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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 9:24:28 GMT -5
Nathaniel walked up to the Ritcher manor and knocked, hoping that Derek would be there so he could get this over with as soon as possible. It would not be pleasant to deliver the news that his friend had uncovered. Nathaniel steeled himself and after a while, knocked once more.
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 20:22:54 GMT -5
Lianora looked up from her book at the sound of a knock on the front door. The house elves were napping; she required them all to have a rest period in the middle of the day, so they wouldn't tire themselves out and so she could curl up with a book in peace for an hour or so without a hovering elf around her. She extricated herself from her comfy chair in the sunroom and strode softly to the front door, turned the handle and looked out at a dark haired, and very pale man.
"Can I help you, sir?" She blinked in surprise. Lianora wasn't expecting visitors today, and her son had visited just a couple days ago, and she had no clue who this man was. "Are you from the main office? I told Gerald that I'd try to make it back in Monday if the healer's cleared me to go back in..."
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 20:28:05 GMT -5
"My name is Nathaniel Hawkins, and I represent a friend of mine who was commissioned by Derek Ritcher to find someone. Is he here at the moment?I'm assuming you are Derek's mother, right?" Nathaniel took out a bottle of water from his robe and took a swig, and sighed.
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 20:37:13 GMT -5
Lianora intook breath sharply and narrowed her eyes, pressing her mouth into a firm line. "You better come in, Mr. Nathaniel Hawkins. This is a private matter. I am indeed Derek's mother, Lianora Ritcher." She stepped to the side to allow Nat to enter the foyer, thinking quietly to herself.
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 20:45:09 GMT -5
Nathaniel nodded and stepped into the foyer. "Mrs. Ritcher, recently, I met your son in Knockturn Alley, and we began talking. I mentioned that I have a friend with an uncanny talent for finding things. Your son became curious, and asked me more about him. The end result was Derek indirectly commissioning my friend to find an Aradan Ritcher." Nathaniel paused for a moment. "I have bad news."
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 20:54:03 GMT -5
As Nathaniel stepped inside, Lianora shut the door behind him and turned to face him, shaking her head as he spoke, in irritation with her son. What little color there was in her pinched, pale face drained completely, leaving her almost grey in pallor when Nathaniel mentioned her husband's name and 'bad news' in the same breath.
Drawing on the same strength she'd used for years to raise her son, run her department at the Ministry, and handle being the wife of a Hunter, Lianora held her head up proudly and met Nathaniel's eyes. "Tell me, Mr. Hawkins. What news did your source give you about my husband?"
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 21:05:57 GMT -5
"He found your husband. Aradan Ritcher is dead. He died in Russia. Apparently some sort of attack came while he was with the President of Russia. My source did manage to recover the body, and it is outside, in the van I came in. It looks like he was mauled though, which is odd, considering the circumstances. Perhaps the Russian President kept a few critters for entertainment that would be a bit dangerous, or something. If you wish for some time alone with the body, here are the keys." Nathaniel offered her a beaten-up-looking keyring with a few oddly shaped and a few normal keys on it.
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 21:11:00 GMT -5
Lianora's breath went out of her chest in a soft whoosh but she never changed her expression. "I see. I would like the whole story please." She reached up to take the keyring and kept her voice flat as she opened the door and stepped outside, gesturing Nathaniel to show her where the van was, her eyes cold steel.
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 21:18:47 GMT -5
"From what I understand, there was some sort of rebellion or something during Aradan's visit. In the process of this, he was killed by whatever creature attacked him." Nathaniel pointed to the van in the driveway, which looked just as beaten as the keyring, if not more so. "We do have a problem, though. My friend, in the process of retrieving the body, was injured, and while he escaped, he might have been seen and possibly tracked. Part of the terms of his service is that the recipient of his services must render an equally valuable service in return. I would be prepared."
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 21:28:34 GMT -5
Lianora clenched her fist tightly around the keyring, and turned her face to look at Nathaniel, the mask slipping and cold fury showing in her eyes. "Your friend will be well taken care of. If my life is forfeit to repay him for his services, then it will have to wait until after my husband's family has had time to grieve and place him in the ground. As it is... Accio Parchment."
A piece of paper flew out one of the open windows of the manor and into Lianora's hand, where she waved her wand over it, muttering as she waved, a thin script scratching across the page. "Where is your friend now and what is his name, Mr. Hawkins?"
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 21:34:50 GMT -5
"His name is Jacob. Beyond that, I can't say, because after knowing him for a decade, I still don't know what his last name is. Here, write down this number. You can punch it into a muggle phone, and leave a message with your name, and he will contact you. He's a bit keen on secrecy, to the point of being almost obsessive-compulsive." Nathaniel dug out a scrap of paper with a number on it, and handed it over. "If you need to use my phone, you can." Nathaniel offered Lianora a muggle cell phone that had an odd-looking glowing cell spliced onto it where the battery would normally be.
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 21:39:39 GMT -5
Lianora's anger was masked once more as she looked at the object with an odd look but dialed the number nonetheless, as she strode towards the van still. As the phone rang, she took some deep breaths to get herself back under control and calm the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach as she reached the van.
"Hello?" She said gently into the reciever when the line was picked up.
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 21:43:37 GMT -5
A masked voice offered no greeting, but immediately began giving instructions. "If your call is in regards to initiating my services, leave your name and a date of contact. If your call is regarding services completed, leave your name only. Record your message at the tone." A beep sounded out.
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Post by lianora on Dec 14, 2008 21:51:43 GMT -5
"Lianora Ritcher, Head of Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. You finished a job initiated by my son. All contacts regarding this matter are to be made with me and me alone now. He is no longer a part of this. Contact me by owl or in my office." Her tone was clipped and curt, showing she had experience dealing with the shady sort of people many times. She snapped the phone shut and turned it over to look at the cell curiously.
"Unless authorized, modifying Muggle objects is against Ministry decree number 415, Nathaniel...." She placed the phone in his hands gently. "Anyone but myself would haul you in. Just for something to peck out, buzzards." She spat as she gripped the handle of the van in her hand firmly. But she could make her arm move to pull the handle and tug the door open. She didn't want to see her husband's dead body.
Lianora stood there and glared at her hand, willing it to move, when she knew that she wasn't going to just yet.
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Post by nathanielhawkins on Dec 14, 2008 21:58:17 GMT -5
Nathaniel glanced at the phone. "Wizards and muggles alike cripple themselves because of self-imposed limitation. You could turn me in, of course. I can't promise I'd stay in, though, or that there wouldn't be due repercussions. I must say though, that the time will come when those smart enough to do so will cast off those limitations that serve no purpose other than restraint for the sake of restraint. This cell phone is simply a prototype of many experiments. If the Ministry of Magic knew what we were doing, they'd probably have us all arrested and mind-wiped." Nathaniel laughed coldly, and produced his wand, muttering something while pointing it at the phone. The cell attached to the back of the phone glowed visibly brighter. "My friend should contact you again sometime today."
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