The Alert ran through the sub department of Improper Use of Magic. Hopkirk filled the report and forwarded a memo to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and sent an owl to the Magical listed of the residence of the disturbance.
Five minutes later, the Alarm sounded again. Hopkirk repeated the process. And marked that it was a repeat.
Another Five minutes later, the Alert sounded yet again. She filled the report, sent a third owl, and headed for the bullpen. She found Runcorn and Shacklebolt polishing their wands. She knew that Shacklebolt would obey the Law if Runcorn was with him, and that Runcorn would be tempered by Shacklebolt's mild manner. She handed Shacklebolt the memo and called Runcorn to assist.
Now while she had no authority to issue those orders, they were bored enough to shine the polish of their wands in the office. Shacklebolt took the memo, rattled off the coordinates of the infraction and from the DMLE apparition point, twisted into the ether.
Five minutes after the last Alert, another sounded.
And five minutes after that …
Then all fury broke loose in the DMLE.
QTR
Kingsley Shacklebolt touched down on the sidewalk after the morning exitus of the Muggles going to work.
Runcorn was a second behind him.
They approached the house.
Kingsley pushed the doorbell button, and waited. As he looked at the tree in the yard and spotted three owls staring at him. Unblinking staring eyes.
Runcorn pushed the button as Kingsley peered in through the window. Not seeing any one, he walked around the back of the house. The place was locked up. As he returned to the front step, a fourth owl swooped in. Kingsley held out his left arm, and the owl landed on it. He collected the letter from the owl and released it back to the Ministry. The other three were quick to follow.
When a fifth owl swooped in, Runcorn caught it, and released it back to the Ministry.
[Alohomora] Kingsley opened the door and stepped inside. [Humus Revealio] a ghostly image drifted back to them from the ceiling in the room next door.
They found a person stuck to the popcorn stucco, wearing a Death Eater robe and mask.
"Get me down from here!" The voice was easily recognized.
"Why are you up there?" Runcorn inquired.
"Bloody Elf has a twisted sense of humor."
"What brought you to a Muggle house?" Shacklebolt asked.
"I came here to torture and kill the Mudblood and her parents. Little Cunt keeps showing up my Son and Heir. Figured that if she was snuffed out, He would be able to improve his grades and standing in class. That and that Brat, Potter, would know his place without her propping him up."
"And for the record, Who are we getting down?" Shacklebolt looked at Runcorn.
" Lord Lucius Abaraxis Malfoy, Advisor and Owner of the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge."
[Finite]
And Malfoy face-flopped to the floor.
Runcorn helped the man to his feet, pulling a note off of Malfoy's cheats while Shacklebolt locked the door. Then the two of them returned to the Atrium and paraded the man before the whole of the Ministry.
By the time they got to the bullpen, Director Bones was waiting and followed them to the interrogation room.
QTR
While the Death Eater was being drug into the small room, three adults were boarding the plane, and being shown their seats.
The former military man stashed the case in the overhead bin, and then proceeded to cuddle the woman as she claimed the window seat.
The Librarian looking guy sat across the aisle and made himself comfy.
Twenty minutes later the Attendant came by to make sure they were buckled in, and then began the preflight announcements.
The Pilot taxied the jet out onto the runway, before bringing the engines to full power, and the metal bird leaped from her starting position, and tore down the blacktop, before her wings caught enough updraft to pull into the clouds.
Once she reached cruising altitude, the Attendant came by to afford the Grangers a selection of beverages.
Dan asked for a Whiskey.
Emma requested a Bloody Mary.
Remus was asleep.
QTR
Harry Potter awoke to Dobby burrowing into the crook of his arm, whimpering.
"Dobby, what's wrong."
"Dobby is no longer on the ground." The Elf's eyes were even more buggy then normal.
"What are Dan and Moony doing?"
"Wolfy sleeping. Major Granger is courting Doctor Granger." The Elf snuggled closer.
Harry frowned as he untangled what the Elf said, before he smiled and rubbed the bald head under his arm. "As long as they are not panicking, we are good. If you need to snuggle until we land… snuggle in buddy."
QTR
Bones grinned at the man across from her wearing a Death Eater. She polished her monocle as She locked eyes with the fool. "Those Robes must be hot, do you want to remove them?"
"Would that I could. The one who put me on the ceiling also stripped me of my robes. And my Wand! "
Amelia ran her tongue over her teeth as she kept her mouth closed. "What were you doing at the residence of… " She looked at the paperwork before her. "Granger comma Hermione." She looked at the wizard across from her.
"I was there to… " he fought to hold his tongue. He began to shake before he burst out "To torture and kill the Mudblood Cunt and everyone in that house!"
Bones nodded. "And the Mask?"
" I can not remove it." The wizard hissed. "Black must have hexed it."
"What was Black doing at the Granger place? "
"I have no idea. He, Potter and the Cunt of a witch had me bound in a shower cell. Potter was talking about throwing me out of the plane over something called 'the Pond' and letting me swim back to land. Blasted Elf put me to sleep and I awoke plastered to the ceiling where your goons found me." She could hear the sneer in his voice. " Now release me and send me home."
Bones glanced at the scroll behind the Wizard's head. Noticing that the dicto-quill scratching out the conversation between the two of them. She refocused on the Masked Wizard before her. "Mr Malfoy. I don't think you comprehend the depth of the dragon shit you are in. While we are not allowed to administer anything to you, we are not forced to undo anything that has been done to you. You have two options right now. Do you continue to wear Death Eater robes, or do you want to change into prisoner robes? "
" I want you to Floo my wife and have her bring me a set of robes. Then you will release me."
"By what authority do you make these demands? "
" The Minister's. I have bought and paid him enough that he should already be here, demanding my release and firing you, you uppity Cunt!"
"I see. And just why have you paid the Minister so much money." Bones played with her nails. "And how much money have you paid him."
"Because he was for sale. I lost track of the total, but I have an account book on it. Why are you doing this? Where is Fudge?"
"Why? Because I can. Where is Corny? He had just arrived at his office when I came in here." She made herself comfortable because she had a whole list of questions that she knew he had the answers to.
She kept flipping the rolled note from Black through her fingers, a smirk on her lips.
QTR
Harry woke up with Dobby bouncing on him.
"Master Harry. Wolfy wants you outside. Grangy is awake as is Doggy. Doggy is wanting walkies."
"Okay, let's go see the overgrown puppy." Harry had slept in his clothes, as he was not in the mood to redress in the morning. As he followed the hyper-active Elf into the dining area, he ran his wand over his clothes removing the wrinkles and refreshing the cloth. "Hey Snuffles. Make sure you are wearing your collar, and you have your lead for whoever is walking you." Harry noticed Crookshanks pawing a box of cold pizza. "You too Crookshanks. Unless you are just going to stay in here." The furball grabbed a slice of the triple meat with extra bacon, flipped the box closed, and trotted off to eat his snack on Hermione's bed.
Hermione frowned, "I am going to have to get him an ottoman. At least he has stopped bringing me dead rats."
" Lucky you. Hedwig is still bringing me things to eat." Harry shook his head as he picked up the boxes and put them in the icebox. "All kinds of things. Rodents, lizards, insects. The spiders she drops on Ron's pillow."
Hermione was dressed in butt hugging jeans, a crop top that was a size too small, and a sweatshirt tied around her shoulders. She watched Harry's run over her, and smirked, enjoying the attention.
Sirius walked in wearing a wizard style of muggle clothing. "I seem to be missing that part of my wardrobe."
"Padfoot. In the Colonies, all dogs need to be leashed in the City. Now, if you are wanting to go out for a walk with the Family, you are going to have a collar or harness." seeing the grown man bout like a five year old, "I guess I can look for a collar and leash in the Gift Shop. Until then, you must remain in here, or you could end up in the pound, where they will neuter you, or in chains, being drug back to London to get kissed if they don't send your boney arse straight back to your cozy cell at that tropical island."
"Leather preferred." Sirius shimmered back to Padfoot and slunk off to sulk on his bed.
Harry helped Hermione up the ladder and out of the travel case. As they greeted their respective adults in a Muggle Men's Room, Lupin held up a leather collar and a braided leather leash. Turning back to the case, Harry called Padfoot out for Walkies. The Grim bounded into the dining chamber and jumped from the floor, at the foot of the ladder/stairs,out of the case to touch down gently at Harry's feet.
Harry showed the dog the leather collar and then buckled it about the shaggy maned neck. He then handed the leash to Lupin as he closed the lid and carried the case out of the Men's Room, giving Hermione cover as she pussyfooted to her mother and gave her a hug.
They flagged a van cab and headed to Emma's favorite Hotel. The Hilton.
At the front desk the female receptionist was rather snooty when a teen and a raggedy librarian walked up to the desk. "How can I help you?"
"Auntie wants a suite with a few." Harry pulled a biker style wallet out of his inner breast pocket. "We will be wanting it for at least a week. I have Euros and Dollars on me, and I will be going to the bank in the morning to meet with my Account Manager and see about getting three weeks cash, while we wait for my cards to arrive."
"It's fifteen hundred dollars a night." She smirked at the boy. "Now step aside, I have real patrons to ser…" she trailed off as the boy started to count out Crisp Franklins.
As he laid down the fifteenth bill, he turned to look at the brown haired woman behind him. "Auntie Em, do you have a preference for a chosen floor and view?"
The receptionist almost swallowed her tongue as she realized her mistake in presuming that the boy and dog walker were not a part of the party of the Socilight with her daughter and Bodyguard. She quickly pulled up the unoccupied suites on the top three floors. Since she had quoted him a price before even looking up a room, she would have to give him his choice of suite at the quoted price. But she could claim that the Hotel needed the suite the next day…
The Fancy Lady smiled gently. "Something overlooking the Square I think. As it is just for the one night…"
The Receptionist was quick to search for a suite that filled those parameters. "I have a suite that has a great view, overlooking the square, but we will be needing it for a reservation. I can also book you a reservation for tomorrow, for…"
"Two weeks." Hermione smiled at the boy. "Will be picking up our pets from quarantine tomorrow as well. Snuffles here was cleared because of his size. They put my cat in the dogs…"
"I hope he doesn't eat the dogs." Lupin joked to Dan.
Dan snorted.
Emma frowned, "Because we would feel bad about the animals he would kill?"
"No." Hermione knew a straight line when she heard one. "Dog meat gives him the runs."
Emma and the Receptionist looked aghast, as the males just snorted in amusement.
The Receptionist was quick to fill in the data she needed, taking the Dog walkers ID as it was choice of his or the boy's. She understood that the Lady, as her accent was a dead give away, most likely wanted to remain anonymous.
Once they were on the Elevator, she called her Manager and explained the faux paus. He glared at her, and checked the bills paid … and told her to watch her tongue from now on.
QTR
That night, they went for a walk to a Burger bar off the Square, and saw a game at the garden. Dan got to explain Hockey to Lupin and Snuffles.
Emma and Hermione were egging on the Jersey Devils as they were Losing to the NY Rangers. Harry was shocked by their vocabulary. While neither uttered a true vulgarity, their suggestive taunts were very graphic.
They returned to the Hotel and went to bed. Hermione took a hotel room, as Harry and Black slept in the Case.
Lupin was looking over his room in the suite when he overheard Emma whispering in Dan's ear. He decided to try out his room in the Case instead.
By midnight, Hermione had joined them and asked Lupin to silence the case lid.
QTR
The first sign that something was off was when Harry left UK national waters/air space. The wards crashed, and a Kneazle that was assigned to watch the house reported to its human squib that the wards were down.
She in turn, reported this fact to the Headmaster. But he was not worried, the boy was with his relatives and was rebonding with them …
The Second sign, Hagrid reported that Buckbeak was back, and had a note.
Hagrid.
Returning your friend to you.
I find myself in the position of not being able to care for him as he needs.
I do hope that he was away long enough to avoid the axe.
Tell the Headmaster that I thank him for the care of my pup.
Also heard that you are in possession of my bike.
Please keep it as a gift for your many years of protecting little Harry.
Sirius.
The third sign, Severus fell to his knees, clutching his left forearm.
By then it was too late.
QTR
A Snowy owl landed on the open window sill of the Conservatory. Her bark drew the attention of the Lady who was cutting the heads off the roses, and feeding mice to what looked like an oversized fly trap.
As the woman approached the bird without fear, she noticed the scroll tied to the bird's leg and that it had her husband's name written in script.
As the bird would not let her take it, she rang for Lurch and had him take the bird to Gomez.
As the tall Gaunt man lumbered from the room, she returned to feeding Cleopatra, her African Strangler vine.
As she was carried through the house, the Owl peered about her, and noticed that while the Family was creepy by Muggle standards, they were only kooky by wizard standards. The only things they were missing was an Owlery and an Elf.
In the Den, she was delivered to a well dressed man, walking around the ceiling.
"Mail." Lurch moaned.
The pin striped man flipped and landed lightly on his feet beside the large butler. He took the scroll off Hedwig's leg and she flew off to perch on the bust of Great Uncle Knick Knack. (Yes the same guy as in the Armoire with his summer and winter wardrobe.)
As Gomez read the scroll aloud, he started pacing again… up the wall. Literally.
"Hey G. Adams.
S. Black here. I am calling in that favor you owe me. I have a little legal trouble with the British Magical Ministry and my Godson has expressed an interest in trying your old alma mater.
The favor I am asking for is an introduction to Nevermore Academy and for you to put up my Godson and I until Classes start in the Fall. A classmate of his that I owe my life to will be joining us. Her Normal parents are with us, but going to be heading south to the cities of Florida before heading back to London.
If all goes as I hope, Harry and Hermione will be going to Nevermore as I and my Blood brother tame his Wolf.
Please send your response and your Normal address with the owl, her name is Hedwig. She is really smart and vain. She also loves bacon.
Sirius Black.
Lord of Black.
(A signet ring impression in ink)
P. S. Is there something you and the family would like? Just leave a window open and she will hunt if you have nothing to send right away, just whistle when you are ready to reply.
Gomez turned to look at the owl from his position three feet from the white bird.
"I will have a response for you at sundown. Do as you will until then." He walked down to the floor and went looking for his wife.
Tbc
