Chapter 16: Who's Alfred?
Thanks for reading and reviewing.
It's a short one, but that's all I could get out of my muse today.
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Harry was having a grand old time. Everyone was thanking him for getting rid of Umbridge, well him and Padma Patil. They were the two that stood up to her first and were instrumental in getting her fired up into setting up the meeting that saw her put into a coma. Little did the student body know that Harry was the one that put the bitch down. He wasn't going to tell them that.
The Weasley twins were hamming it up something fierce. "Make way for the man who rid us of Umbitch," Fred said, making shooing motions with his arms. They were marching down a crowded hall to the Great Hall.
Everyone giggled and moved out of the way. They loved seeing the twins do their superiority thing. They did the same thing when Harry was thought to be the Heir of Slytherin. It wasn't funny then, but it was now.
"Yeah," George said, making the same motions. "He got rid of the bitch for you peasants, make room for him."
"Leave off, will ya," Harry said, laughing at their antics. "I didn't do anything but rile her up," he stated, making sure that everyone heard him. "She is the one that lost her temper. The grownups were the ones that stunned her." He wanted to make sure the credit was given to the wrong people, so when the bitch died, they all thought it was because she was stunned by those people. That way it wouldn't be tied back to him.
"Yeah, but if you hadn't been your glorious self, then she wouldn't have lost her temper, and they wouldn't have defended you," Fred said in a roundabout logic. To him it made perfect sense.
"Well, there is that," Harry said, preening a bit. He loved that they were giving him credit for that. He did so love pissing people off to the point where they lost their temper. Next on his list was Snape, he really wanted to see that man lose his cool.
"Look, there's Padma," George said, pointing to the Ravenclaw Patil. She was surrounded by a gaggle of girls and a few boys. They were all doing what they were doing to Harry. Congratulating her on a job well done in getting rid of the bitch. She wasn't handling it as well as Harry.
"Leave her alone, George. She's not used to your antics," Harry said, getting serious. He liked Padma, maybe a bit too much. He thought she was pretty and maybe there was something more there. He'd have to feel her out and see if she could feel the same way. First, he'd have to save her from his friends.
"Come on, Harry, it's all in good fun," Fred said, leaving Harry's side and going up to the girl and bowing to her. "How are you this day, oh glorious one?" he said, taking her hand and bussing the knuckles. He didn't mean anything by it. It was just good fun. She was too young for his taste. He liked his women his age or older.
"Get off me, you lout," she said, giggling and shoving him gently away. She knew he was playing. The Weasley twins were never to be taken seriously. If you did you just got pranked or your heart broke. Her sister told her that.
"But, my lady, I am but welcoming you to the day," Fred said, bowing once again. He made some flourishing movements with his arms and hands to make a mockery of his gesture.
"She said, leave off, Weasley," Michael Corner said, none to gently. He shoved his way in front of Padma. He didn't like the attention the other boy was paying to her. Fred was far too old for her.
George took exception to someone shoving his twin around and came to his defense. But before fists could fly Harry was there.
"We're just joking around," Harry said, getting in front of Fred. He didn't want anyone to fight. He used some magic to make everyone calm down. Some gentle magic in the air and everyone was happy again. He smiled and put his hand on Corner's shoulder and moved him out of the way. He held his arm out to Padma and escorted her to the Great Hall. "This way, my lady," he said, guiding her along. He was happy to have her on his arm. They made a cute couple.
"Thank you, my lord," she said, bemused as to what had just happened. She hadn't seen that coming. She liked Potter well enough, but she never thought of him in that way. He had always been outside of her social circle. Well, he had taken her sister to the ball, but he had shown her a horrible time and had been a complete lout. But now, he was showing a completely different side to himself. Had he grown up so much in one summer?
"I am sorry about what happened during the ball last year. I was under a lot of pressure. I know it's no excuse, and I will make it up to Parvati, but I know you had a lousy time too," Harry said like he could read her mind.
"You did treat her badly," Padma said, lifting her chin to show just how disappointed she was in the treatment of her sister. They were twins after all.
"I know. It was my first date, and I messed it up horribly. I listened to Weasley and blew it badly. I'll make it up to her, I promise. I'm not sure how. Do you have any ideas? I don't want to give her the wrong impression, though. I'm not interested in her that way," Harry said, making sure she understood that. He didn't want anyone to think he was interested in Parvati.
"You're not?" Padma asked, looking at him with interest. Most people liked Parvati. She was bright and cute and flighty. They liked that in a girl. Unlike her. Well, she was cute, but she was a bookworm and quiet and serious. Most men didn't like that.
"No, she's cute and all, but she's not my type," he said, looking around the room to make sure they weren't being listened too, which they were. He was going to make sure he didn't spill any secrets.
"What's your type?" Padma asked teasingly.
"I haven't figured that out yet. I just know she's not it," Harry said with a laugh to take the bite out.
"So, it's not Hermione?" was the next question. Everyone thought it was. They were so close to one another.
"No, Hermione is like a sister to me," was the answer.
"Oh," was all she could say to that.
"Well, here is your stop," Harry said, stopping at the Ravenclaw table. He handed her to her seat and then bussed her knuckles and then bowed and moved to go to the Gryffindor table.
"So, Padma?" Hermione teased as he sat down.
"Maybe," he said with a slight pinking of his cheeks.
"Good," was all she said as she ate her oatmeal.
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Tonks was having a hard time finding Umbridge's brother. He had hidden himself very well. He hadn't changed his name, at least she hoped not. There were just quite a few Cracknells out there and she didn't have a first name. She was going on age. He was younger than Dolores by two years. So that was all she had to go on. She had narrowed it down to three men and she had crossed off one, so she was down to two. She was standing outside the second man's flat right now.
She knocked on the door and waited. After about a minute a man answered and she knew she had the correct place. The resemblance was uncanning. The man looked just like Umbridge, albeit much thinner and less toady. "Alfred Cracknell?" she asked, looking at the beady eyes of the man.
He was on the shorter side, squat, with the same features as Dolores. He was also looking at her like she was beneath him, the same way his sister did. She had to wonder if they were taught that by their dad.
"Whose asking?" the man asked as he eyed her up and down. He looked like he was about to bolt any second. Like someone who had run for his life once or twice. She couldn't tell if he was a criminal or a victim.
Tonks weighed what to do for about two seconds. "I'm here from the DMLE," she said to see what reaction she would get, and get one she did.
He didn't even hesitate; he threw a punch directly at her nose.
She ducked and took his fist and guided it past her and threw him into the wall opposite her. "Just because I'm magical doesn't mean I can't fight," she said to him, locking his arm behind his back.
"What the hell do you want? If you're here about my bitch of a sister, I want nothing to do with her," the man said, struggling to get out of Tonks's grip.
Tonks held tight to the man and nudged his arm up his back until he grunted. "I just want to ask a few questions. Your sister is in a coma we don't think she'll ever come out of," she said, still holding on to his arm. "We need to know a few things about her. She lied on her application, and we think she killed your father and possibly your mother. If she did these things we could try her and get her sentenced to a prison. She will never see the light of day again. She'll live out the rest of her life in a prison hospital," she said, hoping to get the bloke to talk.
"What good will that do?" Alfred said, though he stopped struggling. He was happy to hear that that bitch was now out of his life for good. "That's just the taxpayers' money being wasted on her. At least right now it's her money being spent on her care," he said, thinking of the little man. He knew he'd never see his sister's money come to him. It would go to the ministry before it went to the squib. He didn't care, he just wanted shot of the whole world. If they would only leave him the hell alone.
"You have a point, but she needs to pay for her crime, even if it is in the public eye only," Tonks said, finally letting the man go and letting him off the wall.
Alfred pulled himself together and started for his flat. He motioned for the cop to follow. "I still don't see the point, but I'll tell you what you need to know. Just don't expect me to come to the wizarding world to testify. That will not happen. You can mind-whammy me all you want. I won't do it," he said, knowing that as soon as she left, he'd be gone. She'd never find him again. He had plans for if this ever happened. He had hoped to stay for his girlfriend's sake, but… while he liked his girlfriend well enough, he feared the wizarding world more.
"Thanks, that will be most helpful," Tonks said, following him into his flat. It was a ratty place, somewhere a person didn't plan on staying for long. There wasn't much in the way of furniture. Just a couple of chairs and a table, a couch and tv. That was it. There were no pictures or paraphernalia on the walls or tables. Nothing to show the personality of the man staying there.
"What did you want to know?" Alfred asked, going to the kitchen and grabbing two fizzy drinks and throwing one to Tonks.
She carefully opened it, making sure to aim it away from herself. "Do you think your sister killed your parents?" she asked, taking a sip of the drink. It was orange and tasted very sweet. "I only ask because we think she did, but we have no evidence. Anything you can tell us could lead us to finding out how," she added as encouragement.
"Oh, I know she did. Well, she didn't, but she hired some people to do it. They were muggleborn criminals. They are underground, here in London. You won't find them. They operate outside of the wizarding world. They never go there, unless it's for a job. I only got away with my life because I paid them off," he said, knowing that it had been a close call. He had more money than his sister, but it had wiped him out. If they came after him now, he would be dead.
"Can you give me names?" she asked, getting ready to take out her notebook.
"No," was all the answer she got.
"What? Why? We can protect you," she insisted. She was sure they could get him into protective custody. He was a squib so they could do some magic on him and put him in the magical world. He would love to go there; she was sure of it. Who wouldn't want to go there?
"No, you can't. Look, these guys are better than you. They operate on a whole different level than the DMLE. They have better equipment, they understand the muggle world, and they have spies in both governments. You don't stand a chance. Just pin my sister for the murders and move on," Alfred said, taking a swig of his drink and waving his hand for the next question. He wasn't going to give up the names of his parents' murderers. They would kill him for sure. He missed his mum; his dad could burn in hell for all he cared. Still, he wasn't going to do that to himself. They could use what little he was giving them and run with it. They'd get no more from him.
"You can't just throw something like that at me and just expect me to forget it," Tonks said, getting angry. How dare this little man do this to her. Didn't he understand there was more at stake here than his menial life. She had a job to do, and he was interfering with it.
"Do what you will with it, but don't expect any help from me," the man said, getting up and going to the door. "This conversation is over," he said, opening the door and looking at the hall like he was expecting her to be there.
"I'll be back with the local coppers," Tonks warned, very upset over this new development. She didn't like that he wasn't going to help her with Umbridge anymore than what he did. Instead, he gave her a whole new headache of problems. Bones wasn't going to like this.
"I've told you all I can. My sister was a half-blood that had my parents killed. What more do you want to know?" Alfred asked, looking up and down the hallway, like there were people lurking in the shadows. He was sure he had told her too much. He was out of here the second she was gone.
"Who did the killing? Give me a name," Tonks demanded. She had to take something back to Bones. This was just a can of flubberworms. She couldn't just hand it to her without a way to contain it.
"No," he said again, then he gently, but firmly, pushed her out of his flat. He then closed the door in her face. "Good day, officer," he said through the door. She could hear him move around the flat like he was gathering up his belongings.
"Blast and damnation," she said, kicking the door. She then went back to the DMLE to report on what she found.
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Bones was not happy. She was tapping her quill on her desk, thinking over what Tonks had just told her with a frown on her face. "You mean to tell me that most of these unsolved cases on my desk could be contributed to some muggleborn mafia?" Amelia asked, looking very put out that that thought had never occurred to her. Now that she thought about it, it made complete sense. There was technology that was used that wizards just didn't know about. That's why they couldn't find the criminal in many of these cases.
"Yes, ma'am," Tonks said, looking a bit putout. She wasn't too upset, she had brought something big to her boss, but she wanted to bring down Umbridge. She hadn't done that yet.
"We'll table this for now. We need to get more funds to get a taskforce together. To do that we need to take it in front of the Wizengamot. You know how well that will go," Bones said, already feeling the headache that that will bring. Sure, Black and Potter had come through with the equipment, but this would require hard cash and that meant going through Fudge and the Wizengamot. Which meant begging and cajoling. She hated that.
"Yes ma'am. What do you want me to do about Alfred Cracknell?" Tonks asked, eager to close her case.
"He's probably already done a runner. Just use what he's given you and go with it," Amelia said, taking the report and starting on her own.
"Yes, ma'am," Tonks said, going over what she could give to a prosecuting solicitor. It wasn't much, but maybe they could find Alfred and get more out of him.