The FBI's Secret Involvement

Ch. 7

Jade watched him without blinking as he suddenly kissed her roughly, the wand and pistol still pointed at each other. The kiss wasn't soft and romantic, but aggressive and almost violent; Jade could taste the salt of his lips. Her eyes closed and she ran her hand -- still barely holding the gun -- clumsily through his long hair.

But all too soon for Jade, he yanked away from her, stood up straight and folded his arms across his chest. He still held the wand, but it was pointed towards the ceiling. From Jade's seated perspective, he looked very tall and formidable.

"Well, I think I can safely say this is one of the most... unusual nights ever," he said. "So spill."

"First off, this afternoon, did you attack my tonsils for the sheer hell of it or was there an ulterior motive?"

Sirius's grin broadened. "Killed two birds with one stone, I guess you could say. For the most part, I needed to see if you had a certain mark on your arm, but your cast is a good disguise, I must admit." He crossed casually to the sofa and flopped onto it, laying the wand on the coffee table, easily within reach. "And it was fun."

Jade rolled her eyes and joined him, curling her legs under herself at the other end of the couch. She laid her gun beside his wand on the table. "You mean the DE tattoo, right? You think I'm a DE," she chuckled.

His smile faded. He hadn't expected this behavior and well, she was a Death Eater after all, right? "I've missed something. What's so damn funny because if you're not a DE, then why the hell did you run from me, huh?"

"How many people do you know who would stick around if someone was firing hex after hex at you? Unless you're a masochist, most people would head for the hills. Here let me prove I'm not a DE." And Jade pushed up her right sleeve, and then unwrapped the ace bandage and cast from her left arm. Both forearms were pale and unmarked.

"Sirius nodded and Jade reapplied her cast. He began to push up his own robe sleeves when Jade stopped him. "No need, Sirius. I know you're not a DE. I remembered a conversation I overheard from two real DEs referring to you as 'worse than an Auror.'"

"So you associate with Death Eaters?"

Jade snorted. "Not hardly. You can stop worrying about me. I'm not your enemy; I'm sort of an ally if anything."

Sirius regarded her skeptically. "What were you doing in the park then?"

"Long story, bud. But first, I'm kinda hungry. How about you?" He shrugged. "I'll take that as a yes," she said and headed for the kitchen. She crossed to the fridge and rummaged around until she withdrew a small container. She popped it open and hesitantly sniffed inside. With a shrug, she muttered, "Still good. I need to get rid of these fettuccini alfredo leftovers anyway." And she chucked the container into the microwave and started it.

"I'm going to break some rules and tell you why I'm here if you answer me this: why would the DEs consider you worse than any Auror?"

He chuckled. "You got me. I guess the only reason is that since I'm not technically on the Auror payroll, I don't have to always follow their... limitations. Outlaws do have a few bonuses, lax rules being one of them. If I got, say, a little overzealous and happened to kill a lousy DE, there's nothing the Aurors could do. Fire me? I'm a convict, not exactly hired."

"You're an Auror?" Jade asked, slightly awed.

"Yeah. Before Azkaban and now again for the past three years."

"I always wanted to be an Auror growing up," Jade said quietly to herself.

Sirius glanced at her. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say 'Skylar' isn't even your real name, is it?"

She snapped out of her thoughts, removed the leftovers from the microwave, and flopped back on the couch. Sirius followed and they shared the warmed over fettuccini. "Nope, my name's Jade Walker. It's nice to meet you," she said sarcastically.

"So Ms. Jade, what're you doing in London?"

"I'm a Special Agent in the FBI."

He stared blankly.

She sighed. "What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential. Feel honored, I could lose my job if it's known I've leaked this info. I'll probably regret this, but I guess I feel some gullible trust towards you. Imagine, a cop spilling to a fugitive." Jade shook her head ruefully and then plunged into her abbreviated explanation. "Gifted Muggle Secret Surveillance, that's my division. The agents there and myself are only interested in muggle protection. Sort of a non-biased Ministry, as I'm sure you noticed, Ministries are full of racist pureblood bigots--"

"Gifted muggle?" he interrupted, eyebrows arched.

"Yeah, GMSS agents are muggles, ok? Even if some of us have magic or wands--"

"Your non-wand magic, right? Like breaking the ropes and flying the letter."

She nodded. "Telekinesis. But I stopped being a witch sixteen years ago. Now in GM--"

"You just stopped being a witch? Just like that?" He snapped his fingers. "Why?"

"My own reasons," she glared at him. "Now, as I was saying, as a GMSS agent, I help track down DEs like an Auror, I guess, and right now I'm looking for an American, Montague Sullivan." She spat the name out as if it was vile-tasting.

He shook his head and shrugged. "Name doesn't mean anything to me."

She sighed. "Well, anyway, I intercepted an owl a couple of weeks ago from a DE. I figured out its riddle and everything. The gist said DEs would attack Fudge's daughter tonight in the park. So, there I was when a bunch of Aurors came and interrupted. Then a friggin DE saw me, knocked me out of my tree and I ran for it."

Sirius grinned. "A tree?"

She blushed faintly. "Yeah, well, quick cover, y'know. I couldn't be picky."

"It makes sense. I chased after what I thought were two DEs. One I stunned and I continued after you. You must of thought I was the DE that had first attacked you," he reasoned.

Jade nodded. "Funny, both thinking the other was the Death Eater. I'm just glad you're a crappy shot with a wand."

Sirius's jaw dropped at the insult. "Hey, I nailed you square with that spell!"

"Only in my arm."

"That counts!"

"Big deal. I still got away."

"Not for very long."

Jade laughed. "Y'know, you scared the crap outa me when I walked in on you."

"Glad to hear it," he grinned.

"Okay, now my turn to quiz you."

"Ooo, I'm really scared," he chuckled sarcastically.

"Oh, shut-up and listen. Was I right with this?" she held up the print out of him with her notes scrawled in the margins.

He paused and regarded her for a moment. "Yeah, for the most part it is correct. No trial, no Priori Incantatem. Peter betrayed the Potters and framed me. And God knows I wouldn't harm a hair on Harry's head."

Jade smiled triumphantly. "All right then, how did you get into my apartment?"

But Sirius playfully shook his head. "I'm going to keep that secret to myself. Let me stay a little mysterious, ok? Besides, I want to see how long it takes you to figure it out."

"Well, if you cracked the non-Apparation wards, password and window barriers, I'd say you're a better wizard than Voldie himself."

Sirius smiled smugly.

Jade rolled her eyes and yawned deeply. She dumped the dirty dishes into the sink and returned to the living room, curling up on the couch.

"Hermione was right," he said to himself.

"Harry Potter's friend?" Jade yawned again, her eyes growing heavy.

"Yeah, she said you were a witch before I figured it out."

"First off, I'm not a witch. Gifted muggle, ok? But...what gave me away?"

"She said you recognized Harry and his scar."

Jade nodded slowly. "Yeah, I slipped up then. She's a sharp kid, isn't she? Maybe I'll offer her a job in GMSS."

"Tell me why you're a 'gifted muggle' and not a witch."

She shook her head. "Too long a story, bud. I can barely keep my eyes open as is. So how did you escape?"

"Azkaban? Nope, it'll ruin the mystery. I'll give you this clue though. I escaped from there the same way I got into your apartment. But besides, it's really late and --" mimicking Jade "-- I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Oh, ha-ha-ha," she said and smacked him with a cushion.

"Hey!" he laughed, grabbed his own pillow and smacked her on the sided of her head.

"Oh no you didn't!" She grinned and swung hard, but his pillow knocked her first and she toppled off balance. She flopped backwards and was smothered by several pillows Sirius tossed at her. Laughing, she gasped "Ok, I surrender."

He grinned and raised his arms over his head. "I am victorious. Bow down to King Sirius of the Sofa!"

Jade planted a foot against his stomach and pushed. He toppled down on the opposite end of the sofa from Jade.

"Does this mean I have been dethroned?" Sirius asked.

"Something like that. Man, I haven't had a pillow fight like that since Jasmine..." her voice trailed off.

"Jasmine?"

Jade shook her head curtly. She couldn't believe she said that. She hadn't spoken her sister's name for years.

Sirius frowned as her face clouded over. She didn't seem to notice him, even when he waved his hand in front of her eyes. Changing tactics, Sirius cleared his throat and tapped her knee, saying, "Jade, your cuts look pretty nasty. They'll get infected if you don't clean 'em up."

Snapping from her trance, she nodded and headed to the kitchen sink. Sponging out the crusted blood and gravel from her hand and knees, she started when Sirius gently dabbed at her cheek. She had forgotten about her graze there and blushed at his touch. Odd, she thought, I don't get all girly when his mouth's covering mine, but I find first aid romantic.

He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her cheek. She eyed it apprehensively and winced as if preparing for an electric shot. Instead, only a gentle tickle ran across her cheek and when she raised her fingers to it, the skin had reknit itself seamlessly.

He smiled, "That wasn't so bad, was it? Good as new. Would you like me to continue?"

Sirius grabbed her hand and tapped the wand on her raw palm. Jade watched as the skin healed in seconds.

"Not bad," she remarked

"Praise indeed," he grumbled and knelt at her feet to fix her knees. Then he stood up with a smug gloat and said in a falsetto, "Say 'Thank you Sirius, that was so kind of you.'"

"Thank you Sirius, that was so kind of you," she repeated in the same high pitched squeak.

"Anything for you, my lady." He bowed with much waving of the arms and kissed her hand.

Jade adopted a noble, Brit accent and said, "Well, then, my Lord, while you're sewing me up, pray heal this too." And she held out her cast.

Sirius shook his head. "Are you crazy? And give you two good arms to throw pillows at me with?"

She laughed. "You know me too well already."

He nodded, then snapped his fingers as he suddenly thought of something. "Oh, I need to send a note to the Aurors. You could be really helpful to have around; none of us even knew about the DE attack last night. It was a fluke we were out walking in the park after dinner and happened upon the scene."

"You mean it? I get to help the Aurors?" she asked, feeling a childish excitement.

"Yeah, we need all the help we can get. Come next door with me while I send a letter. The newspaper owl should arrive soon."

And Jade noticed then the feeble morning light filling her apartment. Where did the night go?

His apartment looked ordinary except for occasional odd things around the room, one being his desk covered in rolls of parchment, quills and ink bottles. He ripped off a scrap of parchment and scribbled a note.

"Whatever happened to basic pen and paper?" Jade wondered.

"Muggle," he stated, shaking his shaggy head. "True wizards and witches know quills and stuff are much better. Guess I'm just a traditionalist at heart."

Jade snorted. "Have you ever done anything traditional in your life?"

"No, probably not," he grinned.

A tap at the window drew them to look out and see an owl carrying a newspaper in its beak. Sirius threw open the window and exchanged the paper for his note to the Aurors. The owl took flight again and Sirius closed his window.

Jade heard it first, quiet foot steps in the hall that ended right outside his door. Eyes widening, she signaled to Sirius and raised a finger to her lips. He 'shhed' immediately and reached for his wand, but he realized it was by the sink in her apartment, along with her gun.

The someone in the hall began to slowly turn the doorknob.

Sirius steered Jade hurriedly into the backroom and they both ducked into the cramped closet. And not a moment too soon. They heard the apartment door open and then shut with a faint click. Whoever they were, they were now inside.

"Check the bedroom," one voice hissed. Someone began to shuffle toward the backroom which included Sirius's and Jade's hiding spot. They couldn't see who was approaching in the hall through the crack in the closet door.

Jade saw a mirror hanging above Sirius's wardrobe on the opposite wall and got an idea. She raised her finger at the mirror and slowly used her telekinesis to shift its angle a smidge, just enough to see down the hall and into the den.

Sirius, who had been standing right behind Jade, stiffened. His whole body felt alert, like Kori's did when tracking a scent. And Jade saw why when a short plump, shrouded figure scurried into the bedroom. The DE glanced around tentatively and then began to move towards the closet. Jade's heart hammered painfully in her chest.

And then, a thin, piercing whistle sounded from Sirius's bedside table. The DE abruptly turned from the closet and swept over to the Sneakoscope which was spinning furiously. He lifted a hand -- a silver hand-- and smashed the top in one downward motion. The Death Eater then raise the silver hand and lowered his hood.

'Man, I keep running into that guy,' Jade thought ruefully, staring at Mr. Rat -- in other words, Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius made to lunge forward. His breath came in short snorts and his eyes glowed violently. Jade threw her arm into his chest to stop him bursting from the closet. She could have sworn she heard him growl. Jabbing him with her elbow to get his attention, she pointed at the mirror. Six other cloaked Death Eaters prowled the main room; Sirius would have been committing suicide, attacking Pettigrew in a crowd of DEs without a wand.

He nodded once at Jade to show he understood, but continued to glare at Pettigrew through the crack in the door before the DE returned to his fellows.

"No one's here," one voice croaked in the den.

"So what makes you think this guy is an Auror?" another DE asked.

"Nott escaped last night -- the only one to make it back actually -- and said this guy was one of the Aurors that stopped them getting the topaz."

"Ok, so now what do we do?" A different, much younger voice drawled.

"Let's just torch the place to teach him a lesson and go home."

"Sounds good to me. But do any purebloods live here we need to worry about?"

"Nah, muggles or they're empty apartments. The Flints moved out last night to do some work in Romania. Fire away."

There was a crackle and hiss, and then the smell of smoke filled the room. The door slammed shut and they heard the half dozen pairs of feet thunder downstairs.

Jade and Sirius burst from the closet and hurdled into the den. Fire had chewed up all his papers and was eating his furniture and walls. Coughing, they hurried across the hall and into her apartment. The fire had spread quickly and was devouring her rooms as it did his.

Sirius found his wand and grabbed her gun, but a fire was blocking the door and stairs. He turned to go out the bedroom window, but he saw Jade trying to move the couch -- with telekinesis. She had her arms outstretched with the palms facing the sofa, but she was coughing so badly from the smoke that she couldn't concentrate. The fire was drawing nearer and the smoke was so thick he could hardly see.

"Jade! C'mon!!"

"No! I gotta get my files!" She shouted and, giving up on her mental powers, began to claw at the floorboards.

Sirius hurried over to her and scooped an arm around her waist. He carried her down the hall, ignoring her indignant shouts for her files.

The bedroom was less torched and Sirius dropped her by Kori's window. "Go!" he shouted and shoved her through to the fire escape landing.

"Sirius, you can't come through this window without getting barbecued!" she shouted, knowing the window barrier would only let pass herself and Newfoundlands. Everyone else would be fried, crispy critters.

"Jade, would you mind, er, closing your eyes for a minute?"

"What?! What the hell are you talking about? Look, there's a barrier on the window. Can you do the counter curse--"

"There isn't time!" A blazing section of ceiling fell just behind him. Instantly, Sirius transformed into a shaggy Newfoundland and bounded through the window. As he landed, he morphed back into a man and ran down the fire escape. "Hurry up!" he called up to her.

Closing her gaping mouth, she ran after him. "An animagus! Damn, so that's how you did it. And Azkaban too, huh?"

Sirius nodded and jumped from the lower landing onto the alley below. He reached up and gave Jade a hand as she leapt down beside him. "Jade, no one's supposed to know-- it's sort of illegal-- so let's not talk about it here." He gestured toward the crowd gathered in the street watching the burning apartment building.

"Oh ok, your secret's safe with me, Clark Kent," said Jade, giving an exaggerated wink.

"You know I really wanted to see how long it would have taken you to figure it out. Darn those Death Eaters."

"Sorry, kiddo. But I wouldn't have guessed it for awhile, that's for sure." They jogged into the gathering crowd and watched the flames engulf the apartment building. Then Jade noticed her faithful companion approach them from the opposite side of the street. "Kori!!" she called about with relief. The Newfie pup bounded up to them after her nighttime prowl. She watched the burning apartment building with a quizzical look on her furry face. Jade gave her a pat.

Muggle firefighters were ushering them across the street as the windows burst from the heat. Smoke billowed up into the morning air. Jade could see the muggles from the third floor and the 'mudblood' couple from below her apartment. Everyone seemed to have gotten out alive.

"Let's get to the Aurors. If the DEs knew where to find me after last night, then the Aurors need to hear about it."

She nodded and together the three of them -- Auror, agent and canine-- headed down the street.