Hellfire in New York

Hellfire in New York

Chapter 6: Sirius Black Plays Host

It was towards the end of the afternoon that Harry and his friends approached the door of No.12 Grimmauld Place. He and Ron were by now loaded down with carrier bags, as the ladies had decided that mere window-shopping did not fill the need: Neither of them, apparently, had a decent stitch to wear, and both the young men needed outfitting as well! So it was rather wearily that Harry mounted the steps toward the front door, Ginny beside him. As they reached the top, there was a flash and a thunderclap from inside, and the door flew open, letting out a cloud of acrid, black smoke that set them both choking and gasping.

Behind them, Hermione and Ron dropped their bags. Hermione dissipated the smoke with a flick of her wand. Ron was suddenly past Harry and Ginny and into the hallway, going in fast and low with the fluid grace that surprised people who looked no further than his imposing bulk. He faced a singular tableau.

In the middle of the hall, Ororo was standing, hands on hips, in an attitude of furious defiance. Sirius was sitting on the bottom step, holding his sides and wheezing with laughter. Remus was hanging onto the newel post, similarly incapacitated. On the wall in front of Ororo hung the scorched remnants of a picture frame; a few scraps of blackened canvas were drifting forlornly to the floor.

For a moment, Ron was at a loss, then he heard Harry behind him hiss, "Sweet Medea! The portrait!"

Of course, the burned frame and bits of canvas were all that remained of the portrait of Sirius' mother that had hung for so long in the hallway. The old lady had been a razor-tongued harridan, constantly berating her son for letting the family down, and hurling insults at his guests. The previous summer, she had called Hermione a stinking Mudblood once too often for Ron's temper, and he had tried to rip the picture down physically, but the spells that protected it had been too much even for his muscles to overcome. Now he just stared as Ororo turned to Sirius.

"Sirius, I'm sorry!" she cried. "I just lost it. It was one time too many!"

Sirius got to his feet, went over and took her in his arms. "Oh, my darling, don't apologise! I've been trying to get rid of that gods-damned thing for ages! I might have known it'd be you who finally sink Mother!"

Harry, who had recovered from the smoke and quickly moved to cover Ron's advance, lowered his wand and wondered, "What in Merlin's name happened?"

Remus shook his head. "Jupiter, Harry, you should have seen it! The old lady called Ororo a monster for the umpteenth time and then - kapow! One lightning bolt, no more portrait, hall full of smoke! The door blows open and to cap everything, you two do a Starsky and Hutch through it!"

"Starsky and who?" Ron wanted to know. Remus waved a dismissive hand. "Old telly programme I used to watch at Nanna's. You wouldn't know it, but Harry might, or Hermione."

"I think," came Hermione's stern voice from the doorway, "that it's what Daddy would call a 'Bodie and Doyle'; however, might I ask just how long you intend to leave me out here among the shopping, Mr Weasley? Or has familiarity bred enough contempt for you to expect me to carry these bags in by myself?"

"Coming, pet!" said Ron, with a hangdog grimace that set Remus laughing again. Harry went with him, before he caught the rough edge of Ginny's tongue.

Just as they had got everything in and closed the door, there was another boom and the Black's house-elf, Kreacher, appeared in the hall, staring horrified at the remains of the portrait.

"Mistress!" he squealed. "What has happened to Mistress? What has the monster done to her?" He spun round, glaring venomously, only to come up short. The tip of Ororo's wand was within a quarter of an inch of his bulging right eye.

She spoke quietly, but with a deadly conviction. "Kreacher, what I did to your precious mistress, I can do to you. If I hear the word 'monster' again, I will! Or worse."

"Worse?" he sneered. "What? You would give Kreacher clothes? Set him free to have a long talk with Mistress Bellatrix?"

"No," Storm said sweetly, "I'd ask Sirius to order you to go to Xavier's and work there. You could be Mr Logan's personal servant."

None of the four young people knew what Wolverine might have said or done to arouse such a reaction in the house-Elf, but at the mention of his name, Kreacher's expression changed to one of stark fear and he cringed back against the wall. He stared at Sirius, who stood at Ororo's shoulder. "Master would not!"

"Oh, Master would!" said Sirius coldly. "Master has had more than enough of your disrespect for the new mistress of this house, Kreacher. I've also had enough of the way you treat our guests. The world has changed, and if you can't or won't change with it, then I may well do as your mistress suggests!"

"Kreacher," Ororo said in a tone of steely command, "get this mess cleared up, then start preparing dinner."

For a moment, the house-elf looked defiant, then suddenly, he bowed and spoke in a strangled tone of respectful hatred. "Perhaps Kreacher was wrong. Perhaps his new Mistress is more worthy than he thought."

"Bloody Hell!" said Ron. "There's a compliment for you, Storm!"

Ororo laughed. "You think so, Hunter? At least yours are smoother."

"Oh, really?" remarked Hermione. "He's been paying you compliments, has he?"

"Ah... come on, you four," Sirius intervened. "Let's get you up to your rooms and unpacked before things get nasty!"

*****

Actually, things got rather nice, as it turned out. Harry's 'room' was more of a small flat, with its own bedroom, sitting room and bathroom. Sirius was a good deal more liberal than Molly Weasley, so the bedroom was kitted out with a capacious double bed and two wardrobes, as well as a dressing table for Ginny's use. Both of them felt a little sticky after their tramp around town, so Ginny made a dive for the shower straight away, then invited Harry in "to wash her back", and one thing led to another! As a result, Harry found himself in the mellow mood that was becoming increasingly familiar. Ron and Hermione had similar accommodation just across the corridor. When the four met up to go down for dinner, Harry gathered from Ron's quiet smile and the soft look of contentment on Hermione's face that they had also had some 'personal' time.

The drawing room was unexpectedly full when they arrived. As well as Sirius, Ororo and Remus, Bill and Tonks had arrived. Fleur was there, also, and, more surprisingly, Neville and Lavender, who greeted their friends enthusiastically.

"Sirius found us wandering around Diagon Alley yesterday and invited us for tonight," Lavender explained.

"I thought you'd be knee-deep in preparations," Hermione remarked. "The handfasting's only a couple of weeks off, isn't it?"

"Don't we know it!" Neville groaned. "Between my grandmother and Lavender's mum, we're both being talked at about it constantly. It was driving us barmy!"

"We had a row, in the finish," Lavender admitted. "Nearly called it all off, but we realised what was happening, packed our bags, and did a runner!"

"We're staying at the Cauldron," Neville added, "and we're letting the families get on with it for a bit. Then we'll go back and tell 'em exactly how we want the thing done!"

"Speaking of things like that, you two...." Lavender turned accusingly to Hermione and Ron. "You might have let us know ahead of the announcement. C'mon Hermione, let's see the rock!"

Blushing prettily, Hermione extended her left hand. On the third finger was a simple white-gold ring set with a modestly sized but particularly clear and lustrous solitaire diamond. Lavender shook her head in wonder. "It's lovely!" she said. "Not as nice as mine, of course, but very beautiful. I didn't know you'd such good taste, Ron!"

"What? After this one spent six years educating me?" Ron protested. But when no one was looking, he sent a quick, grateful wink to Ororo, who smiled in acknowledgement.

Ororo had been surprised when Pigwidgeon had arrived one morning, carrying a note from Ron asking her to meet him at King's Cross and not to tell anyone. When he'd told her what he needed her for, she'd been even more surprised, and very flattered to be asked. But in the end, he'd known what he wanted; he'd just needed her to confirm his choice. Ron was an odd mixture - brave as a lion, tough as old boots, but thin-skinned and in some ways lacking self-confidence even now. He and Hermione were made for each other; she was his light and lodestar, as he was her rock and harbour, thought Storm.

Harry left his friends chatting about the forthcoming nuptials and made his way across to Remus, who was presiding over the small bar.

"What d'you fancy, Harry? Amontillado or Manzanilla?" Remus asked.

"Blowed if I know!" answered Harry honestly.

"Amontillado, then. It's not quite so dry. The other stuff is a bit of an acquired taste, I think. How's things?"

"Not so bad at all. How about yourself?"

"Fair, very fair. Here you go, mate!"

Harry accepted the glass of sherry and took a sip. As he did so, he realised that somehow, without noticing it, he had crossed the barrier between child and adult. Remus Lupin, his former teacher and friend of his parents, was treating Harry as an equal. While he was still digesting this, Ginny joined them, and as Remus was pouring her a sherry, she said, "You're looking very smart, Remus! New dress robes?"

In fact, Remus and Sirius were the only ones wearing traditional dress robes. Sirius had on the grey ones he'd worn to Ororo's Sorting, while Remus wore black with gold patterning. Harry, Bill and Neville were wearing a style that was becoming popular among young wizards - velvet suits with knee-length jackets worn over elaborately frilled shirts. Harry's was midnight blue, Bill's hunting green, and Neville's a golden brown. Ginny, Tonks, Fleur and Lavender also wore the new-style robes for witches: full-skirted, but with a more fitted bodice than the older type. Tonks wore hers with a high neck, but the other three - all quite well endowed - favoured low necklines that displayed their assets.

Hermione was wearing a Muggle evening gown in ivory silk, high at the front, but plunging daringly at the back. She and Tonks had often commiserated with each other about the fact that both of them must have been "hiding in the cellar when the Boob Fairy arrived", as Nymphadora put it. Ororo had on a saffron silk caftan that lent her a queenly dignity. She truly looked the mistress of the house.

Ron, to everyone's surprise, also wore Muggle clothing: dark trousers, white shirt, maroon tie with gold lions, and maroon blazer with an elaborate badge - the Hogwarts coat of arms - on the breast pocket. A simple charm allowed the wording on the badge to change between Ottery St Catchpole RUFC and Team Gryffindor - Hogwarts Champions 1997.

Hermione explained, "Ron needed something to wear because he's taking me to Daddy's Rugby Club's annual dinner next month. I thought that since Ron's built like a prop forward, I'd invent a club for him to play for, and Daddy can coach him about the game. It'll get him in with Daddy's friends, and all their wives and daughters can be jealous of me!"

As Harry and Ginny chatted with Remus, Fleur came over to greet them. "Bonsoir, 'Arry!" she said, gripping his shoulders and kissing him firmly on both cheeks. Extending an elegant hand to Ginny, Fleur enquired, "Comment allez-vous, Ginny?"

"I'll be fine," said Ginny wryly, "just as soon as every woman in the place gives over trying to snog my fella!" Lavender's greeting to Harry had also been distinctly affectionate.

Fleur giggled. "Ah, but zat is ze penalty for 'aving a man so attractive, n'est-ce pas? With Scott, I 'ave ze same problem. When we go dancing, all ze women try to get 'is attention!"

"C'mon, Ginny, the only one you really have to worry about is Dani! She's bound and determined to get her tongue round my tonsils sooner or later," Harry said with a laugh.

"Hmph!" said Ginny, in full mock-grouch mode. "Dani I don't worry about; she's a good mate. She's a gobby cow like me, mind. That's why we get on, but there's no harm in her. No, I worry about Marie more. And that Kitty Pryde," she added darkly.

"Speaking of which," Remus cut in as Ron and Hermione came up, "Kitty sends her love to you three, and says to tell you, Ginny, that you'd better be taking good care of Harry, or else! Marie sends love to all four of you and says you're to get your butts over to Xavier's soon, or she and Logan will come and fetch you."

Shortly after that, Ororo called them all in to dinner. The meal was a sharp contrast to the hearty but plain fare Harry had been enjoying at The Burrow. It started with a salad of fresh grapefruit and mandarin segments. The main course was beef Stroganoff, with rice and a green salad, accompanied by a pleasant Chardonnay. Dessert proved to be a rich tiramisu, complemented by a honeyed Muscatel. Finally, Ororo betrayed her American upbringing by serving large cups of aromatic coffee alongside wafer-thin chocolate mints.

Conversation throughout dinner had been light, but as the coffee was served, Sirius decided it was time to come to the purpose of the evening. He had a feeling in his bones that the six young people he had invited, especially Harry, were to have important roles in the future of the wizarding world. It was time, Sirius thought, to talk frankly about that situation.

"So, Bill," he asked, "how are things in the world of high finance?"

Bill, who had been briefed, shrugged. "Well, things are moving again, at last! Ever since people started to believe Harry here about You-Kn...Voldemort...returning, they'd got cautious. But since the spring, they've been investing again.

"On the other hand, though, a lot of my work nowadays involves finding hidden accounts and things - ones opened under false identities and so forth. You might not know this, all of you, but the Wizengamot ordered that all the assets of known Death Eaters be frozen and confiscated. The money is to be used as compensation for families who lost loved ones during the war. A lot of Death Eaters had accounts in false names, and my job is to search them out and seize the funds. But too often when I get there, the money is already gone - not stolen, legitimately withdrawn - and no trace of where it's gone to! Somebody else is interested in that money, and we don't yet know whom.

"Then, of course, there's the matter of Draco Malfoy. Lucius was caught in the Ministry fracas a couple of years back, but there was nothing against Narcissa, and since the accounts were in joint names, she hung onto it all. After she was killed, Draco claimed the money, and there was nothing to stop him doing it. He never was a Death Eater so he just emptied the accounts. He opened another one, but there's never more in there than would account for a comfortable but not extravagant lifestyle. We know he sold Malfoy Manor and bought a place on Dartmoor - Baskerville Hall, it's called, but where the rest of the money went...."

"Business accounts," Fleur told him. "M Malfoy and a M Nott 'ave opened several accounts for what zey call an 'import-export business'. What it is zey are importing and exporting, zey do not say, and we do not ask." She turned to the table at large. "My work ees in the business section of Gringotts, and I see zese accounts often. M Malfoy does leetle, but M Nott is often in ze bank. 'E weel take sums of money from one account and pay eet into zat of anozzer business, as one might pay a debt. But zen ze money some'ow comes back into different ones of 'is and Malfoy's. Eet ees complex, but I 'ave tracked ze figures - eet intrigued me."

"Now why," mused Harry, "is Malfoy laundering money?"

"Doing what with it?" asked Tonks. Harry blinked. He hadn't realised he'd spoken aloud, and now everyone was looking at him expectantly. He looked to Hermione for help, but she was as puzzled as anyone else.

"Go on, Harry," urged Sirius.

Harry collected his thoughts. "My uncle reads these books about what Muggles call 'conspiracy theories'. They say that aliens are running the world, or the Freemasons are, or that there's a hidden society of wizards and witches living alongside the Muggle world." That earned a few chuckles, making Harry feel less embarrassed, so he went on. "When he's finished them, he chucks them out and my aunt puts them in a pile to go to the Oxfam shop. I used to nick one once in a while, so I'd have something to read in the summer holidays, and some of them talk about this 'money laundering'.

"You see, Muggle criminals make a lot of money out of things like selling drugs. Well, they can't keep all that cash in vaults and safes, and they can't use it, because Muggle notes have serial numbers that can be traced. So they put it into banks, and then transfer it between lots of different accounts in other banks and countries until the police lose track of it. It sounded from what Fleur said like Malfoy and Nott are doing the same sort of thing. Is there anything else, Fleur?"

Fleur nodded. "We also deal with ze exchange of Galleons into ozzer currencies. Not like when 'Ermione's parents changed a few pounds into Galleons to buy 'er schoolbooks, but large sums for many purposes. Malfoy and Nott 'ave been changing many sousands of Galleons into pounds, and also French and Swiss francs, Deutschemarks and American dollars - what zey call 'ard currencies."

"Hmm." Harry frowned. "I wonder if Malfoy's behind the disappearance of the money Bill's supposed to be collecting? Shifting it through several business accounts would be a good way to hide it. Wizards aren't used to that kind of behaviour; our criminals aren't so sophisticated, are they, Tonks?"

"Don't you believe it!" Tonks rolled her eyes. "D'you know, we've got five unsolved murders on the scrolls right now? The funny thing is," she went on in a musing tone, "that they're all very similar. All the bodies were found in the early hours of the morning, all in public places. What's more, every last one of them was a wanted Death Eater! We'd been after a couple of them since Y...since Voldemort fell the first time. Somebody got to them first, and we've no idea who, how or why!

"Well," Tonks corrected herself, "we know how, or at least we assume it was the Killing Curse. But there's no way to tell for sure, of course."

"There ought to be," Hermione put in. "It can't be that difficult, surely? The Muggle police have people who can look at a body and the place where it was found, and tell you how the killing was done, what with, when and by whom! 'Forensics', they call it. Aren't there any forensic Aurors?"

Tonks shook her head. "I never heard the word until the Ministry called in that Muggle specialist when Narcissa Malfoy was killed."

"Hmph!" snorted Hermione. "I'll have to look into that. I can already see at least three ways it could be done. Give me a year or so, and I'll write the book on Forensic Wizardry!"

She will, thought Ron, feeling a glow of pride in his fiancée, and I'll back her every inch of the way!

"Anyway," Tonks went on, "the real puzzle is who would want to murder these people. I mean, there are lots of wizards out there who lost family and friends, but most of them are decent souls who wouldn't stoop to murder. Still, that's the line the investigation is taking; it's the only one we have."

"It's the wrong one," Ron said crisply, making everyone except Hermione and Harry look at him in surprise. For once, Ron didn't shy away from the attention. His eyes were focused inward and his face was uncannily serene. Harry recognised the signs; Ron's unusual mind had detected a pattern.

Ron took a swallow of coffee before explaining, "Last summer, during the Labyrinth thing, Harry got whisked off to Malfoy Manor by Draco's mother. Harry told us she was trying to recruit him for some organisation she was part of. Earlier this year, after Mrs Malfoy was killed, Sirius and Wolverine found out about these Knights of Walpurgis - Harry told us what you'd told him, Sirius - and that it was the same organisation.

"But Harry also told us that while he was at Malfoy Manor, Draco tried to persuade him to join forces. We know Draco wasn't a Death Eater - he stayed out of the battle with Voldemort - and he never joined the Order of the Phoenix, either. Harry reckoned, and I agree, that Draco has his own little plans, or maybe big ones.

"After what Fleur and Bill have said, and these killings, I'd say that Draco's up to something. With his parents both dead, he'd naturally succeed them, and if they were in charge of these Knights - which is likely - he will be now. He's cleaning house, I think, probably as anxious to get rid of all traces of Voldemort as the rest of us, but for different reasons. We need to watch our backs! Pass us another of those mints, love."

Hermione passed the dish, beaming at him as she did so, and thinking, I never get your limits, Ron Weasley! And that's one of a million reasons why I love you so much!

Bill was shaking his head in wonder. Ye Gods! He's as bright as Hermione or Harry! My little brother! How could I have missed it?

It does my head in when he goes like that, thought Ginny.

"I suppose it's worth following up," Tonks allowed with a thoughtful frown. "Mind you, we keep expecting Rookwood or Lestrange to turn up dead one fine morning. Not that anybody would cry over that!"

"Well," said Remus, "unless Malfoy's developed a very long arm, you won't see that, Tonks. Bella and Rookwood, along with Pettigrew and Fenrir Greyback, are in New York."

Harry looked over. "Sirius told me you were in New York a couple of weeks ago, Remus. Were you tracking Death Eaters there?"

"Sort of. The Ministry employs me to find werewolves these days, and I was following Greyback. I got really interested when I found out he'd joined up with Bella, Rookwood and Peter. I have a special interest in Pettigrew," Remus admitted, "a kind of burning urge to cut his heart out with a wooden spoon - just so it would take longer and hurt more.

"Anyway, I was a bit surprised when I found out those four had decamped to New York. But I followed them there and called in a couple of friends to help out...."

"Don't tell me, let me guess," interrupted Ginny. "Beast and Nightcrawler, right?"

"The very same two reprobates!" Remus announced, grinning. "Well, by the time we all got there, my quarry had gone to ground in a place called the Hellfire Club."

"WHAT?" Harry exploded. "They've hooked up with Sebastian Shaw? Remus, that's-"

"Bloody dangerous? I know. Hank and Kurt told me as much. But there's more to it than that, Harry." Remus went on to give a full account of his adventures in New York, finally bringing his tale up to the three friends' arrival at Xavier's with the rescued prisoner. He also told them what Kurt Wagner had overheard in Selene's throne room. "I've done some homework since, as Charles asked me. The only reason Selene might have for collecting those specific artefacts is to open a Gateway to Hell itself!

"In fact, she's probably done it already. A Gate starts off small, and it takes a long time to get big enough to summon really powerful demons. Even if she opened it the same day I was there, it still wouldn't be big enough now to summon anything we couldn't handle if we worked together."

Harry shook his head. "I hope you're right, Remus. But there's one thing I don't understand. Why did Beast let you rescue the White Queen, of all people? I'd have left her there!"

"No, you wouldn't!" Ginny told him sharply, as Remus shook his head.

"You didn't see her, Harry," Remus said softly. "She'd been abused so much, was in such pain. I couldn't leave her there, and neither would Hank or Kurt. She's not the person you knew as the White Queen. She's changed, and she's so ashamed of what she was before. I understand that; I know how it is to hate what you've become." Remus fell silent.

Sirius said quietly, "Remus has grown quite close to the lady, and unless I'm very much mistaken, the lovely Emma is rather taken with him."

"It's not like that. Emma just needs a friend," Remus refuted.

Ginny grinned. "Is she pretty, Remus?" When he didn't reply, she turned to Harry, asking, "Well, is she?"

Harry shrugged. "I wasn't paying attention to her looks. You saw her, too, Ron. What did you think?"

"Well," Ron replied reflectively, "I wouldn't climb over her to get to you, mate!"

Shortly after that, they went back into the drawing room for drinks. Remus took charge of the bar again, while the others seated themselves on couches around a long, low table. Remus came back with a laden tray.

"Now, then, let's see. We've got mead for Fleur, Tonks and Neville, and Firewhiskey for Sirius, Bill and Ron. There's Cointreau for Ororo, and Glen Morangie for Harry and me. Finally, there's Bailey's Irish Cream for Hermione, Ginny and Lavender. Where in the name of Hades did you three acquire a taste for this stuff?"

"My fault," admitted Hermione. "My parents got too much booze in last Christmas, so I half-inched a bottle of Bailey's and one of Bacardi and brought them back to school. We three took them up to the Astronomy Tower one evening for a bit of girly time." She gave a shamefaced grin. "We got a little bit sloshed, I'm afraid."

"A little bit!" said Ron incredulously. "The three of you rolled into the Common Room two minutes before curfew, hanging onto each other, as pissed as newts!"

"We weren't hanging onto each other," protested Lavender. "It was mutual affection."

"You were holding each other up," Neville insisted. "As soon as you let go, Ginny fell one way, Hermione fell the other, and you went straight over on your back! Parvati and Demelza had to carry all three of you up, one by one."

"They never did!" Ginny objected.

"Oh, they did. You were sick all over the carpet. Lavender was sound asleep before she hit the floor, and Hermione was singing!" asserted Harry.

Hermione went pink. "Singing what exactly?" she asked nervously.

Harry grinned evilly at her. "Put it this way, luv: I never knew there were that many verses to 'The Good Ship Venus'!"

Hermione went from pink to scarlet and buried her face in Ron's shoulder. "Oh, no!"

"What's this 'Good Ship Venus'?" Ororo wanted to know.

"Rugby song," Harry told her, and quoted:

'Twas on the good ship 'Venus',

By God, you should have seen us!

The figurehead

Was an unmade bed,

And the mast was a rampant--

"OK, OK!" Storm held up a hand. "I get the idea!"

Tears of laughter were running down Sirius' cheeks, and Remus was howling. Sirius shook his head. "Well, with all the changes in the world, it's good to know that final year at Hogwarts is still the same! How were they the morning after, Ron?"

Ron grinned at him. "Ginny and 'Mione were proper poorly, but Lavender was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!"

"I never get hangovers," reported Lavender smugly.

"Bitch," said Ginny without rancour.

But Sirius had the bit between his teeth now, and he and Remus began regaling the company with stories of their adolescent exploits. Soon, Bill, Tonks and Fleur chimed in with their own tall tales, and the evening became one of anecdotes, some rather gross, and others distinctly raunchy!