Chapter 234 - Records of the Prophecy Hall (2/2)

Alphard whirls around to see a tall, youthful, ruddy-faced wizard that had grown a neat brown beard to hide his weak chin. ”Diggory,” Alphard said recognizing one of the newer members of the Department of Regulations and Control of Magical Creatures.

Amos Diggory grinned and handed him, a sealed brown envelope. ”Auror Shackleton asked that I hand this over to you,” Diggory rather good-natured said. ”And asked, if you'd meet her at the Leaky Cauldron later at six. Apparently, she has something to discuss with you in private.”

”Thank you,” Alphard gratefully said recognizing the brown envelope as being the requested information on the five individuals. But why did Shackleton want to see him? Was there something that she found that she dared not write about?

”So, you and Saturnia Shackleton, eh?” Diggory said with a side wink.

Alphard flushes and says, ”It is strictly professional, Diggory.”

”Mm, so you say,” Diggory teased, before saying, ”Well, my girl is waiting for me, I best see you later. With the quidditch cup to be held here, this summer, there hasn't been much time for us to go out. We've already caught smugglers coming in and that's only to increase the closer the summer approaches.”

”Haven't asked her to marry you yet, have you?” Alphard flatly called out.

”I'm just waiting to find her the perfect ring,” Diggory huffed, before flooing away.

Chuckling, Alphard tosses a bit of floo powder into the fireplace and says, ”The Leaky Cauldron.” Immediately he steps into the green flames and zooms away. Feeling a bit lightheaded, Alphard emerges into the grubby-looking bar. The hunched bartender wipes the bar as various customers drink away their worries and sorrows.

Tom, the old bartender nods his head at Alphard and says, ”What will it be Black? The usual?”

”Not tonight,” Alphard apologized. ”I'll just have a bit of butterbeer.” Tom sniffed, but quickly filled up a mug and placed it before Alphard. He finished his entire tankard and another refill before it was an hour past six. What could be taking her so long? Shackleton was never late, nor much less never kept anyone waiting for her. She'd have sent a missive by now asking to reschedule at a later time.

A pair of weary-looking Auror's wander inside and each asks for a fire whiskey. Tom quickly serves them as one of the Auror's gulps half of his drink down and says, ”What a d*m shame.”

”Tell me about it,” The older Auror murmured in agreement as he sipped his fire whiskey.

Suddenly finding himself closely listening in, Alphard leans forward as he hears the younger Auror say, ”Who would have ever thought that a Lobalug would have done Shackleton in?”

”A Lobalug would have done anyone in,” the older Auror chided. ”But what I can't understand is how a Lobaulg was delivered to her desk? All parcels coming into the ministry are checked before being delivered to their various parties.”

The younger Auror shrugs and says, ”If I didn't know any better, I'd hazard to say someone was trying to silence her. But Auror Shackleton was mostly a desk Auror. She rarely ever went out into the field and whenever she did, it was mostly follow-ups and those kinds of things. But still, to be sprayed in the face with a mouthful of venom, that's still an unpleasant way to go.”

Alphard stumbles to his feet and numbly pays for his drinks, before flooing away. Shackleton was now dead and most definitely having been murdered. Just what did she find out? With that thought in mind, he hurried away to open the parcel in private. But to his dismay, there was nothing out of ordinary to be found in any of the five reports. Whatever had gotten Shackleton killed had died with her.