Fandom Harry Potter: Dark World

[defenderofberk]

Chapter one: The meeting

In an unforeseen turn of events, the death eaters have written to the order, asking for a truce. The order, obviously suspecting a trap, sent letters out to everyone that would be critical to such a meeting, but only a few responded; an auror that was secretly a death eater, a medic and a lawyer. Cursing their bad luck, they spoke with the three respondents before setting out, apprehensive as to what they would find waiting for them...

Imjusttryingtofindmyway
king_of_demons12
Vote Saxon
Ransokyos
Halfwinter
thedreamclubmurders
talesbycara

(If you haven't made your character yet they will be having a recess in the meeting where they go and consult their various organizations, so don't worry!)

 

[defenderofberk]

Lillian Tanith Slytherin

Harry James Potter,

I believe you know who I am by now. I am not just writing to you for the sheer hell of it however, for I have a proposal.

If you'd like an end to this war, meet me at Westminster Abbey at midday exactly one week from now. Bring as many people as you like; whatever it takes for you to feel comfortable.

Lillian Tanith Slytherin

Lillian, Yaxley and Dolohov all sat around a circular table, the latter two frowning. She knew for certain that the older man disapproved, not that Yaxley was particularly young himself. She wasn't completely sure as to his true age but she was certain he was approaching fifty. Not that it mattered as they had younger death eaters to do the fighting and she appreciated the wisdom they provided, but it was disheartening to think they were all going to die before her.

"Well it's far shorter than your usual letters." Dolohov commented, glancing at the cream parchment. They each had their own glass of wine and Yaxley sipped his as he held back a retort. He hadn't taught Lillian to write but he had helped her develop her style, something which she now frequently practiced.

"Harry is unlikely to want to read an essay. Sometimes less is more." He countered, his grey eyes meeting Dolohovs. Lillian looked between the two before getting up, her heavy chair sliding back on the polished floor. The two men both changed their focus as they watched her walk to the window, Dolohov subtly admiring her lithe figure. They weren't offended; Lillian often had a habit of pacing around when she was deep in thought, but Yaxley didn't fail to miss the other man's interest in her body. Clenching the glass of wine so hard it nearly shattered, he was glad when she finally spoke, the question giving him something to think about other than wringing the older man's neck.

"Do you believe peace is possible?" She asked them, her voice holding an aristocratic lilt. Dolohov wrinkled his nose almost involuntarily but allowed Yaxley to speak first, as he got the impression the question was more directed at him.

"Possible? Absolutely. But I doubt it will last for longer than a few decades at most. It should be enough for you to have a family in relative safety though, should that be what you want." He answered, Dolohov paying particular attention to the final bit. As Yaxley was closer to their new leader than he was, it was entirely possible she had found a lover and only he knew about it. After hearing a light snort mixed with mild contempt escape from the Lady however, his fears were dispelled. He was talking in the hypothetical, as he quickly remembered that if Lillian did have a partner, she would likely have a similar inner happiness that he last truly saw when her parents were still alive. Not that he cared for her state of inner happiness (in fact she'd been nigh on insufferable while living with her parents), but it made it easier to guess what might be going on in her private life.

"So you believe we're destined to keep going round and round in this endless circle of war and death?" She asked, not angrily but as more of a philosophical musing. Dolohov almost gulped his wine as she said this as he personally hated her love for the hypothetical and the impossible, as it so often went nowhere. Even Yaxley got sick of it sometimes, but thankfully she was more than capable of making decisions based in objective reality, as they otherwise likely wouldn't have an organisation left.

"The two ideologies at play at very much opposed to each other, so this is unlikely to be the last time that things boil over. But for better or worse, war and death are two of the most prominent circumstances to occur throughout history; you know this Lillian. It is in the human nature to covet and to hate just as much as it is to love and be compassionate."

Yaxely answered after several moments of silence, the only sound being the ticking of a grandfather clock that proudly stood against one of the walls. Watching Lillian consider his words, she turned back fully, the light coming through the window radiating from her. It wasn't often they were awake in the middle of the day, but today had been an expectation due to the importance of the meeting. Asking Dolohov if he had any thoughts on the matter, he sat down his now empty glass of wine on the oak table, a snake carved to be climbing the central pillar. Like everything in the manor, it was of high quality and rather beautiful provided you liked Gothic architecture combined with decadent luxury.

"I believe it to be a doomed endeavour that will not work, even for the short term. But I will follow your decision regardless." He told her and she nodded, thanking him but expecting such a response. Excusing herself to have one of her very frequently spa dips, she invited them both for dinner later. The letter would be sent, so now it was just a
matter of time until a black envelope with an emerald green seal depicting a serpent was delivered to Harry.

One week later

Lillian and Yaxely both crouched on the extremely high up rooftop, hoods over their head to stop their hair getting drenched in the summer rain. The order were due any minute so although the death eaters were there, they were not stood around in the courtyard in case Harry wished to turn it into a fight. She had asked Nott to arrive ten minutes after it was due to start but frankly she was beginning to wonder whether Harry would show up at all. He hadn't sent any kind of confirmation letter back, not even a sarcastic one to Draco's manor, so he might not even arrive.

"There they are." Yaxely whispered, nodding towards a small group of wizards. Counting them as she looked through a telescope, she realised Harry had indeed brung quite a few. She recognised Shaklebolt immediately due to the darker hue of his skin but she also recognised his two friends, Ron and Hermione. An infuriated young ginger woman stood closest to Harry however and her hand was in her jeans, clearly expecting to need to use it. After a moment she remembered her as Ginny, Harry's fiery fiancé who had screamed at her that she was dead after finding out about her mother. That could admittedly make things more difficult, but she wasn't about to abandon it just because of some angsty teen six years younger than her. There were others there she didn't recognise, although one of them looked remarkably out of place in a well dressed suit of deep blue. Although she’d been the one to call the meeting she was nervous about it, her stomach twisting painfully as a result. It was not that she feared dying - although that would put an end to her line - but it was what her parents might be thinking of her trying to put a halt to this war. To anyone else the worry might’ve been foolish; after all, why worry about what the dead thought; but she was certain they were looking over her in some way. And in circumstances like this, that wasn’t necessarily a source of comfort.

Swallowing a brief but mad compulsion to whistle and wave at the group, she and Yaxely both nodded before apperating down a healthy two meters away from Harry before removing their hoods.

"Good afternoon Harry." She said to him politely, making no move to try and attack him or to flee. Looking at him, she found him as dangerously attractive as ever and almost sighed. She'd of never dated him anyways even if her father hadn't been trying to kill him ever since his birth, but that didn't stop him from being alluring. Not that she would've ever admitted to it of course, but she found the young men of the death eaters so... boring and cucked to her that she struggled to take them seriously as men at all. Still, she wasn't here to try and steal him off Ginny, and besides, she was meant to hate his guts. He'd killed her father after all and foiled so many of their plans, but annoyingly she just couldn't find it in herself to hate him. He was too interesting for her to truly want to kill off, so it continued on and on, until they were now here.

 

[Halfwinter]

Theodore had received Lillian’s note to arrive ten minutes after the arrival of Potter and his people, but naturally he had arrived early for insurance. He leaned against a wall, watching the activity around the Abbey with eagle eyes for any sign of either side. Custom to her usual behaviour, he knew Lillian would be around somewhere on the lookout with one of her death eater ‘escorts’ that followed her around. Theodore knew he could probably watch the entire meeting without being noticed- he had that ability to blend into the background as if he wasn’t there. In his line of work one learned the best things when one remained hidden. The less people knew about him, the more advantage he had on them. Still, Lillian had specially requested his presence at this meeting so he would have to be visible, and from that he guessed it was pretty high stakes. Had he been in Harry’s position, he would not have accepted to meet so readily, but something told him the Death Eater’s focus wasn’t on this offensive for this one. At least not yet.

Theo caught sight of a group moving towards their location, and could make out the distinct figures of Potter and his company. Granger was there too, a little to Theodore’s apprehension. There had always been something about Hermione that intrigued him, that went beyond the initial distaste for her blood status. She was smart, and Theodore would have been lying if he said he didn’t find that attractive in someone. At school she and him had been on a similar level academically, so perhaps it was just the fact that she was of more intellectual value than Weasley, per se, who had about the intellectual capacity of a feckless mollusk; that meant she merited his respect.

He looked up to see Lillian and Yaxley now greeting the group, his hand instinctively moving to his wand. He glanced at his watch and noted the time. In exactly ten minutes from now he would make an appearance, for better or worse.

 

[Imjusttryingtofindmyway]

[Happening at the same time as meeting]
This was perhaps the worst place in history one could be when conducting an illegal trade-off. There were eyes everywhere, people would always be watching and worst of all a patrol of Aurors would come around every fifteen minutes.

Which is why it was perfect.

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream, it was boarded up because the original owner was dragged off by Death Eaters, tortured and then killed. Very messy business, Maddox always saw that as the first sign of Diagon Alley truly dying, but now, it was back. People had returned and the ice cream parlor was packed.

Which was why he was sitting on a seat outside the parlor with three empty chairs next to him licking a cone of Honey Gold ice cream.

After all who in their right mind would expect a wanted smuggler to be sitting out in broad daylight in the middle of the morning eating ice cream?

Maddox licked his caramel honey treat and looked around. The Auror patrol of the area was passing by again. He eyed the two people, one boring looking older man dressed in proper red robes while the other was a younger woman his age with bright pink hair.

The woman caught him looking at him and smirked. To pass off his gaze Maddox wicked, pretending he was checking her out because she was pretty and not trying to figure out how to best attack, disarm and subdue her.

The Auror rolled her eyes and walked away, smiling as her partner and her passed the corner once more. Twenty minutes before they came back. Maddox checked his watch, noon, exactly, and knowing how anal his clients were about being on time, that meant…

The three chairs next to him dragged as three seemingly normal looking gents sat down next to. Each wearing light blue, green and dark red robes and carrying with them cups of ice cream, rainbow dash, twilight silver, and blue dragon crush, the most…colourful of the choices available.

“Hey, Gary,” one of the men began, eyeing Maddox’s cone of ice cream.

“Jon, Roger, Ted,” Maddox made-up names on the spot for the men, pretending as if he was greeting old friends with a smile, “about time you lads show up, what’s the matter? The wife giving you trouble?”

“Oh you know how she is, always planning something,” ‘Ted’ replied. Maddox caught on, so it seemed the Dark Lady was up to something, interesting.

Maddox took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his cone, “here, you want the rest? I didn’t realize what the bloody hell I ordered, too sweet for my taste, the cone’s okay though,” he held it out.

“I’ll take it,” ‘Ted’ took the cone, passing his own cup, “here, I think you’ll like this better,” Maddox felt the weight of the cup, much heavier if it just held ice cream. Heavy, with gold. And thanks to his years of experience Maddox knew every single coin of the 100 galleons he was promised was in this big cup of ice cream.

“Thanks, Ted,” ‘Gary’ smiled, “I’ll eat this on the way, unfortunately, I’m still technically shopping and the kids are probably driving the wife insane,” he chuckled.

“Understandable Garry,” Jon smiled, “send them our best you hear?”

“Will do,” ‘Gary’ smiled, but on the inside, he was raging. They had no right to smile at the mention of his family, not after what….no, now was not the time….

“Wotcher!” a new voice suddenly came up.

For a second, Maddox froze, he turned and there smiling at them with a stupid grin at the worst possible moment was the pair of Aurors from before. The pair that was supposed to be five minutes away by now.

The pink-haired one smiled again, “sorry to bother you, lads, on this fine day but ah, you see, we just got word that three gentlemen in blue, green and red robes were seen sneaking out of Knockturn alley with some fancy looking birthmarks on their left hands,” she flashed a smile at Maddox’s ‘friends’, “you three wouldn’t happen to know anything about that…would you?”

“w-what?” ‘Ted’ blinked, looking confused, turning to his friends as they all slowly looked horrified at being caught.

Internally, Maddox wanted to sigh and give them up, but he couldn’t. As of right now, he was in the same scene, talking with and exchanging items with suspected Death Eaters, if they go down, he goes down too.

“I’m sorry Ms…” Maddox began with a smile.

The Auror smiled, “Tonks, Auror Tonks.”

Maddox nodded, “well with a first name like that it’s almost like fate that you have the job you do right now.”

The woman blinked, “no I mean…my name is Tonks and I’m an Auror.”

Maddox blinked, looking very confused, “oh, so no last name?”

“Tonks is my last name.”

“So no first name?”

“No…and you are?”

Maddox smiled, “Garry Farnsworth,” he held out his hand, “at your service.”

“Pleasure,” Tonks shook it, her eyes immediately going to his cuff, trying to peak a glance under it.

Maddox smiled, “I’m not a Death Eater Ms. Tonks. And I assure you neither are my friends.”

“I see, I suppose you wouldn’t mind me taking a look?” Tonks asked with a smile, her partner already had his wand out.

Maddox shrugged, “as you will,” holding out his left hand.

Tonks reached up and began rolling his sleeve forcefully, taking out her want and casting several powerful revealing charms, once that would show hidden skin tattoos. Finding nothing she frowned, “I see, while you aren’t a Death Eater you cannot speak for certain for those three, so I’m still going to have to check them.”

“Auror Tonks, my friends and I came here today to relax, not to be harassed,” Maddox said, looking very annoyed, “I admit the idiots have no sense of timing, making me wait here a whole hour, as you so clearly noticed,” Maddox smiled flirtatiously, “but other than that, they are innocent.”

“And yet, I insist Mr. Farnsworth,” Tonks replied, taking a step back, wand at the ready.

“Well, if you insist,” Maddox smiled, stepping to the corner, he saw the look of horror come across his ‘friends’ faces. They turned form him to the two Aurors, who by now had their wands out. The Death Eaters looked just about ready for the fight as their own hands inched closer to their wands as well.

And just as all hell was about to break loose Maddox cleared his throat, “but, before we do, may I just say one thing?” Maddox asked with a smile, reaching into his coat pocket.

“What?” Tonks hissed.

“Are you doing anything Saturday night?” the question threw Tonks off for a moment, but just a moment as Maddox took the distraction and moved, pulling out a dark lump of coal from his pocket and threw it to the ground.

Immediately it exploded on contact as a cloud of dark smoke exploded out.

“Peruvian instant darkness powder!” the Auror called out, Maddox had to admit, for her to recognize it instantly showed her experience in the field.

“Move you, idiots!” Maddox called as he grabbed one of their hands and pulled them to the direction of Knockturn alley. Since he couldn’t’ talk his way out, running was the only choice.

He turned and saw the three Death Eaters following behind him, wands now out as they entered the dark underbelly of the wizarding commercial world. He also noted two red-robed figures come out of the fog, the Aurors had bubbleheads on and spotted them quickly.

“Get back here you slimy glizzard!” Tonks cried out.

The chase was one and frankly, Maddox was starting to really like this Auror.

 

[defenderofberk]

Marcus White

Marcus was sat in his neat study reading when a letter from the aurors office appeared on his desk. Rather than use owls, as those could be intercepted, the ministry now just sent them directly to your address. Naturally they weren't allowed to do this back in case they bewitched it to maim the other workers, so all their letters had to be sent to the inquisitor department to be properly screened. Still, even with the checks it was quicker and safer than using owls, even if it meant the ministry had a database of all their addresses. As far as he was aware only Kingsley had access to it, but as the ministry had been subverted before, he didn't feel entirely safe knowing they had his address on file. The death eaters had required a similar list of information just in case you happened to be a traitor or a mudblood and he couldn't help but feel that this was the same.

Reading it, the knott of worry that'd twisted round in his stomach quickly unraveled to be replaced by curiosity. He didn't like dealing with the aurors and especially not the inquisitors as he found them far too fanatical for his taste, jumping at every shadow and seeing subversion in everything. Admittedly the inquisitors were far worse but he tried to stay out of both departments as much as possible, which thankfully wasn't too difficult given his job.

"Well, well, well." He hummed to himself, his blue eyes tracing the paper once more to see if he was correct.

"So the order wants help trying to end this stupid war. Interesting." He mused, walking down the corridor to his kitchen. His flat was more like an extended library than someone's actual living quarters, but he enjoyed it nevertheless. His study stood directly behind him while his observatory stood to his left. It'd been hard to get a flat with a room suitable for such a thing and as a result he lived on the outskirts of London rather than in the main hub of the city. His bedroom stood to his right with the bathroom closer to the kitchen, which was opposite his study. The house itself was quite large so thankfully he had little problems with the other people living below him even if he did have to keep confounding the landlord to stop him questioning some of the magical items on display. Still, he paid his rent out of his salary, so it wasn't like he was cheating the man.

When he went into work the next day, the letter was all anyone could talk about. Most people were planning to ignore it as they figured there was nothing they could do, but Marcus found it more difficult to dismiss it so easily. He had managed to compromise with the death eaters before to save his brothers life, so what if he could do it again? He knew Jacob was a member of the order now so he was continuously going out there to fight, so sitting back and letting such an opportunity slide felt wasteful. Signing his name up to a very short list that was pinned around the ministry, he waited for something to come of it, which didn't take long.

Two days later, he was called into the aurors office and his loyalty was questioned for the second time by the order. They asked him loads of questions, including some rather intrusive ones about his history, but they seemed satisfied enough with his answers. As it turned out, not every applicant got accepted as they were only looking for certain roles, but Marcus was one of them. He wasn't really sure whether that was a good thing or not, but when after just a short briefing to say don't be deliberately antagonistic and try not to be too jumpy he was face to face with his old boss and his charge, he began to have his doubts.