Saturday, July 19th, 2014. 12:53 AM.

  Malfoy Manor, County of Wiltshire, UK

  Luna waited alone in the fountain space. Demelza had Cloaked up and Apparated out before Wilberforce walked over to the door to put on his command performance. The Auror teams had hidden Disillusioned Sound-Baffling shelters strategically about the property. This let them Apparate freely without their distinctive sound signatures giving them away. It had been helpful when Draco explained that the wards only blocked Apparition onto the property, and into or out of the Manor. Once on the Estate, one could Apparate freely about, or even off the property.

  Wilberforce performed to perfection. His brolly hooked over his forearm, he patted the pockets of his waistcoat with that hand. His understated frown before he set the larger of the two packages down was masterful. He tucked the smaller under his brolly arm, freeing that hand to check the inner vest pocket on that side.

  Producing the embossed medallion that served Malfoy Manor as a key, he cast a last long look at the star-filled sky. He turned, touched the token to the correct spot, and was inside with the door closed behind him. It was so smoothly done, he almost appeared to have Disapparated.

  The Silently-cast Stunning Spell that was sent after him would have been too late, even if it had not fizzled out against the entryway's wards.

  A voice whispered, "I say, Old Bean, we should have taken him on the path, eh, what?"

  It was answered, at normal volume, by a cold voice, precise in its diction. "No need to whisper. The Manor is completely sound-proofed. I did not, however, know that the entry had its own set of wards. Taking him on the path would have done us no good, at least as far as access is concerned. Catching him just as the door opened was worth trying, though. Grozda, are the little monsters sensing anything?"

  "Nyet," replied an accented voice. "Nor am I not, either. Shall I be goink to set up vatch post?"

  "Yes. Luccio, with him. Marrissa, have them bring up the other monster's container."

  "Yes, Brother. Right away, Brother. Shall I fetch some polish to black your boots, since I am obviously now your lackey, Brother?"

  The voice almost hissed back. "Dark Fates damn you for a fool, girl! You could have stayed home. I wanted you to stay home. If you insist on being here, you can be of some damned use!"

  "I'm going," came the sulky reply. "Just remember, though, I'm not your serf. And I'm here because the last time you went haring off by yourself, I lost something very important to me. It sha'n't happen again."

  There came the sound of someone making entirely too much noise as they stalked away.

  "Tsk, tsk, Old Boy," came the plummy, put-on voice. "She's a bit on the shirty side, what? I'd tone down the old rhetoric, were I you. The distaff side of your family is nothing to be trifled with. Oh, she's no Lady Lucrezia yet, but the potential is not to be denied."

  He was ignored. "What does your familiar have to say?" the other asked.

  "Quiet as the proverbial mouse, Old Chap. She's going to stay on high cover, though. This blighted Niffler doesn't take teasing as calmly as the black 'uns."

  "Hmph." The cold voice went on. "Go about and make sure the teams are ready to go if we get a breach. Remind them to uncloak or dispel their concealment magic before advancing."

  "Indeed! What do the Yanks call it? Blue on blue? Friendly fire? None of that, Old Mhap, none of that, at all, at all. Shame we couldn't bring one of the Eaters. Some of the lads' and lasses' Concealment Magic isn't all that."

  "The Containment Array still needs repair, and we need an all new central node. Father is out searching for suitable materials, as am I, when I have time. We do what we can with what we have. Get going."

  The affected posh accent changed to an affected yokel accent. "Och, aye, M'Laird. You'm pay no 'tention to old Ship, 'ere. Ee'l be after them lot, strait 'way."

  There was a sound of someone moving off, using much more care than had the one called 'Marrissa.'

  "Insolent peasant," came a mutter.

  Minutes passed before more noises were heard. This sounded like a group of three or four. One person was striding along imperiously, heels hitting the flagstones of the courtyard like a soldier on parade. The ones following were apparently rushed, out of breath, gasping and muttering sotto-voce curses. There was also a very muted sizzling, crackling sound, and a faint whiff of ozone.

  Luna put on her SpectreSpecs for a moment, then removed them. Her heightened sensitivity let her see, not shapes, but places where shapes could have been. A slight glow of the Colour of Magic showed as a moving patch on the ground. Luna assumed a Demiguise Cloak or some such had been thrown over a Niffler cage.

  "We'll have to uncover it to get it out. And it is not happy." This was from a new voice.

  Another added, "Really not happy."

  And a third. "I find it hard to express the breadth and ominous depths of this creature's unhappiness. Is the young lord sure he wishes to attempt this?"

  "Is the harness on it?"

  "That it is, young lord. That appears to be one of the main issues..."

  "I do not give a single damn about the thing's 'issues.' Uncover it, attach the leads, and drag it up to the wards."

  "Very well, young lord, as you direct. We shall have to Unguise in order to coordinate our actions."

  "You are cloaked and cowled?"

  "Aye."

  "Then get to it."

  The concealment was removed first, displaying a moderately large Niffler cage. Some of its bulk seemed to come from material that padded out the bars of a standard cage into puffy sausages. The bars across the top of the cage were similarly treated, and there appeared to be a layer of the same material attached to the floor.

  The padding mostly blocked sight of the creature in the cage. Luna could see glowing yellow and red light leaking through, and electricity jumped between the bars almost continually, climbing like the arcs on a Jacob's Ladder.

  Three forms wavered into visibility, a manner of magic dispelling that Luna had never before seen. She assumed it was what one of the voices had described as 'Unguising.' The forms were shorter than she expected, not as short as House Elves, but not as tall as Goblins. She tentatively ruled out both, based on their speech. It contained neither the Third Person patterning of Elves, or the hoarse croaking of Goblins. They were possibly small people, dwarfs, or something else entirely.

  The three bustled about the cage, murmuring to each other so quietly, Luna could not make out words or language. They donned thick gloves, and each produced an animal lead of about two meters length. At first, Luna thought the leads were made of metal chain, but a flash of yellow light from between the bars showed the links to be made of some odd dark wood, as was the loop handle and the connector clip at the other end. The three began to slide the catches into the cage, working through a gap left above the door at the front. Their muttering grew more vehement, if not louder, as electricity arced and snapped at them. If it touched the gloves, there was no reaction, but apparently their robes did not provide as much protection.

  Two of the leads were snapped on at the level of the creature's neck, while the third was taken further to be attached to a spot that would be at the end of the spine. If, that is, this was some kind of Niffler, as Luna suspected.

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  When this was accomplished, the three wooden loop handles were laid on the roof of the cage, and the three robed figures stepped back, bowing slightly.

  "Well?" The crisp, somewhat cross voice said. "Get on with it!"

  The three short forms glanced at each other, then back to a spot in the empty air. The central one stepped forward.

  "Young lord, the Honour of our Clan requires we serve you. It does not requires that we sacrifice our Honour in that service. This beast has not attacked us, and, even should it, a quick, merciful death is all we would give to it. We shall not be a part of manhandling or coercing this creature. To do so would violate your father's Oath to us, and free us from our Clan Leader's Oath to him." He bowed and stepped back.

  The unseen one called Marrissa sniffed loudly. "Slaves should do as they're told."

  The three cowled heads pivoted as one, focused on the spot the voice had come from.

  "Shut UP, Marrissa!" A Silently-cast Stunning Spell snapped through the empty air. There was a short, wordless shriek, and a robed form appeared, crumpling to the ground, her own magic cut short.

  At the spot the spell came from, a robed man appeared.

  "Tribesmen," he said, then louder. "Tribesmen!"

  The heads rotated, reluctantly, back. Their posture seemed crouched, dangerous.

  The central one's head lowered slightly, jutting forth from his shoulders.

  "Slavessss?" He inhaled the final 's' as a hiss.

  The man hesitated, then spoke firmly. "That word was not said. Not by anyone that matters. Your Oath is to my Father, and through him to me. The speaker has been punished, and will be punished further, as the terms of our Oath provide. You will be asked to do no thing that impinges upon your Honour, or the Honour of your Clan. Is this as your Oath entails?"

  The two on the outside turned their cowls slightly, to gaze at the central figure, but he did not look back.

  After a moment, sounding reluctant, he said, "It is so. An' you abide by your Oath, we shall abide by ours."

  As the other two turned their head forward, he added. "It would be best that we see the Oathless One no more. It is not a person, it is a beast."

  There was a pause, then, "And if a beast attacks us, a quick, merciful death is all we will give."

  The man appeared to bridle, drawing himself up, then stopped. Slowly, his head under the cowl bent forward, more than a nod, much less than a bow.

  The three nodded back, and wavered out of sight. If they departed, they made no sound doing it.

  The man looked toward the form on the ground. It may have been invisible under the cowl, but Luna felt the disgusted look directed that way, even through the heavy fabric.

  "Shipton!" he called. A shuffling noise started up at the edge of the courtyard.

  "Drop the damn invisibility," the man snapped. "If all that didn't flush them out, then they're either oblivious still, or they've gone to ground. We'll winkle them out either way."

  Another robed man appeared. "Right you are, guv'nor." he said. This appeared to be his natural way of speaking when he wasn't having someone on. In a serious tone he went on.

  "They can't be expecting any help, like, can they?"

  The sneer was obvious in the other's voice. "A former Death Eater married to a known Blood-Traitor? Who would stoop to helping them?"

  Shipton nodded. "What shall we do about 'er?" He nodded at the robed lump on the ground.

  "First, can your familiar track the tribesmen when they're Guised?"

  Shipton nodded under his cowl. "That she can. Not by sight, mind, but she 'as 'er ways. I put 'er on to 'em when I heared th' row. They've set up out on th' property edge, like, watching out."

  "Good." The man's tone was brusque. "Get her home. If my father is home, tell him what happened, and tell him she has to be kept out of sight. If he isn't..." He paused, and sighed. "...tell my Lady Grandmother."

  Shipton shook his head, a shuddering motion by the movement of his cowl. "I've not much use for th' bint, but I'll hope for her sake that yer father's home. Her Ladyship...?"

  "Yes," the man said dispassionately. "Might be better to just turn her over to the tribesmen. Get on it."

  Shipton bent and hoisted the unconscious form without much effort, and Apparated away with a crackle.

  ***

  "Arturo! Stefano! To me!"

  Two robed figures trotted up, having already dropped their Invisibility.

  "Sì, Sabino?"

  "In inglese, idiota! I'm not my bloody grandmother! We're going to have to wrangle this damned thing ourselves!"

  Luna felt a jolt of triumph. It was him, verified!

  The two new men gave each other a look. One said, "You know how to do thees thing, fratello?"

  Sabino replied curtly, "I sat in on the handler's interrogation. He wasn't trying to hide anything. Basically, we just point the beast at the wards and choke it til it goes off."

  One of the men and Luna said at the same time, "Choke it?" Luna's more vociferous exclamation went unheard.

  "Oh, he talked some rot about getting better results by going pssht, pssht, pssht, and convincing it to discharge. Under duress, he admitted this way would work. Damned if I'm coddling any of these brutes."

  Luna was standing, unaware of how she had transited from sitting. Her face was bone-white except for two florid patches on her cheeks. Her wand was quivering in her hand, also to her surprise.

  Gradually, she fought her fury down. She watched the radiant Niffler being dragged from its cage. In full fury, it tried to swamp the area in lightning and force, but something dampened its powers. The snapping discharges and distortions of space were restricted to within inches of the creatures body. The harness bound around it left only its head free to move, even the paddle-like tail being strapped up under its belly. It did not drag along the ground, though. A wildly oscillating static charge kept it in the air, jerking up, down, and around, as it attempted to break free. The lightly built man at the rear kept being jerked up off his feet, before his weight brought the rear of the Niffler back down.

  "Over there!" yelled Sabino.

  Luna's mind worked frantically. Plan made, she Disapparated with a sigh.

  Appearing next to Demelza in the Sound-Proof shelter the Auror had designated as Command Central, she almost knocked Langarm over.

  "Can you hear them from here?" Luna demanded.

  "Not really. Can't use magic."

  "That Niffler is supposedly able to break down wards and walls. I've got to get it away from them."

  "Plan?" Demelza asked. Luna sketched it out quickly. Demelza nodded.

  "We'll get everybody ready to start casting. What's your marker going to be?"

  Luna looked around frantically, and tore a short twig with some greenery on it from a nearby shrub.

  "Good enough. Langarm, you head widdershins..."

  "Wait!" Langarm blurted. He snatched something from his web belt and handed it to Luna.

  "Dueling Gauntlets. Insulated against magic!"

  Demelza goggled at them. "Since when...? Never mind! Move out!"

  Luna was back in the fountain/gazebo less than a minute after she left. Throwing herself onto her back at the inside edge of the dome of water, she began casting spells on herself in quick sequence.

  Suitably Disillusioned, with only the tiny sprig of greenery visible, clutched to her midsection, she Levitated herself along at a snail's pace. Her passage through the dome went unnoticed, the water curving around her cross-section without wetting her. The three men were too busy trying to position the struggling Niffler to notice the tiny sprig of floating leaves.

  As she got closer, she began to feel Shields layering over her. They were rather hit or miss, some poorly aimed, so that they only covered one part or another of her body. But they kept arriving, and overlapping, so she was quite thoroughly covered.

  From out in the grounds, she heard shouts of alarm. Someone close enough to hear yelled, "Sabino, the Nifflers are going crazy!"

  "It's this damned thing!" Sabino shouted back. "Secure them, and gather to assault!"

  Luna angled in as the men stopped to allow Sabino try to bring order to the chaos. Sliding up under the hovering Niffler, she could feel the static field pressing dangerously down on her through the constantly renewing shields. She examined the harness as she centered herself. Two thick straps from the forward end met one coming from the rear, holding the beaver tail in place. At the join was some sort of of palm-sized locking mechanism. She brushed her gloved hand against it, and could tell the gloves had just shielded her from a massive surge of inimical magic. Touching the straps brought no such reaction.

  Moving on up, she eased under the eye-rolling thrashing head. The intruders were making enough noise that she felt safe in quietly intoning soothing words.

  "Pssht, pssht, pssht. It's going to be all right, pssht, pssht, pssht, I'm here, Sparky, pssht, pssht, pssht."

  The thrashing slowed, and she started stroking gently under the bill and down the neck. Even with the glove, actually touching the Niffler gave her enough of a shock that she had to force down spasms. She didn't want any rough treatment to upset the flow. The Niffler calmed enough to look down, rolling its head first to one side, then the other. It seemed to be able to see through her magic, and it gave her a pleading look, whining piteously.

  "Pssht, pssht, pssht. It's going to be alright, pssht, pssht, pssht, Bad men, bad robes, pssht, pssht, pssht. Pssht, pssht, pssht. Bad men, no faces, pssht, pssht, pssht, See the bad men, Sparky, pssht, pssht, pssht? See the bad men?"

  The Niffler looked directly into her eyes, then up and around. As Luna kept repeating herself, 'Sparky' began focusing on the men holding the leads, and the robed figures gathering on the courtyard pavers. The red spots on Sparky's cheeks began glowing, brighter and brighter, starting to look white-hot in the center.

  "Pssht, pssht, pssht. Get the bad robes, pssht, pssht, pssht, Get the no-faces, Sparky, pssht, pssht, pssht."

  Sabino finally got his people settled. "Here is close enough! At least the damned thing has settled down. Now, let's get it upset again!" He looked across to the man who held the other lead going to the choke collar. "On three!"

  Luna choked up on her wand until just the tip emerged from her grip to rest against one of the fore straps. Silently, she cast.

  Diffindo.

  "One!"

  Diffindo.

  "Two!"

  Diffindo...

  The Niffler's tail sprang free with enough force to knock the rear lead-holder off his feet. He lost his hold on the handle. The rest of the harness jerked away in pieces. Sabino and the other man lost their balance, and went staggering back.

  Sparky rose into the air, wreathed in lightning. It was chittering, loud as a scream. The same sound, over and over.

  "NEEKA! NEEKA! NEEKA-NEEKA-NEEEKA!!"

  Vortices of heat and electricity circled its cheek spots. They flared forward, and a robed figure convulsed so hard, Luna heard his spine CRACK! She didn't realized she had screamed until the words echoed in her ears.

  "GET 'EM, SPARKY!!"