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The Brewmaster's Mystery | ||||||
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Category: Post-Hogwarts Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Drama Warnings: Sexual Situations Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 150 Summary: MMB is growing, Charlie and Seph are about to be parents and Harry and Ginny will be wed in mere months; life appears to be perfect. But when unexplained failures begin occurring around the brewery, Harry can't help but wonder if something is afoot. Hitcount: Story Total: 88275; Chapter Total: 2409 Author's Notes: Hi all. Sorry I've been slow with responding to reviews, I've been under the weather this week. The song for the chapter is by Depeche Mode. MNF |
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Chapter 21: Sometimes Thursday, April 6, 2000 Ministry of Magic, Minister’s Office Harry POV: “Harry, it’s good to see you,” Kingsley greeted me as he ushered Seph, Ginny, Charlie and me into his private office. Arthur was already there. “I’m glad I had that private Floo entrance put in.” To avoid the crowds of people in the Atrium, we had Flooed directly to the Minister’s office. While it certainly would have been less crowded than during business hours, there were enough departments which were still conducting business to make us uncomfortable. The picture in Witch Weekly with Charlie carrying Jessica on Tuesday had created a media fire-storm we weren’t prepared for. Seamus had thrown out two women who were openly talking about Seph yesterday, taunting her with insinuations that she wasn’t woman enough to hold onto such a catch as Charlie. He’d asked them nicely, the second time he acted. Meanwhile, Charlie had been hexed by someone who knew Seph from her school years. It wasn’t a friend, but an acquaintance. She was simply pissed at the idea he’d cheated on sweet, quiet, Persephone. They’d even received threats to his life at the farm. For their safety, they were living at Grimmauld Place with Ron and Hermione. “Charlie, Seph, how are you holding up?” Kingsley asked them as he shook Charlie’s hand and then hugged Seph. “We’re fine, just tired of all the negative publicity,” Seph replied, looking more exhausted than when I left her at work this morning. Charlie and Ginny stayed home to watch after the kids, Seph not even wanting to leave them at the Burrow with Molly, who she didn’t doubt would fight for them, but three small children was much for one woman to defend on her own. She was frightened for their lives. They were now with Hermione, Ron, Bill and Fleur. Molly had insisted she come and prepare a meal we’d all share together when we were finished here. “It certainly seems you’ve had quite the start to the year,” Kingsley agreed and he motioned for us to sit down. “Would anyone like something to drink? Water, Butterbeer, one of your brews, Firewhisky?” “While I would certainly enjoy a shot of Firewhisky, I’m afraid I’ll abstain. Breastfeeding and all still,” Seph answered. It was hard to believe the babies were only a little over three months old. It felt like they’d always been part of our lives. “Alright, Seph. Anyone else?” We declined. This wasn’t a social call. We had urgent matters to discuss. “I understand you were finally able to suss out the ingredients of the substance the threat on the wall of North London Brewing was painted with?” the Minister asked and Seph nodded. We’d figured it out before the Ministry forensics teams had been able to. Of course, they didn’t have Hermione and Neville working on it. “It was ingenious, really,” she stated. “It was a mixture of thinned treacle, red food dye and sap from the Upas bush. A sticking charm was used which prohibited magic from being used to remove it, but it could easily be removed with simple soap and water. However, doing so without knowledge of what was in the goop could have been life threatening. The sap contains a biotoxin which will blister the skin, which would be bad enough. However, if it were to get into the bloodstream, it acts as a muscle inhibitor by creating arterial tension. If it makes it to the heart, it can cause cardiac arrest and kill the victim. The only reason no one was injured was they were trying to magic it off. If someone had suggested trying to wash it away… I don’t even want to imagine what would have occurred. Thank Merlin Neville decided to use his dragon hide gloves when he removed the sample to take to the Hogwarts professors.” I forgot just how much Seph knew about plants and potions. She was, after all, an Apothecary’s daughter. “How was this Folterknect person able to get hold of it?” Ginny asked. “It’s not that hard, if you know which countries it grows and is used in. There are countries in tropical Africa and Asia which sell it out in the open, although it grows wild there as well. In Malay it’s used for hunting animals with poisoned darts and arrow tips,” Seph explained. “What about why it was visible to Muggles and Muggle-borns and not to the rest of us?” Ginny asked and Seph sighed. “That was a really well done visibility charm. It was multi-layered and designed so that someone who could see it would be compelled to wash it away. I haven’t seen Charms that well done since Sirius died.” Charlie reached over and held his wife’s hand. “It took Bill to finally bring it down, with Fleur helping,” he interjected. “They’re both curse-breakers for Gringotts.” An uncomfortable silence fell around us; whoever did the charms work clearly knew what they were doing. This wasn’t a childish prank, this was someone who was quite skilled in their magic. Kingsley finally asked the question Seph and I were dreading. “Do any of you have any theories about who it could be?” Kingsley asked. “Seph and I sat down and tried to think of anyone who might have problems with us or the Muggle brewery. While there is a list, none of the people we named seemed to fit the list of skills they’ve demonstrated,” I explained. “Whoever they are, they’re very skilled at Transfiguration, as we’ve seen multiple animals on the cameras. They’re also quite skilled with Charms. Additionally, they know enough about forensics to leave no trace behind at any of the crime scenes. They have more than a passing knowledge of botany and potions, and have studied some German along the way. We have people who might fit one or two of those capabilities, but no one who fits them all.” “Who would you say was the most likely person, from the list you had come up with?” The Minister probed deeper. I looked and Seph and she nodded. “Well, we considered one of my sisters or brothers-in-law, specifically Phila and Angus,” Seph explained. “However, they’re not magically skilled enough to pull off the Transfigurations or Charms. Neither of them are particularly skilled in magic, in fact, they’re closer to being Squibs than a witch and wizard.” “The next logical choice would be Delores Umbridge,” I spoke up. “She hates me. I wouldn’t put this past her, especially since she was willing to torture kids at Hogwarts.” Ginny rubbed her thumb over the lingering scar which still read, I must not tell lies. “Killing Seph’s kids or the Weasleys wouldn’t be beyond her.” “What dissuaded you of her possible guilt?” “Too many of these attacks were aimed at the Muggle brewery, and utilised Muggle items. If there was one thing I’m certain of, she hated all things Muggle. I can’t imagine her stooping to do something as pedestrian as break the equipment at NLB or getting red food dye.” “She’s already on our Ten Most Wanted list,” Arthur added. “We don’t know where she is, however. Perhaps she was killed in the war and we just haven’t found her body. Know that the entire department is on alert, and will bring her in if they get the chance.” I nodded, but it didn’t make me feel better. Even though I didn’t think this was caused by her, that did not mean she wasn’t a threat to the people I love. “Was there anyone else?” “We thought of the few remaining Death Eaters who haven’t been brought in. They’d certainly have issue with me for killing Tom, and I don’t doubt some still harbour ill will toward Seph for not marrying old man Lestrange, but we didn’t take them seriously for the same reason as Umbridge. They’d never use Muggle items,” I explained. “Beyond that, we don’t have any ideas.” “What about someone from Hogwarts?” Arthur asked. “I know there were other students, specifically in Slytherin, who would want you harmed.” I nodded, not surprised it was he who brought up the junior Death Eaters from school. “It’s not Malfoy, if that’s what you’re asking without asking,” I replied. “He’s in South America with the Greengrass family and his mother. He’s betrothed to Astoria, and we know he has not come back to the U.K. As for the others, I don’t really know; but none would have reason to hate Seph and her family.” “Perhaps a Lestrange relative?” Ginny suggested and Seph shook her head. “They’re all dead,” Seph answered. “I’ve kept tabs on the family since I ran in seventy-eight. Old man Lestrange had one brother, never married and who was killed in eighty. The old man himself died somewhere in the mid-eighties I think. Mother wrote to Sibéal who told me. I was able to start visiting her then, as Bella, Rabastan and Rodulphus were all in Azkaban. Bella was killed in the final battle,” she looked to Ginny and they shared a grin about how she was killed. Seph hated Bella with a fury equal to my own. “I was there when both the boys were kissed by the Dementors and then given their lethal doses of potions.” “Is it possible there’s a Lestrange out there we don’t know about?” I asked. Seph visibly paled when I suggested this. Charlie already had one hand, and I took the other one. “Perhaps,” Kingsley said. “I pulled the entire Auror file on the family,” he said, pulling a folder, which looked to be at least three inches thick, out of his desk. His face betrayed no emotion, which was something I never understood about him, since I knew he had them. He’d openly wept at Remus’ and Tonks’ memorial service. “They did own property in France, Greece and Spain. It’s not impossible there could be a distant relation living in one of those locations. Given the threats made, I could have our Ministry reach out to the ones in these other countries, if you’d like?” “If we’d like?” Charlie roared as he stood. “Yes, dammit, we’d like! This crazy arse has threatened my wife on numerous occasions, my sister and her husband, the rest of my brothers and my parents and just recently threatened my three-year-old son and his three-month-old sisters. Yes, we’d like it if you made sure there weren’t any Death Eater cousins who want to extract revenge on us.” Seph pulled her hand away from mine and put it onto Charlie’s arm and pulled him down. “Charlie, it’s not the Minister’s fault. He’s put Aurors on the breweries and our homes. We’re safe inside Grimmauld Place, regardless of how dour the place is,” she spoke so gently and calmly I wondered if Seph had dosed herself with a Calming Potion. “We have to work together if we’re going to figure this all out, okay?” “I’m sorry, Minister, I know you’re doing your best,” Charlie said thoughtfully. “It’s just… the people I love most are the ones being targeted. It’s like the war all over again.” “Charlie, we’re certainly doing everything we can. I don’t blame you for not wanting to stay in Grimmauld any longer than you have to,” Kingsley replied with a slight smile on his lips. “However, the old Black house is still one of the safest ones in all of England. Our only other choices would be to move you into a Ministry safe-house or into a charmed house and keep you there, full time.” Seph started shaking her head dramatically. “No, I’m not going to stop working,” she said in a commanding voice. “I didn’t do it when I was being hunted just out of school or in the first war. I didn’t do it when Death Eaters came looking for me during the second war and I will not do it now. I’ll bring the babies and Connor with me to the brewery if I need to. Whoever this is, they’re not going to make me change my life.” Charlie looked at his wife with a renewed respect and I smiled at her. I knew from the stories she’d told me she wasn’t a woman who’d lie down, and she certainly wasn’t going to hide. She might have left Wizarding society to save her life, but she continued to live openly, even if it was as a Muggle. “Well then, I suppose I need to start an investigation into the foreign branches of the Lestrange family, and make sure the Aurors know to continue their surveillance and protection.” Kingsley said with a nod, before standing and shaking each of our hands. Arthur went down, Disapparated to Grimmauld and opened the Floo connection so the rest of us could leave for supper. Seph and Charlie nearly ran up the stairs, up to the first floor and sitting room. When I got there, I wasn’t at all surprised to find they each had a baby and Charlie had Connor sitting on his lap. |
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