(AN: Once again, I feel the need to apologize to the dozen or so (and probably ever dwindling) number of faithful fans to this fic for the delay in updated. Spring came and went, then around June/July of this year I was slammed with work and burning a candle at both ends. Which meant no time for writing and updating. I am still going to shoot for updates at least every 6 months, and hopefully sooner.
I still plan on continuing this fic and seeing it to its conclusion which should be in about 5-8 chapters, since I estimated around 50K words. My goal is to updated at least every 6 months, if not sooner.
But, enough excuses, on with the show!)
"His heart is cold.
Golden words he will pour in your ear.
But his lies can't disguise what you fear..."
-Shirley Bassey
"You sure about this?"
Captain Pilton looked skeptical. The leader of the 'Damned' faction and of Kilo Company was currently seated in a 1950's style diner called Tinseltown off St. John Street, which was within spitting distance of King's Cross Station. The teenaged girl sitting across from him was pointing at a large 4 kg burger on the menu that came with 1 kg of chips, what the locals here called french fries, and a large milkshake. The whole ensemble was aptly called the Monster. Pilton spoke again.
"Private, you do realize that's almost 9 pounds of burger and 2 pounds of fries? Not to mention that its twenty-five pounds if you don't finish in an hour? That's not chump change."
The girl, Gina Gavin, who was really a private in the "Exiles" faction and currently a 'guest' of Captain Pilton, shrugged her shoulders.
"Look, sir, if I don't finish you can dine and dash and leave me here. If I'm stuck washing dishes it'll still be worth it."
She gave a wolfish grin that was at odds with her delicate features and pale pink cheeks. Her violet eyes glittered with undisguised gluttony.
"But I ain't planning on losing...I've been dreamin' about a burger this size."
Pilton turned to the burly brute with the scarred face sitting next to him, and the pretty redhead teenager beside the brute.
"Barnes, Polly? You want anything? I'm buyin'."
SFC Barnes glanced down at the menu.
"I'll have the firecracker wings and some onion rings...been craving that shit since Dubai."
The redheaded girl spoke up in a posh British accent.
"I'll just have a Vanilla Coke."
Pilton smiled and beckoned the waiter to come over. The waiter was actually from Brisbane, and had initially tried a fake Southern accent on the quartet, until the captain shut him down. As the waiter took down the order for the Monster, he remarked that it was quite a bit of food, even for big guy like Barnes.
Barnes smiled and shook his head.
"It ain't for me, Crocodile Dundee. It's for her."
He gestured to Gina, and the waiter almost dropped his notebook.
"Alright shelia, it's your pops who going to have to pay the 25 quip for the meal if you don't finish!"
Later, the staff and patrons of the American diner watched in a mixture of awe, fascination and in some cases abject disgust as a teenaged schoolgirl with raven-black hair dominated the 4 kg burger and chips, wolfing it down in a record-breaking eighteen minutes and thirty-two seconds.
As Gina finished off the last of the fries and the shake, she then wiped off the kechup, mustard and chocolate from her face and let out a thirty second long belch. Pilton was impressed, Barnes grinned ear to ear, and Polly Perkins wrinkled her nose in disgust. Barnes was the first to speak.
"Damn pri'at, that was impressive. You earned that t-shirt."
Pilton nodded as he signaled the waiter.
"I concur with what Barnes said. Although I don't envy your colon when that burger and fries decides to make an exit strategy."
Gina picked some the burger detritus from her teeth and shrugged.
"Eh, I have a plan on that, sir."
The leader of the Damned smiled.
"Well pri'at, I do hope that this meal was an adequate apology for that little...misunderstanding earlier."
He checked his watch, which the private-turned-witchling noticed was a stainless steel Rolex GMT Master II.
"I reckon it's about time for you to head back to Hogwarts, King's Cross is only a couple of blocks thataway."
Gina nodded and stood up.
"Roger that, thanks for the meal, sir."
Pilton smiled again.
"Of course, Gina."
He casually offered the free tee shirt to Gina, who took it. As she turned to leave, she realized that Pilton was still holding onto it. The leader of the Damned was still smiling, but there was a hard edge to his eyes and smile.
"Just remember what we discussed, pri'at. Neither one of us have any business in this story, and you know that. You've seen that. Try to get Long and the rest of the Exiles to see that, will you?"
The private-turned-witchling didn't know how to respond, so she just nodded and left. Gina, aka PFC Pete Gobbi had a lot to think about.
(4 hours later, Syltherin Commons)
Daphne Greengrass stormed into the Slytherin commons room, glaring around the room. Her death glare fell upon at Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting at a table off to the side, their leader Draco was nowhere in sight.
Just as well, the prefect for Syltherin dorms thought to herself. She stormed over to the two boys and glared at them.
"Alright which of you disgusting gits did it?"
Crabb was the first to speak.
"Did what?"
"You know very well, I know it was either you or Goyle who did it!"
This time Goyle spoke.
"Look we have no idea what you're talking about...what did we do and why are you so bloody mad?!"
Daphne put her hands on her hips and raised her voice.
"For shitting in the girls' toilets! Bad enough you don't take care of the boy's loo, but you've crossed a line here! The Girl's Toilet is a mess, one of the toilets is clogged up and overflowing with shit! You can smell it clear out into the hall!"
Nanette looked up from her book and watched Daphne leading Draco Malfoy's two henchmen away by the ears to Snape's office. She then noticed that Gina was giggling to herself.
"What's up?"
Gina looked up guiltily and tried to act casual.
"Oh nothing, just like watching those two lunkheads get embarrassed. Serves them right for playing such a prank like nuking the ladies' room."
Nanette's brow furrowed.
"You know, when you came back from King's Cross you were complaining of a tummyache and didn't even want dinner. Then, when we came back from dinner you were suddenly all better."
She leaned in, right in Gina's personal space.
"You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"
The American girl scooted away from Nanette's advance, and flushed.
"Nope, no idea what you're talking about..."
Nanette smiled evilly.
"I think you do know...and I think some tickle torture will get the truth out of you!"
As she reached towards Gina, a flapping of wings interrupted both of them, and a scruffy horned barn owl perched on the back of the sofa that they were both sitting on. The owl was carrying a small parcel in its claws.
Gina looked at Archimedes, and then back to Nanette.
"Hey, can you gimme some space?"
Nanette grinned as she stood up.
"Fine, but remember you still owe me an answer!"
As the blonde flounced off, the owl tossed the parcel at Gina lap, hard enough for the American girl to yelp.
"Ow, the fuck's this?"
Archimedes huffed out an annoyed hoot.
"Pinfeathers! How should I know, I'm an owl! I believe your superior called that a mobile phone."
Gina unwrapped the parcel, and in it was a small rectangular object in bright pink. She flipped it open and powered it up, unimpressed by the lack of features.
"Where's the touchscreen? Or the keyboard?"
The owl ignored Gina's comment and pointed to the phone number at the top of the call list.
"This is the number you are to call in order to get backup. Apparently things are heating up, You-know-who sent some Death Eaters after the HVP and her friend, so you need to continue to observe and report, as well as be prepared to step in and help as necessary."
The private-turned-witchling thought back to the conversation she had earlier with Captain Pilton. At the time she had resolved to report this to LTC Long and the rest, but now she was having second thoughts. Now, Gina was thinking about keeping it to herself. On the one hand, it served no purpose to mention that the 'Damned' got the drop on her, and it would doubtlessly earn a lecture from CSM Wolfe and Major Gavin. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Tracy's voice pipe up.
"Oh! Your parents sent you a mobile! Jealous!"
Gina held up the small dumbphone and shrugged.
"What, this old thing?"
Tracy giggled as she sat next to the American girl.
"Don't be silly! One of my parents is a muggle, so I know all about their tech."
She pointed to the mobile in Gina's hand.
"That a Motorola Razr2! Top of the line stuff, and you got it in pink, that's super rare!"
The private-turned-witchling realized her timeline and tried to play it off.
"Well, mom and dad are officers in the military, so they got access to all the top-shelf toys..."
"Nice phone Gina, make sure Professor McGonagall doesn't see that or she'll confiscate it."
Gina looked up at the new voice to see Daphne throw herself on the sofa next to Tracy.
"And I second what Trace said, you're bloody lucky to have it. Can I borrow it to call mum later?"
(AN: And to answer, the events of the current book take place in or around 2005, so the Motorola Razr phone, while quaint by today's (and even SO:TL's 2012 timeline) it was bleeding edge. And don't worry, I plan on handwaving the fact that muggle tech is technically disrupted by the magic around Hogwarts, but you will have to wait until next chapter.
And I do realize this was a very short chapter, but the good news is the the next chapter is already half done (mostly because I chopped it off this one) and I hope to have the next update by the holidays. Or at least by the end of the year *Fingers crossed*
In the meantime, thank you for your patience and feel free to continue to follow/fav and comment away!
