The Alley of the Shadow of Death

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Scott Anderson

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Scott exited the Ministry of Magic quietly through a back doorway which led in to a small alley which muggles seldom, if ever, frequented. It was quiet this evening, and the cool night's breeze greeted Scott's senses happily. Scott was quite glad to finally be out of the ministry. It was late, quite late. Scott had stayed behind after sending the rest of his department home to finish up a lot of paperwork of his own. This was his latest night going home this week, but he hoped that after this big case the department would settle down for a while and he could refocus some more energies on hunting down Death Eaters, not just cleaning up after them.

Scott's cloaks billowed in his wake as his footsteps echoed back to him from the buildings which leaned in toward the alley on either side. He was sure, if it weren't for a few charms the Ministry had placed, all these buildings would have collapsed quite some time ago. He looked up over one particularly slanted building toward the moon above his head. Smiling faintly, he stood still a moment and closed his eyes, enjoying his moment of tranquillity.
 
The day had so far dragged, everything had been arranged for the killing of none other than the head auror himself and though Thorine would have preferred the victim to be the ever annoying Nicolas King she had been told to make do with Scott Anderson. In truth it wasn't so much making do, it was simply that the guy was more important, a bigger fish one whose death would be sure to up scuttle the ministry for a long time to come. They all seemed in denial of the Death Eaters exploits, burying their heads in the sand wishing that all stories were simply that stories and not fact. The aurors worst nightmare had returned slowly, building up momentum like a tsunami and now tonight the DE would be striking at the brains of the ministry, the best of the best Scott Anderson.

It seemed like the time would never come as she kept herself well out of view near the end of the alleyway that their surveillance had assured them Scott would take. The baby within her was thankfully asleep now as if the blighter knew that death was near, could smell it and relishing the sensations had fallen asleep with them. At last she saw him and took up her position feigning a weakness hunched by the wall, a hand covering her swollen belly she groaned softly to get his attention. Her beautiful porcelain face, so damn angelic in the dimmed street light turned to look at him, her emerald eyes pleading for his help. What sucker could ignore a lady in distress, especially a pregnant one?
"Please" her voice was soft yet held a painful twinge to it, her skills as an actress seemed down right amazing. All he had to do was take the bait, come closer like the fly to the spider.
 
Scott was taking deep breaths, allowing the cool night air to refresh his inner being, sink in to his body, then be expelled once more only to be replaced by another flow of air. He quite enjoyed being out of doors, feeling connected to the world around him and letting the magic of the universe flow in and out of him as freely as it did all the magical creatures he'd heard of in school. Little did the man know, that if certain persons had their way, this night he would become one once more with the same universe he found such great pleasure in.

Sensing movement, Scott roused himself from his trance under the moon and looked toward where the movement had been. Seeing a woman standing where moments earlier there had been none, alarm ran through Scott's body. She spoke to him, calling out for help. He scanned her a moment, quite uneasy. This couldn't be a muggle, he'd never seen a muggle here. He knew she didn't work for the ministry, and he also knew she hadn't been in the alleyway when he'd entered it. How could she just suddenly be there, and claiming such distress? Scott took a step toward the woman, then drew back. 'No self-repecting witch would be caught dead in this alley, alone, at this hour.' Scott told himself, reaching for his wand at his side. Perhaps this was one of those hag's he'd offended quite some time ago, having imprisoned some of their numbers for child-eating, who was now in disguise? That explanation seemed just as logical to him as any other. "I'll need to know who you are." Scott stated, his suspicion and mistrust being quite evident in his tone, he saw no need to conceal anything from this woman.
 
Jonathan was chosen to accompany Thorine to the kill. His instructions were clear -- Thorine was to kill Scott Anderson, he was to assist in any way needed. There was concern because of her pregnancy, and he was to be aware of any thing that might happen to harm the Zhefarovich child. The assignment was huge, and he was not going to mess this up at all. The child would be safe no matter what might happen.

Standing in the shadows of the alleyway, he watched as Thorine feigned pain to gain their target's attentions. True to form, the auror did not take the bait easily. Moving a bit closer, wand at the ready, Jonathan stayed to the shadows, not drawing attention to himself. He could easily have taken him out with a quickly cast spell, but that was not the plan and he kept his wand still. Thorine was skilled beyond anyone he had worked with before, and she would be able to dispatch with the menace in short order.
 
She had known as sure as the baby within her started to waken that the auror would not be so easily swayed, for all their goodness they were the most suspicious bunch of idiots she had ever come across. With a tender hand on her stomach she moved into the light so he could see her clearly. To any man she was beautiful and being heavily pregnant she simply glowed. How was the man before her to know that she glowed with the excitement of the kill, that she was so psyched up her unborn child could feel it too and kicked her as she moved, as if he wanted in on the action as well. Thorine inwardly smiled, wanting to croon to her unborn baby that all was well. Outwardly she grimaced stumbling slightly so that her silver grey robes flowed out about her to reveal properly her pregnant form.

"Antonia Carrow" she told him breathlessly, there was truth enough there Antonia was her middle name as Carrow was her mothers name, "Was... in too much pain. I apparated too far ..." her voice was so full of pleading and innocence how could he doubt her sincerity any longer. Thorine Dolohov was famous in DE circles not only for her delight in the kill but in acquiring wands from those she murdered. She had every intention of taking Scott's by the end of this night, another trophy for her collection and another name to her list of victims.
 
Scott heard movement behind him, taking his eyes off of the woman for a moment he spun around. His eyes moved from one brick wall the next, but nothing seemed to be different, no other living soul in sight. Shadows seemed to have shifted to him, for a moment, but then he wrote it off as nothing, the moon's natural movement or a cloud could have caused the shift in shadows he suspected. Sighing, he turned his gaze, and his wand, back to the woman before him as she explained herself. He knew she hadn't apparated, there had been no crack in the alleyway. No sound at all to trumpet in her presence to him, only a simple cry for help. A cry for help, which now more than ever seemed feigned to him.

"Antonia Carrow," Scott repeated her name to himself under her breath. If she'd lied about apparating, this name was likely a lie as well, but perhaps it was an alias. He could check it out when he returned to the office the next day, he was sure. Taking two steps further toward the end of the alley, and thusly away from the woman, Scott stopped abruptly and turned back, "I would like the truth in exchange for my assistance, Ms. Carrow." He explained as he took another step forward, "Now if you truly need my help, I need to know why that is." It was in moments like these that Scott wished more than anything else that he had trained to be an Legilimens, he wished he could see in to the minds of others and not always have to solely rely on his own gut instinct.

Wand still at the ready, Scott stood in silence, facing away from the woman, and listening for any, no, all movement. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, but would help this woman if she needed it more than he suspected.
 
The shadows were a Death Eater's best friend. Valcan embraced them, watching the play unfold. Thorine was a fine actress. The supporting cast waited patiently for the climax, the moment that defined tragedy. Leaning into the derelict building, his large fingers took hold of his wand. One less auror in the world would be much cause for celebration.
 
Jonathan moved a bit closer, staying in the shadows still for the time being. Slowly making his way into position, he covered the two exits closest to the auror -- back into the building and the opposite end of the alley. His wand was in his hand, ready to fire at any moment. Thorine was able to captivate any man, the auror really stood no chance against him, however, Scott seemed to sense the presence of others. Jonathan had trust that Thorine would be able to lure him in, keep his attentions focused on her until she was ready to dispatch with him once and for all.
 
The man was an insufferable bore and it took all her patience not to yawn loudly at him, at least with Nicolas King she could have been ensured of a decent play from the get go. This fuddy duddy was no fun at all. Thorine watched him turn and walk away rather rudely for a goody two shoes, so much for helping the helpless. Did he want her to stick her pregnant belly in his face and say here's the reason I'm in pain? But then he turned back to her expecting the truth, she looked at him as if he was the last person in the world who deserved the truth but perhaps the truth was exactly what he needed.

His back to her now, she stood up straight and down into her hands her wands slid effortlessly as she summoned them from the sheaths on her arms non verbally. Her hood fell away from her glorious face as her emerald eyes sparkled dangerously.

"The truth Scott Anderson is that I am Thorine Antonia Carrow-Dolohov" every man or woman she had ever laid to rest had known her name, it was the last they usually uttered before the final blow came, her face the last they saw before they were taken to the spirit world, "Your assistance is not required... but your life is."
She crouched slightly into a fighting stance, her wands armed and ready as she cast the first shot at the foolish auror for turning his back on her.
"Deprimo"
 
Scott stood firmly in place as he heard, and imagined, the shadows behind him moving about, in to a position it seemed. Each communicating with the others in the hopes that Scott would be unaware of the situation he now found himself in. He closed his eyes for a moment to allow his ears greater focus. As the woman through off her guise she stood straight and he heard two sliding, then two grasping sounds. Wands? No. Who used two wands? Two people? No, it came from the same spot. As Thorine spoke shivers ran down Scott's spine 'Move. Now.' he told his body. Quickly he ducked away into a shadow and caught the tail end of the spell Thorine had cast at him. Turning to face her again he shook his head gravely. " 'Please,' indeed." Scott mocked as he twirled his wand weightlessly in his own hand and approached the woman, aiming it at her chest, now mere paces from where she stood.

Scott smiled, he hadn't seen excitement in the field since becoming head of the Auror department. He hoped he wasn't rusty, but he trusted his instincts regardless. "You can tell your would-be accomplices to reveal themselves now." Scott stated coldly, realizing now he should not have dismissed the movement of the shadows earlier on. It seemed he was rustier than he'd imagined. "I take it you already know who I am, then?" Came Scott's question as he flicked his wand effortlessly toward Thorine, sending a short stunning spell her way. He didn't want to harm her until he knew who else he was up against.
 
Now the game was on, the little mouse ducked from the spell to hide in the shadow before returning. Her eyes flamed as she saw him point his iddy biddy wand at her. Amusing, highly amusing. She knew she did not have to say anything to her comrades, they knew exactly their own minds and what they had to do. If they wished to reveal themselves well and good but they certainly didn't have to do it because old rusty breeches in front of her ordered it.

"Know who you are? You are the chief quill pusher for the aurors" she wanted to laugh at his attempt at stunning her as she waved it off almost too easily. Unlike her opponent she was not rusty, pregnant perhaps but far from rusty. Too long now in the field, she was well oiled in the art of war and this to her was simply another battle in the war the Dark Lord had started long ago. She wanted to show him that they meant business so setting the spell to shoot just past his head Thorine cast Confrigo with ease, blasting a nearby street lamp. Perhaps now he would throw something better than a stunning spell at her.
 
Jonathan couldn't help but feel the excitement of the impending kill, even if he was not able to do throw the final curse. The auror moved into the shadows a mere foot away from him. "Maybe we don't want to reveal ourselves from the shadows, Scott," he leered in a low voice, his British accent coloring his words. Taking his wand, he brushed it along the man's throat, then stepped back, waiting for the next spell to be cast at him. The mask on his face was warm, his pulse racing from the excitement of the hunt. Jonathan loved to toy with his prey, and though this was Thorine's kill, it wasn't above him to play just a little bit.

Hearing the blonde blast a street lamp, Jonathan decided to take his own shot at the man. "Expelliarmus" he cast quickly, hoping his aim was true, and the man's wand would no longer be in his hand.
 
Two against one, in his mind, was cowardly and fitting for their kind. "Then you will realize why I have to take you in to the Ministry." Chief pusher indeed. She was far more ignorant than he had first suspected. This was not the first time he had been against such numbers. The threat of a wand against his throat caused him to jerk, he cursed himself. Too many days spent behind a desk and not enough in the field were slowing him down. Gone was the reaction time of his youth, indeed he could feel a cold sweat break out on his forehead.

Scott no longer felt the rush of excitement, instead trepidation filled the once rock steady auror. Debris from the blasted street lamp caught him on the temple, blood trickled, stung his eye. The simple, amateur spell, jerked the wand from his hand.
 
Thorine could not resist the laugh now, the man had just been freed of his wand like a stupid kid and this was the great head of the aurors? She felt keenly disappointed as well, as if he was simply easy prey now. Lifting both wands she looked at him with something close to pity.

"Farewell" she smiled once her laughter had died down and with a blinding flash she sent the infamous Dolohov curse his way. There was no hope for him now and Thorine smiled as the blinding bolt flew directly to him.
 
Watching Thorine attack her prey was inspiring. As soon as the wand was out of the auror's hand, she went in for the kill, using her family curse. Doing nothing but pushing a quill around had dulled the man's reflexes, and Jonathan was not able to contain his smirk behind his mask. Walking to the man after he fell, he kicked the cooling body of the former auror before picking the wand up off the ground. Using the man's own wand, Jonathan raised it to the sky, calling out, "Morsmordre!" and leaving their mark. He then turned to the skilled murderess, handing her the wand. "I believe this would be yours, m'lady." With a bow, he waited for her to claim her prize.
 
Thorine watched as Jonathan stepped up to create the dark mark, it seemed poetic that Scott's own wand be used to create it. A flicker of a smile crossed her features but was soon replaced by a distinct grimace. She looked to the shadows knowing Valcan was there as well, Thorine took the wand inclining her head respectively.
"Go now they'll be here soon enough" she warned pocketing the wand without looking at it before her hand instinctively went to her bump. This was no act, perhaps the excitement had been too much on the baby but something was not right and she needed to get out of here quickly.
 
Though he'd admired the Dark Mark on several occasions in his life, Valcan still appreciated its beauty. The sky-bound spectacle was not something Death Eaters could afford to be found under. They always had to move quickly. A rugged smile tore through his features. He gave the once animated body only a glance. An auror dead was much better than an auror alive.

Now that the charade was long over, Thorine had no reason to keep it up. The Norwegian wizard recognized that this was no act. If she wasn't taken out of here quickly, she would leave herself and the rest of her colleagues in jeopardy. Valcan would be damned if a pregnant woman spoiled their night.

Approaching the woman, he wrapped his arms around her. It was an awkward gesture considering her pregnant belly, but form wasn't something he was worried about at the moment. "You'll be taking a detour tonight, Dolohov," he snarled, a loud pop hailing their exit.
 
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