Blood of Mud, Wing of Bat

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Chapter 26: The Benkmann Files

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Rudy,

Merlin save me, I just received an invitation to one of Arthur's damned Quidditch Barbecues at his son's house. He wants a response right away. How am I supposed to say yes when his daughter-in-law, the very witch who'd be hosting the Barbecue, is currently MIA courtesy of Draco Malfoy? I need a resolution on this!

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Nesbitt says: "Ha ha ha! That will serve him right for being too lily-livered to face Weasley down in the first place." (My apologies, sir, but he insisted I relay the message.)

Maurice Benkmann
For Rudeo Nesbitt
Special Ops

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Mr. Benkmann,

I believe he asked you to relay that because he wanted me to experience the benefit of his wisdom without directly experiencing his exact tone and wording. In other words, please feel free to paraphrase in an, ah, respectful and diplomatic manner when relaying in the future. In fact, I insist.

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Yes, sir. My apologies, sir.

Maurice Benkmann
Special Ops

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Maury!

Brother! I heard about your new partner! Have you started yet? I've told everybody I know and they are as pleased as I am. That has to be about the best assignment an Auror could possibly get, don't you think? So what's Nesbitt like when he's not around the media? Have you seen him kill off a Death Eater yet? Do tell!

David Benkmann

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Dave,

Thanks. Yes, I started yesterday. Actually it's been incredible. Non stop action all day and most of the night and then again today. All I had time to do this morning was catch a few hours of sleep, fling a few grooming charms and tea and toast in my face, and go back to work. If I had a girlfriend, I suspect she'd already be thinking about leaving me.

Regarding Nesbitt, he's everything they say and more. Actually he's scary! I didn't find out about this until a few hours ago, but apparently Nesbitt's previous partner actually got sacked for trying to prevent him from using unnecessary force on a suspect. In public, in front of witnesses! The partner got fired and Nesbitt didn't even get a slap on the wrist. That just shows you how much power Nesbitt has in the department.

I haven't seen Nesbitt kill anybody yet, though I've seen him fire off a few curses. Pretty impressive! He hasn't let me do much of anything combat related, unfortunately. So far he's stuck me with the boring work like searching premises and people. Oh yeah you can tell your friends I searched Draco Malfoy yesterday. Glamorous, no? He had this amazing wand. Zitan wood and Fireball nose-feeler… do you have any idea what that must be worth?

I'm actually on the job right now. It's still the Malfoy case… Nesbitt has been on it full-time for two or three months now. We're staking out Batwing Alchemical & Pharmaceutical waiting for something to happen. Apparently Malfoy grabbed Arthur Weasley's daughter-in-law (you know, Arthur Weasley… the Director of Auror Affairs?) and kidnapped her. Or something. Everything is confused because apparently the daughter-in-law was actually working for Malfoy. I wonder if Arthur knew that? We still don't know if she went willingly or what.

Nesbitt has me receiving his owls for him and relaying messages. He says it's because he needs his reflexes unencumbered in case Malfoy Apparates in and tries to ambush him. Personally I think it's just because he doesn't want to bother with it himself. I've been reading Malfoy's file and he never Apparates in and ambushes Aurors. Oh well. I'd still rather be junior partner to Nesbitt than senior partner to anyone else.

Maurice Benkmann

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Mr. Duncan,

We've got Malfoy! He just showed up on his own about five minutes ago. Nesbitt is talking to him now. I'll send you an update as soon as I know more.

Maurice Benkmann
Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

I have that update for you. Malfoy claims the Apparition was uneventful and that Hermione Weasley is fine. He says she didn't know he was about to Apparate and grabbed his arm because she thought he was about to curse us. He says they discussed what happened, and then she went home - via floo. As far as his Freed House-elf being unable to contact him at the Manor for us, he says that is because the bound elves still living there often prevent her from contacting him due to their own internal politics. He also said something about it being a shame he no longer has an owl.(?)

We have been unable to search him this time because he has a one-shot Portkey in his hand and says he will use it to get away if we try to do anything to him. He arrived by Portkey too, by the way. Nesbitt asked him about his wands and especially Gina White's wand and he said Hermione Weasley has all three of them and that he wouldn't suggest going over to her place right now because she and Ron Weasley are about to have the mother of all domestic disputes.(?) At any rate, he's letting Nesbitt question him so long as he does it from across the room. We might be able to get a few more questions in while Malfoy is being cooperative, so if you have any let us know ASAP.

Maurice Benkmann
Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Never mind. Malfoy said he'd come for some papers he'd left on his desk, and when he found out they'd been confiscated he flipped his wig. Gave Nesbitt a real tonguelashing and Portkeyed away. Sounds like those papers were pretty important, so you might want to get someone analyzing those right away. Nesbitt is still laughing. He called Malfoy "madder than a wet harpy".

Maurice Benkmann
Special Ops

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Rudy,

Sorry it took so long but we have verification on Hermione Weasley flooing from Malfoy Manor to the Burrow.

I'll handle it from here. Finish up what you're doing there, then head on back.

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Rudy,

See attached below.

Daschel

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Mr. Duncan,

You were right about those papers. Get this: among them was a list in Malfoy's writing of dozens of boards and committees that he is known to be on. The top five items on the list had a line drawn through them. Liz found a couple of items in the Nips and Notes section of today's Late Evening Edition WWN saying Malfoy has bowed out of his presidency of the Society for the Ethical Use of Elective Necromancy and has also left the board of W.A.A.U.U.G.H. (Wizards Against Aurors' Unnecessary Use of Grievous Hexes). Significantly, both entities are among those five crossed-off items on Malfoy's list. There are also two rumors, one in the Owlpost Post and one in the Daily Prophet, regarding a couple of the others. I'm having Liz do some more checking into the matter as I write this.

Lola Belleville
Research Department
Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Nesbitt says thanks for the information and he would bet his wand that Malfoy quit the Ministry rather than getting sacked as the media are reporting. I asked him why he thought that, and all he said was, "a snake sheds its skin, not vice versa". Whatever that means.

Maurice Benkmann
For Rudeo Nesbitt
Special Ops

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Rudy,

I send a couple of Flying I's over to the Burrow and verified that the Weasleys are, indeed, having the mother of all domestic disputes at the moment. I've got Patric on putting in a few anonymous tips to the Department of Domestic Disturbances Emergency Containment Division and I've put a bug in Cerise's ear that we would like the Mrs. brought back to their station. I'll let you know when you can go examine her.

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Rudy,

See below!!! And get your arse back in here as soon as you're done!

Daschel

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Mr. Duncan,

Listen to this! Liz was able to verify that Malfoy had also resigned the boards of the Cotter Lane Foundation and the Society for the Non-Proliferation of Half-Breeds late this afternoon, as well as told the rest of the Foreign Aid Committee to go hex themselves, which I believe could be construed as a resignation as well. That covers the five items on the list (see attached) that were crossed out. But get this: in addition, Liz has been checking with the others and the next two organizations on the list, the Pureblood Orphans Respite House and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Magical Animals, have also received notifications from him, and they were within the last ten minutes! (Also, Malfoy requested that his donation to the S.P.C.M.A. be refunded, and they reacted very oddly when Liz asked them why he might have done that!)

We went over the list and compared it to his file, and there are only three organizations he has active leadership in that aren't on this list. Those being St. Mungo's, the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and of course, the Death Eaters. Interesting, no?

Lola Belleville
Research Department
Special Ops

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Rudy,

Did you get that last owl? Malfoy seems to be hemorrhaging responsibilities right and left. What on earth is going on? It must be very big. I can't believe our spies haven't had even a breath of this.

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan

Cc: Lola Belleville, Liz Kendall, Rudeo Nesbitt, Maurice Benkmann

We did report yesterday that Hermione Weasley had asked Malfoy to give up some of his community activities and his Ministry position in order to free himself up for putting more time into Batwing Alchemical & Pharmaceutical.

Codename Fallen Hawk
Covert Ops

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To: Cov Ops

Cc: Lola Belleville, Liz Kendall, Mr. Duncan, Maurice Benkmann

For the last time, stop intercepting our owls!

Rudeo Nesbitt,
Special Ops

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Rudy,

Hear, hear!

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Maury,

Are you sure Hermione Weasley has been kidnapped? Wizard Radio just reported that there has been a raid on her house to stop a huge domestic dispute, and she was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace.

David Benkmann

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Dave,

Sorry, can't write right now. Very busy. Will explain later.

Maurice Benkmann

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Rudy,

Do you think there is any truth to Cov Ops' theory? It seems kind of far-fetched but....

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Nesbitt respectfully asks if he hears correctly that you are suggesting Draco Malfoy would rearrange his life on advice from someone of Muggle parentage who he's only been working with for two days. If so, he expresses his disbelief that this is a valid theory.

Maurice Benkmann
For Rudeo Nesbitt
Special Ops

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Rudy,

Actually no, I am just wondering if the entire Batwing Alchemical & Pharmaceutical thing is a front. Nobody has come up with a rational explanation for why Malfoy is messing with the company as it generates no revenue, brings no specific political gain, and only gives him additional stress and headaches.

What if there is no explanation, other than that it's a smokescreen? While we're wasting time trying to figure out why he's doing it, he's maneuvering himself into position for something really big. So I'm not suggesting that Malfoy is actually taking advice from Hermione Weasley, just that he wants us to think he is. Wouldn't it be a kick in the arse if he could stand up in court and sweetly say he did such-and-so for the benefit of his company, thus wriggling his way out of yet another pile of evidence linking him to Death Eater crimes?

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Nesbitt says: Yes it would, and he could throw big money and big effort down a giant rathole like Batwing for years without making any difference at all. And everybody would believe him, because that is what people who own failing companies do. Very good thinking, Mr. Duncan sir.

Maurice Benkmann
For Rudeo Nesbitt
Special Ops

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Rudy,

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm right about Batwing. There just isn't any other believable explanation. I've asked three business analysts in the past few minutes and they all said the same thing: based on Malfoy's prior record, they would have expected him to drop Batwing like a hot potato, not rearrange his life for it. And they would stand up in court and say that, too.

I'm going to send this up to the Think Tank and have them brainstorm on what Malfoy might be planning on doing with all that free time, and why he thinks he can get away with disappearing off the political map the way he's going to as soon as the hubbub dies down over these resignations.

Daschel Duncan
Supervisor, Special Ops

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Mr. Duncan,

Nesbitt says: I can't fathom why he'd choose to do it this particular way, but I do think you're right. That being the case, maybe we should consider bringing Business, Labour, and Safety in on this. Between the three of them they could bring Batwing to its knees within a matter of a few short weeks. That would take that little problem out of the way nicely. Just a thought.

Maurice Benkmann
For Rudeo Nesbitt
Special Ops

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