Chapter 207 - No Action is Required (1/2)
It was still dark only an hour or two until dawn as a cloaked figure with great big trench boots makes his way through the outskirts of London. Slipping between late muggle party goers and those that simply had too much fun and passed out on the streets, benches, and even on top of a car. The man easily slipped between the shadows as even trio of rowdy drunk men spotted him but thought nothing of him beyond that of a party-goer still in costume.
The man stopped at an old rickety flat with the door pointed away from the street. The man flicks his hand causing his wand to slip out of his holster and fall into his ready hand. The tip of his wand begins to glow as he traced a rune on the door and says, ”Gladioli.” The door opens with a click as the man rushes in one final glance, before slamming the door firmly shut behind him.
Four wands are all pointed at him without any hesitation as the figure removes his hood to reveal the face of Alastor Moody. Despite seeing the rugged Scottish Auror's face none of the wands go down as the much slimmer and worn face of Percius Clements says, ”How many drinks did we share on boxing day?”
Alastor's scrunches his face in thought, before saying, ”We had at least three spiked eggnogs, an entire bottle of fire whiskey, then some rum and finally some muggle liquor called, Absinthe.”
”That sounds about right,” Percius said with a nod as he lowered his wand and the rest of them did.
A loud coughing fit from Alphard Black causes them all to worriedly glance over to the tired dark-haired man with gaunt cheekbones and deep eyeshadows. It was sad to say, but he seemed even thinner than before. And worst of all, his coughing fits were growing more and more frequent each meeting.
Reaching into his pocket for his medicine, Alphard with shaking fingers opens the tin can and pops in the flower smelling pill into his mouth. Giving them a weary smile, he croaks, ”I do believe we're all finally here even though we're a bit late though.”
”I wasn't able to lose Scrimgeour until an hour ago,” Alastor huffed as he walked over to his usual seat. Pausing his eyes reflexively glance at the empty seat of Vinovich, before gruffly saying, ”Anyway, it's the first time we've had time to gather for quite a while.”
The faint fire in the fireplace crackles casting long shadows over their faces. The silence grows as only the crackling is the only sound for some time. After what seems like many minutes, the large-nosed Fabian Prewett clears his throat. ”Ever since Caithness, the Death Eater's dropped off again. We've seen this happen before and know that they're planning something big again.”
”It's the Gringotts's Auction,” Percius drily said. ”It's obvious as they'll be plenty of opportunities with all the guests there and the security running thin.”
”Then why the doom and gloom?” Gideon impatiently growled. Ever since, Vinovich's death, Gideon Prewett had been a lot more prone to being rash. Nothing too worrisome, but still something to be concerned about given what they did for a living.
”The ministry is not allowed to interfere with the running of Gringotts,” Alphard rasped as he stared at the moving shadows on the floor. ”It is part of the goblin and wizard treaty.”
”Even if there is going to be an imminent attack?” Gideon whispered in disbelief.
”Especially then,” Alphard drily said as he raised his dark gray eyes to meet that of Gideon. ”Goblins don't trust wizards for very good reasons. We are not prone to keeping our words, but then again so are they. It's a mutual distrust to be perfectly honest.”
”That's true enough,” Alastor said with a bit of a thick Scottish burr. ”Me Da back in the day was prone to saying to double-check every single word in a contract either verbal or non-verbal because a goblin only kept their word to the exact definition of the word.”
”Same,” Alphard and Percius mumbled as they glanced at each other with weak grins.
”Then we're going to be stuck watching them attack Gringotts?!” Gideon said in desperation.
”It's not as bad as it sounds, Gideon,” Percius chided him for losing his cool. ”Gringotts has been broken into multiple times over the centuries, but how many can say that they've made it out alive. I can count the number on one hand. And even then, afterward, every single one of thieves was found except for one.
And besides this is not necessarily a bad thing for us,” Percius paused as if in thought. ”If the Death Eaters antagonize the goblins, they'll be sure to not only pay for it but become enemies as maybe for the first time in centuries the will goblins aid the ministry in the capture of a group of criminals.”
The group is silent for a moment, before Fabian says, ”Then I suppose that is exactly what we will do. Is there anything else?” Everyone glances at each other, before shaking their heads.
Fabian and Gideon get up as Fabian adds, ”Well, we'll see you all later,” before both brothers rushed off into the night.
”I best be going as well,” Alastor grumbled, ”I gave to go out with brat in a few hours to highlands. Apparently, he's got a lead.”