The night was dark and Kingsley was looking for some action. Having only been an Auror for three days, he was still very much fascinated with the idea of it. More than anything, he wanted to go out and catch some bad guys. After all, that was why he did all that training.
Instead, he was sitting inside the Hog’s Head with his partner, Alastor Moody. The older man didn’t seem nearly as interested in getting into the field. He was nursing a drink, and watching the bar’s patrons.
“Aren’t we going to do anything tonight?” Kingsley asked. He knew he sounded whiney, but he didn’t care. He didn’t become an Auror to sit around in a dark bar all night. He could’ve done that while he was still at Hogwarts.
“Patience, son,” Alastor replied, with a grin. “We are doing something. We’re being vigilant. This bar is a known meeting place for Death Eaters. Sit back. Watch for anything suspicious. How do you think we catch the criminals? Run amuck downtown, grabbing strangers off the street? Youth, so impatient.”
Kingsley didn’t bother to respond. There was no point in arguing with Alastor Moody. The man never listened. Besides, he didn’t really have any right to argue with him. Alastor was very respected among the Aurors. His arrest record was double anyone else’s. Obviously, he knew what he was doing. Maybe Kingsley really was being too impatient.
Taking a deep breath, he sipped his own drink and began to scan the room. Some faces he recognized. The Lestrange brothers sat in the far corner, whispering to themselves. Kingsley thought he should keep an eye on them. He’d heard stories about their alliance to the Dark Lord while he’d been in school.
Beside them, he spotted Elysia Malfoy and Bellatrix Black. Neither of them were allowed to be there, still students at Hogwarts, but the thought never even occurred to him. His eyes fixed on Elysia, and he saw nothing else. Her blonde hair hung down her back, shining in an unnatural way. Her eyes sparkled as she laughed at something Bellatrix said. Her laugh seemed to fill the room. A goofy smile came over his face and he could do nothing to hide it. At least, Alastor was too busy being vigilant to notice.
Elysia and Bellatrix had been three years beneath him in school. He’d always watched them from afar, while Elysia, at least. They never noticed him. Why should they? He was a Ravenclaw half-blood. They were Slytherin Purebloods. They rarely saw anyone outside of their own circle.
Still, he believed Elysia was different. He’d seen her talk to Ravenclaws before, even Hufflepuffs. He’d never heard her speak an unkind word. He often wondered how she stayed best friends with Bellatrix Black. Or how that little punk, Lucius Malfoy, could be her baby brother.
Kingsley was lost in Elysia’s shiny hair; he didn’t notice what was happening at her table. He didn’t see Rodolphus and Rabastan rise from the table. His mind was circling around Elysia’s beauty. He could see nothing more.
Finally, he realized something was happening when Elysia also rose from the table. Her face was stretched with worry. She took Bella’s hand and followed the men from the bar. Bella looked almost radiant. What was upsetting Elysia?
“I don’t think we should go,” he heard her whispering to Bella as they passed his table.
“We have to,” the other witch replied. “We have to make a good impression on them. When we finish school they could be our link to the Dark Lord. They could be our way in.”
Elysia looked doubtful, but she didn’t reply.
“Why don’t you follow them?” Alastor suggested. “I doubt they’re up to much. Just cocky children. The Lestrange brothers haven’t even been accepted as Death Eaters yet, as far as I know. But they’re probably going to do something stupid. See if you can get any of them on something minor. Keep them off the streets for a few days.”
Kingsley was amazed. The all-seeing Alastor Moody was sending him after Elysia. Shouldn’t he have realized what Kingsley had been thinking? Shouldn’t he be able to tell that Kingsley had feelings for the girl? Maybe Alastor Moody wasn’t as observant as everyone liked to believe.
He nodded and followed the group into the darkness. A cold wind hit him in the face. For a few seconds, he simply stood there, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark and his body to adjust to the cold. When he was ready to move again Elysia and the others were already halfway down the street.
He caught up quickly, staying off the street and out of sight. He wanted to get close enough to hear their conversation.
“The Dark Lord has so many ideas,” one of the brothers was saying. “He’s going to change things, he is. Make them better. Purebloods are going to rule like they were meant to. He will bring about glorious times.”
Listening to him boast, Kingsley felt vaguely ill. He sounded like he was talking about some great savior. How could Elysia be associated with such people? He knew she didn’t think like that. She couldn’t. She’d always been so kind to everyone. He’d never once heard her mention blood status. And he’d listened to her amazing voice every time he’d gotten the chance.
“I can’t wait to finish school and join him,” Bella replied. “It’s about time someone did something about this. Mudbloods rule the school and the world. Something has to done.”
Kingsley shuddered at the word.
“Well, it won’t be long now,” Rodolphus told her, pulling her into a tight hug. “In a few months, you’ll be finished with Hogwarts, and then you can join us.”
Kingsley noted that Elysia said nothing. Of course, she said nothing. She was with two dangerous men. She didn’t want to be a Death Eater, but she didn’t want to contradict them either.
The wind rushed through her hair. In the moonlight he was able to see a single red rose tucked behind her ear. He hadn’t been able to see it in the bar. The flower suited her, showing up brightly in her blonde locks.
“Look,” Rodolphus said, pointing towards a small hut at the end of the street. “Know who lives there? Some Squib. Can you believe it? They actually let someone like that live in magical society. They have no business here. This is our world. They should be out with the Muggles.”
“Maybe we can convince them to leave,” Rabastan suggested.
Kingley’s nerves tightened. What were they going to do?
Raising his wand, Rabastan laughed as flames shot towards the house. Within seconds the building was ablaze. He laughed. Rodolphus and Bellatrix joined in.
“Let’s get out of here,” Rodolphus called, running into the night.
Rabastan followed him, but the girls did not.
“Come on,” Bella cried, pulling on Elysia’s hand. “We’ve got to get out here. Do you want to go to Azkaban? Move.”
“Bella, we have to help,” she insisted. “Someone could be inside. Someone could die because of us. We have to put the fire out.”
“It’s just a Squib,” Bella cried. “We have to go.”
“Then go without me,” she snapped. “I’m not leaving until I know everyone is safe.”
“You’re crazy,” Bella cried, “but I can’t leave you. Do whatever you have to do, but for Merlin’s sake hurry!”
As Elysia raised her wand, Kingsley stepped into the open. Before either woman could respond to his presence, he raised his wand and doused the fire with water. The flames died quickly. No one came from the house. They had been lucky; no one was home.
Both Elysia and Bellatrix stared at him with fear, neither of them daring to move. He hated that expression on Elysia’s face. He hated that she could imagine him hurting her.
“Run,” he told them, hoping to make it clear that he meant no harm. After all, he could’ve arrested them.
Bellatrix was gone before the word left his mouth, but Elysia lingered. Instead of fleeing, she moved closer to him, leaned over to his ear. She was so close. He could taste her breath. He could smell the rose in her hair.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. So close her lips nearly touched him.
With that, she also disappeared into the night, trailing after her friend. Kingsley was left with nothing more than a final glance as her beauty faded into the darkness.