely touching the biscuit that she had been holding in her hand for fifteen minutes. "Alexandria was practically pulling her hair out asking herself how someone that was so sharp, intelligent, and serious at one moment could turn into a complete child anytime he saw something that fascinated him."
"Oh yes, for some reason, I know the personality type very well," Severus replied. "I've spent decades watching how quickly you turn from the one to the next because someone put a magic item in front of you that you've never seen before." Jennifer smiled knowingly at that. "I wasn't even aware that was Alexandria's type, but I see it now."
"Alexandria was like that herself once," Jennifer commented.
"Yes, but she's changed a great deal since her youth, thanks to her job and circumstances. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks of her younger years when she notices it," Severus mused.
"When she brought it up, I was thinking about a time when I felt that way," Jennifer admitted with a smile. "I remembered how frustrated I was when I first met you. You were hiding so much from me that I just could not figure you out to the point that I could never get you out of my head."
"I was protecting you... and myself," Severus pointed out.
"Yes, of course I realize that now, but I didn't know that then. All I knew was that I spent most of my spare time trying to figure out what your deal was and why you behaved the way you did. And she's likely doing the same thing herself," Jennifer replied.
"The difference being that she's not doing it out of her on volition. She's doing it because it's her job, and he's a wanted criminal," Severus pointed out with amusement.
"Maybe it started that way, but I think it's changed since then," Jennifer replied. "I need to see him to be sure. I need to find out who he really is, and so far he's alluded me. So, I suggested that she invite him to our next Hogsmeade trip. Perhaps then I can finally get a good look at him. The fact that he seems to avoiding contact with me makes me wonder if he doesn't himself believe that I can see through whatever barriers he's putting up."
"He is also now aware that Sissy can detect him, which means he will probably be avoiding the both of you," Severus pointed out.
"Well, in this case, I doubt he'll be masquerading as anyone but himself. He will pick the form that he's been using at Alexandria's contact," Jennifer reasoned. "And since that is the case, I doubt he'll be alarmed by Sissy's presence there."
"Fair enough, but you simply cannot chaperone that trip if you need to remain unseen. Instead, I suggest you find a surveillance spot. Hadrian has mentioned that he completed his flat on the second floor of his shop. There is a good view of most of the high street from there," Severus suggested.
"He must be so excited to finally be opening his shop, and just in time for Christmas," Jennifer said brightly. "I do hope it does well."
"I'm sure it will, considering the nature of the business," Severus replied. "But we still have to get through November first. Does Wind have any predictions as to when First Fall will be at Whitebridge this year?"
"He hasn't mentioned it, but Arcadia has," Jennifer said brightly. "She wanted to know if she could ask Corey to come in for her on the Friday before Thanksgiving so that she can take their twins to First Fall this year."
"Isn't that going to cause quite a bit of conflict? You're already going to be gone most of the following week."
"True, but there is the time difference, after all, and I thought I might be able to persuade you to help with my afternoon classes," Jennifer said with an alluring smile.
"'I'll make a deal with you, Professor Craw," the Headmaster replied. "If you help Hermione cover everyone who needs off that particular week, including getting with the students about early testing, I will do what I can to make sure you get both the time and backup you need on Friday."
"Deal," Jennifer agreed readily, taking a bite out of the biscuit.
