Ch 3 - Trains, Transactions, and Tracking

December 25, 1989

Greetings Lord Verdilak,

Are you enjoying Saturnalia? Did you enjoy the gift? Twelve heads is a little odd for a gift, but I think you will enjoy who's heads those are.

Additionally, I was hoping we could exchange some knowledge. The magic of non-humans has always intrigued me, and I would be delighted to learn of anything your willing to share. I'll be in Russia's borders until the end of the year.

Lastly, I will be traveling around the world for the next year and a half. Please contact me if there are other werewolf issues that need resolving. Or if other vampiric families are willing to meet.

Your friend,

Lord Silverwood

P.S. Is it true you have Dr. Frankenstein's old notes? I've recently taken up an interest in creating a homunculus myself.

*** John ***

Tear jerking goodbyes and promises to write filled platform 9¾ as the sun shined overhead on the start of the new school year. A festival of colored robes adorned the many parents herding their children onto the train. There was a bit of a rush, as the train was set to depart in five minutes.

John appeared by the edge of the madness through the well known green flame of the floo network. Several chimneys adorned the wall near the false-wall muggle train station entrance. All of them were seeing a great volume of use at the moment, as last minute families flooded into the station, rushing to get on the train.

John was no exception as he cut straight through the crowd and into the train. He was carrying a well polished black leather suitcase with his name stitched into the handle, in each hand. Body odor and perfume overwhelmed his senses upon reaching the top step onto the train car. His senses were sharper than most, courtesy of having a familiar werew- Yoruichi is a cute cat. His thoughts got a bit foggy for a few moments and he had to breathe slowly through his mouth to try to ward off the coming migraine this mixture of scents was inevitably creating.

He walked forward slowly, examining the names his glasses showed in the private rooms. If he was going to be on this train for the next several hours, he might as well find someone fun to sit with. He was almost at the end when he found someone fun, two someone's actually.

Harry Potter and Peter Pettigrew.

Sure, Ron was there too, but he didn't qualify as fun or interesting. Unfortunately for Harry, John had no intention of holding the savior's hand through his future years at Hogwarts. He also wouldn't be telling anyone he saw Pettigrew, though he was uncertain as to why he needed to keep it secret.

A few doors down led him to the back of the train car. On one side was Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom, while on the other side sat Padma and Parvati Patil. Trusting his instincts to avoid Hermione, he opened the right side door. "Hello, my name is John Silverwood. May I join you? The train has gotten quite full."

"Of course. I'm Padma Patil and this is my sister Parvati Patil. We're twins."

It was clear that they were twins. The two Indian girls had long black plaited hair with very pinch-able cheeks. John at opposite of them and watched as his cat familiar jumped out of his shadow to snuggle with the twins.

"I hear twins have twice the luck, it must be for your pleasure that I came to sit here." He grinned and gave them a wink. "That's my familiar Yoruichi, she knows a quality lap when she sees one. You'll have trouble getting her off you later."

The cat was already laying on half of each girl's lap, purring happily as they pet her. The two girl's blushed as Parvati spoke up, "It is our pleasure your here, wait- no it's for your pleasure we're here wait.... he tricked me" They all started laughing, with the ice now broken between them. It was going to be a fun train ride, even if he couldn't really remember how he knew these two ladies.

*** Shyarly ***

The streets of Diagon Alley were considerably more vacant with the children leaving for school today. Even Knockturn Alley, where Shyarly was just leaving, looked deserted. She was using an innate mermaid magic to transform her bottom half into legs while she wore a long dark-violet robe to hide her appearance.

Mermaids were a cursed creature that could take the form of humans, to help take their lives. Though, for every moment she stayed as a human, she felt the burning suffocating pain of drowning. Even after the humanization ritual.

Her steps remained paced as she left Knockturn Alley and went inside Gringotts. The main entrance stationed an increase in security from her last visit but she didn't notice any change with the tellers. She didn't doubt, after that break in, that they also increased their vigilance. The head teller was available, so she went directly to him.

"Fair morning Griphook, I have an appointment with Spinebreaker, may I head to the meeting room."

She held her master's vault key for the head goblin to scrutinize. The vault keys work for identification while in Gringotts. If a person is dumb enough to lose their key, they were dumb enough to lose their valuables anyways. Therefore, Gringotts takes no responsibility in maintaining additional security checks. The only laws in violation for that kind of theft are governed by each governments laws, and are not any concern to the goblins.

"Proceed to the third room on the right."

"May your gold flow as rivers."

"May your enemies drown in their own blood."

The two smiled as she walked past his desk and into the meeting room, he was as efficientas always. She immediately took out her pipe, pointing it downward, and blew. A ball of water, more than a meter in diameter, engulfed her lower half as she returned to her true form. She floated the water over to the only table in the room and took out numerous papers and binders.

The door on the other side of the room opened a few minutes later. A young looking goblin, not too many warts or scars, walked in. He wore the standard uniform of a Gringotts goblin with a gold-inlaid blood-red pauldron on his left shoulder. This was no mere teller, but a commander. He sat opposite her, and adjusted a monocle before speaking.

"Your warning, about the future break in of vault 713 has been deemed a kindness by his majesty, King Gringott XII. In return I, Commander Spinebreaker, will facilitate your requested transactions."

Wizards don't tend to realize how much the goblins possess. Nor how much can be bought from these magical creatures, if you're on their good side.

First, she took out two pieces of parchment. One with the names of extinct houses written on both sides and the other with the names of incomplete houses. An extinct house is when there are no living members for five generations and no descendants to carry the name because they likely married into other families. The magic that binds a noble title to a family's blood only allows someone to be attached to one noble title at a time. That's why it's Harry Potter, and not Harry Potter-Peverell-Gryffindor-etc.

An incomplete house is usual a family that was elevated to noble status but died before they completed all their paperwork to officiate their new status. There were a lot of those because ministers would use this privilege to elevate muggle born witches and wizards during wartime. Gaining many loyal, indebted, allies.

Shyarly was buying the right of relation. The Goblins would tie the records of these noble families magics to her master's, forever marking himself and his children as having some relation to these families. This would allow him to claim legal citizenship and enter into the countries these families had status in. John needed this if he wished to freely travel around the world. Or at the least it would make it easier to travel outside Europe.

The next purchase was for as many of those families liquidated assets as were available, especially the Grimoires. She knew they wouldn't be getting some revolutionary artifacts but that didn't matter. Their mansion was bare and needed a lot of stuff. And wizards loved filling their vaults with some of the most random stuff. As John put it, it's like playing a gacha.

The final purchase, the main reason she needed to get on their good side and why they compromised John's future knowledge, was for a cup in the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange. Had professor Quirrell been caught, who knows how that would change future events. They deemed the risk worth it. John didn't have any other future knowledge about the goblins to get on their good side. Even knowledge about the sword of Gryffindor was irrelevant with its ability to teleport on a whim.

"You want to take something from a vault someone else owns?" The voice of the goblin was like a growl coming out of a clenched mouth.

"No. I want to buy something the goblins own, that is being held in a vault Bellatrix rents." She worded this carefully because she knew how unforgiving goblins were about theft. "No witch or wizard may OWN any dark magic item on the Ministry's list of banned dark artifacts. This includes a horcrux. Since she, literally, cannot own it, and it's in your caverns, who does it belong to?"

Commander Spinebreaker's smile was answer enough.

*** John ***

John was surprised to be having an actual fun time with these girls. Thankfully he trusted his instincts. They were quickly becoming friends by swapping stories with him about their childhood. He had been in India long enough to know they practice the greatest magic of all, tantric magic, but the fact their mother was a practitioner led to some exciting stories. They just finished telling him about the male stripper show they got for their eleventh birthday when a knock came at the door.

"Um excuse me, I- I'm Neville Longbottom and I've lost my pet frog, T- Trevor. Have any of you seen a frog?"

A slightly chubby boy with a round-face stood in the doorway. The shy child kept looking downward, showing off his dirty blond hair. He was already dressed in his school robes, something they should do soon.

John and the girls shook their heads in the negative. Just because they hadn't seen the pet didn't mean they couldn't find it.

[Jagamine aspectu]

John stared into Yoruichi's eyes and used a spell through his glasses. His right hand stroking the edge of his lense. This would temporarily allow his cat to see as if looking through his glasses.

"Yoruichi, go find Trevor." John turned away from his familiar, stood up, and spoke to Neville. "Neville, take a seat, my familiar will find your lost pet. By the way, I'm Johnathon Silverwood. This beautiful lady is Parvati Patil, and this stunning lady is Padma Patil. They're twins."

He gestured to the blushing maidens, then

offered the seat next to himself, motioning the boy to sit. It was like trying to cajole a cat. Neville seemed really uncomfortable, taking baby steps forward before remembering he wasn't the only one searching.

"I - I need to tell Hermione. She's helping finding- to find Trevor. I'll be back in a minute. Thank you."

"Poor boy, losing his frog must've made him a nervous wreck." Parvati speculated after Neville left.

"Agreed. What was that spell you used? It's not in our textbooks. I already read them." Padma was looking inquisitive. She was clearly thirsty... for knowledge.

'Note to self: puberty is hitting hard. I thought things were 'taken care of' for reasons I cannot remember. I should seek some relief from... from.... who???'

John snapped back from his spaced out moment and addressed the question, not really looking at the girls. "I spent some time in Finland with a clan of Veela and merpeople. They have spells for all manner of clairvoyance. That's not just magic to look into the future, but all manner of perception magic. I put a spell on Yoruichi to help her perceive Trevor's location, if she gets close enough to him."

He only just started telling them about his time in Finland when the door reopened. Hermione Granger, according to his glasses, had a long fizzy mop of brown hair that really stood out from the boys short hair and the twins long stylish hair. Her and Neville's fair skin contrasted with John and the twins darker tanned skin.

"Neville said you had a way of finding Trevor?"

""""...""""

The girl didn't introduce herself or make any attempt at a greeting. Her lack of decorum was so stark to the noble upbringing and mannerisms of everyone present, it was actually funny.

" Hello there, I'm Johnathon Silverwood. This shocked lady is Parvati Patil, and this stunned lady is Padma Patil. They're twins. And you are?" John asked while holding out his hand.

"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger." She attempted to shake his hand.

"Charmed" He responded, bowed, and kissed the back of her hand. Once he straightened up, he gestured to the floor where his cat appeared, with a limp frog in her mouth. Yoruichi immediately spit it out and went to the twins laps. "And that's Yoruichi, my shadow cat familiar."

"Trevor!" The boy yelled out his pet's name before scooping it up and profusely thanking John. John was more concerned about the fact the frog was in Yoruichi's mouth, who knows where that thing's been.

Contemplating Yoruichi's oral health led him to miss Neville's goodbye and Hermione's suggestion that they change into their robes.

"John. Johnnnn. It's inappropriate for a gentleman to be present when a lady is changing."

"Or were you hoping we wouldn't mind?" Parvati's grin as she teased him was far too reminiscent of a wolf... or a maid... his head was foggy, he couldn't quite remember. He blushed and left the room.

*** Lupusregina ***

"Name?"

"Lupusregina Beta"

"Affiliations and reason for entering France?"

"Familiar of Lord Silverwood, representing his business interests with the vampiric conclave in France. There should be a letter or package addressed to my master."

"Length of stay?"

"Hopefully, not more than two months."

"If your stay is to be beyond that, then you must file for an extension. Enjoy your stay, Milady Beta." The plain looking official then plucked an envelope shaped as a paper-plane flying overhead and handed it to her.

"I shall." She accepted the envelope, stamped with the symbol of the conclave, and left the 'International arrivals' counter.

Lupusregina stretched her back, arms and legs. She had been standing in line for over an hour after using the official portkey to enter France. She was right behind a traveler with no paperwork, and apparently amnesia. It wouldn't have been so bad had she thought to do that. Watching these well maintained official looking people struggle to stay composed and not tear out their hair was at least a little entertaining.

She walked through the French Ministry, following signs towards the immigrationand citizenship offices. A soothing aroma wafted off the many exotic plants placed in the lobbies and hallways. She passed through opened glass doors that arced up high, letting paper planes fly freely through. The walls held pictures and biographies of the most influential members of the current French ministry. An oddity after having passed through the British ministry that seemed to idolize its past, and current, ministers exclusively.

The process to acquire dual/multi citizenship was even more time consuming and less entertaining. She had no idea what Shyarly actually accomplished in her transactions with the goblins, but apparently she made a six month bureaucratic process only take 3 hours. With her paperwork done, she could not leave this place fast enough.

Once outside, she found a quote bench to sit down at and broke the seal on the envelope. Inside, was a newspaper detailing a werewolf attack that occurred a week ago. As well as a sealed bottle of short grey hair labeled Greyback.

Finding werewolves has never been difficult, it's killing them that's the problem. Powerful physique, magic resistance, and some were even magically trained. They are a threat. Worse still, they are pack hunters, and that's before their infectious bite is considered. She grabbed her silver scepter and held it horizontally, tapping the bottle to it as she spoke.

[Avenseguim]

The hair in the bottle started striking a single point, trying to return to its owner. She wrote down her location and the direction the hair was pointing.

Unfortunately for Greyback, Lupusregina was not a novice at hunting these curs. In fact, she enjoyed it. And as any seasoned hunter could attest, it's all about the bait. That's why she left the magic side of London and started to explore amongst the muggles.

It took her a couple hours to find a street gang but she figured if she traveled down enough back alleyways eventually someone would meet her standards. Most people were just too moral to be brutally killed off. Most, but not all.

A group of ten, armed and vulgar looking thugs, surrounded her. She didn't listen to what they had to say, but did check to make sure they were alone. She took out her silver scepter, a foci easily mistaken for some religious trinket by muggles, and channeled the aura of her many slain werewolf preys.

The muggles fell unconscious, some even began to foam at the mouth. The horror of hundreds of werewolves growling at them proved to much. She lifted up their shirts, made a small cut above their hearts, then took out several ounces of silver dust.

[Sanguine Infund]

The silver dust was safely absorbed into the bloodstream of each gangster.

She healed the cuts, dressed them back up, and checked Greyback's hair. Again she noted the location and direction his hairs were trying to go.

After consulting a map, and triangulating approximately where the hairs want to go, she had a fair idea of Greyback's location. She opened the bottle and tied one hair to each of the gangsters head's. This would subtly lead them to Greyback. She then apparated, and [Enervated], the gangsters around a three square mile perimeter she judged her prey to be at.

Her bait would be running around the area her target was at for the next few days. And more importantly, the full moon nights.

The hunt had begun.

This freed her to search for her other target. The greatest alchemist in the world, Nicolas Flamel. But how to find someone with hundreds of years of hiding experience? You don't.

She had two viable options. Guess where he'll be and get lucky, or start a plague. As the premier alchemist he'll have to help find a cure. Hopefully. Probably.... doubtfully.

OK, she had only one viable option. Blind guessing.... these options suck.

She could walk around hoping to find the alchemist or try getting his attention through his interest, alchemy. The latter was more appealing. If she could make contact with the head alchemist of Beauxbatons Academy, a place Flamel regularly donates too, maybe she could get his attention. A bit of a long shot, but at least it gets her closer to her goal, and she knew of an extremely rare branch of alchemy.

Lupusregina took out a magic book labeled 'Community'. It was an plain brown book. She went to a page with Shyarly's portrait frame and spoke to the empty portrait.

"So I have an idea on how to find N.F., but I need some of our failed homunculus samples. Thanks."