"Nah, everybody is well aware of our neutrality, there is no way that . . ." he trailed off and the two of them stared blankly at the pile of dead men in black robes that had appeared in front of them. "I suspect that now would be a good time to call for backup."

"I suspect it would," the other agreed. "Do you think that Black would refrain from killing anybody else if we asked him nicely?"

"Can't tell a fish to stop swimming," the other shrugged. "Do you want to go back to headquarters or go up and interview Black?"

"Flip for it?"

"Sure," the man pulled a coin out of his pocket. "Call it in the air."

"Heads," the two men looked down at the coin. "Have fun with Black."

"Have fun with your report," he replied as his partner disappeared. "Why couldn't he have waited until the next s.h.i.+ft and saddled them with the paperwork?" The man shook his head

Walking slowly towards the hotel, the man racked his brain trying to think of a way that all this could be reported in such a way that n.o.body would demand the arrest of Mr. Black.

"Did you see that?" The shocked hotel clerk was staring out the window towards the pile of dead death eaters. "They just fell from the sky."

"Yes they did," the man agreed. "I'm a cop, don't go outside and don't leave. We'll have someone along to take your statement soon."

"O Ok," the clerk agreed.

"What room is Mr. Black in?"

"One moment," the shaken hotel clerk checked his records. "Room 1003."

"Thank you," the officer got in one of the elevators. "Tenth floor."

The ride up to the tenth floor pa.s.sed in silence and after the doors opened, the Swiss cop walked to the door to Harry's room and knocked.

"I've been expecting you," Harry greeted the man as he opened the door. "Would you like to come in or would you like me to come with you?"

"h.e.l.lo Mr. Black, my name is Willelmus Petersen, why don't you tell me what happened on our way to the lobby?" The Swiss cop suggested after taking a quick look around the room. "One way or another, I'm sure that you're planning to switch hotels anyway."

"Ok," Harry agreed to shoulder his pack. "It was the strangest thing, I was standing on my balcony eating a piece of chocolate and out of nowhere a group of death eaters appeared."

"Then mysteriously fell to their deaths?" Petersen asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It was the strangest thing," Harry agreed, "I don't even know how they were able to find me."

"Why would death eaters be looking for you Mr. Black?"

"They're always trying to kill me," Harry shrugged. "I just a.s.sumed that I was the target."

"I see," Petersen nodded happily, "that sounds like it should work. A car will arrive soon to give you a ride to a new hotel, we'll contact you again after we've had a chance to wipe this out of the hotel staff's memories."

"Ok," Harry shook his head. "All I wanted to do in Switzerland was to eat some chocolate and get a new watch, was that too much to ask for?"

"I don't believe it was Mr. Black, but one can't tell the death eaters to stop attacking when one wants."

"I know," Harry clenched his hands in silent frustration. "But I'm supposed to be on vacation and so far I haven't had a moment's rest."

"Looks like your car's here Mr. Black," Petersen pointed to a car parked in front of the hotel.

"Thanks," Harry shook the man's hand. "And have a nice night."

"You as well Mr. Black," Petersen replied, then watched Harry enter the car and drive off.

"Well?" Another man walked up. "What was his story?"

"He said that he had nothing to do with the pile of dead people," Petersen smirked. "To hear him tell it, they just appeared and fell to their deaths without any a.s.sistance."

"Story check out?"

"It did," Petersen chuckled. "I looked around the room and the only magical traces that I could detect was a homing spell on a pamphlet."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope," Petersen grinned. "When the French said that he could put upwards without being detected, I was a bit skeptical, but after tonight."

"Explains why they hired him to take a look at the new wards down in Italy."

"Sure does," Petersen agreed. "Why don't we see if we can trace the pamphlet and see if we can pick up whoever tried to plant it on Black before he finds them and arranges another . . . accident."

The two men went up to Harry's former hotel room and took a look around, "I don't believe it?" The second man called out in shock. "The pamphlet has a little stamp on the back telling where it comes from."

"Let me have a look at that," Petersen squinted at the stamp on the back of the pamphlet. "I know where he got this, we move in three, two, one."

The two men reappeared in front of a very familiar information counter. "Can I help you gentlemen?" The attendant asked nervously.

"I'm only gonna ask this once," Petersen growled. "Did you give a pamphlet with a homing charm on it to a man today?"

"I have no idea what you mean," the girl replied innocently. "Why do you ask?"

"Ok, if you don't know anything then I guess the two of us will be going." Petersen shrugged, "and I ask because a small pamphlet with a homing spell allowed a large group of death eaters to arrive from England to attack a man."

"How terrible," the girl shook her head. "But I still don't understand why you suspected that I might have something to do with this."

"Well after Mr. Black, that was their target's name killed them, my partner and I thought that his next target would be the person that gave him the pamphlet." Petersen shrugged, "and the two of us wanted to get a good look at them so that when the time came we would be able to identify the body."

"Not that it would help to get a look," the other man added. "I've heard that he likes to get messy sometimes and after seeing what he did to those death eaters . . ."

"You're bluffing," the girl began to sweat nervously. "And even if you weren't, I haven't done anything illegal."

"Such a shame that is," Petersen shook his head in mock sympathy. "I've heard that a nice safe prison cell is the best place to be if Black's after you and even if he isn't there's still the death eaters to consider. What do you think they will do when they find the person that led them into an ambush, but between the two of us Black's the one I'd be worried about."

The girl paused to think about things and shuddered at the images that her mind conjured up, "I'll talk, I'll give you my list of contacts, I'll confess to everything I've ever done. Just keep them away from me."

"I thought you said you didn't know anything?" Petersen asked innocently, "and that you didn't do anything wrong."

"Don't play with me," the girl retorted angrily. "This is my life we're talking about."

"I'd find it a lot easier to be sympathetic if you hadn't set a man up to be murdered." Petersen replied coldly, "that sort of thing annoys me. I suggest that you accompany us down to the station and I suggest that you don't even think about trying to lie to me."

"Ok," the girl deflated. "I already said that I'd tell you everything, just keep me safe."

"Touch this," Petersen pulled a b.u.t.ton off of his s.h.i.+rt. "It's a Portkey that will take us to HQ."

The woman complied and the three of them disappeared.

"Chief wants to speak with you Petersen," one of the officers looked up from his desk to address the new arrivals. "Who's your prisoner?"

"She helped set up the hit on Black," Petersen replied.

"And she's still alive?" The man looked at the prisoner with undisguised curiosity. "I'll take charge of her, you go talk to the chief."

"Put her in one of the singles when you're done with her," Petersen nodded. "And put up a suicide watch, I don't think Black will kill her after I said that we'd protect her but I'd also think that it would be best to be careful."

"Got it"

Petersen walked across the room to the office belonging to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement and Chocolate Inspection and gave a polite knock on the door, "you wanted to see me?"

"Come in and close the door behind you," the chief looked up from his desk. "Looks like we might have to arrest Black over what happened with the Death Eaters."

"Why?" Petersen stared at his boss in shock, "they tried to kill him and he defended himself. It's an open and shut case."

"I agree," the chief nodded. "But the British Minister has been complaining that we're letting the man who murdered several British citizens walk free, and he demands that we at least have a trial."

"We do that and the Judge would laugh us out of court," Petersen shook his head. "There isn't a shred of evidence that we could use against Mr. Black."

"What do you mean?" The chief leaned forward with growing interest.

"Black set everything up to look like an accident," Petersen smiled. "All I can tell from the evidence is that a group of death eaters forgot to check the location before they ported in, nothing directly points at Black doing anything."

"Then what makes you think that it wasn't an accident?"

Petersen glared at his boss, "I've been investigating murders since before you started your first year of school, and I've never seen anything like this."

"I'm not saying that you're wrong," the chief held up his hand. "I've already decided to tell the Brits that it was all a big accident and that a large group of men, some of whom large contributors to the reelect Fudge campaign. Had the bad taste to try pretending to be death eaters as some sort of prank because we know that I as influential and rich as they were would never support the Dark Thingy, all died in a tragic accident that Mr. Black had nothing to do with. I just want to know where Black slipped up."

"He didn't," Petersen replied with a laugh. "Sorry about criticizing you Hans but I thought that all this time in the office might have turned you dumb, Black asked for a room on one of the top floors with a balcony and just happened to be standing on it when they ported in. We know from the French that he can put up undetectable wards, and I suspect that he warded his hotel room and then walked out onto the balcony to watch the fun."

"Anything else," the chief grinned.

"He was eating chocolates to pa.s.s the time waiting for them to appear and he's thrown people off of buildings in the past," Petersen shrugged. "There is no way that the sequence of events leading up to this could be random."

"Thanks, Willi," the chief chuckled, "and thank Black for making things so easy if you get a chance. I've got to call the British and tell them about this tragic accident."

"Have fun with that Hans," Petersen chuckled. "And why don't you meet up with the rest of us for a few drinks if that idiot Fudge doesn't take too much of your time."

"I'll try Willi," the chief nodded. "And don't look so smug, it's your fault I have this d.a.m.n job."

"Not my fault that I was smart enough to turn it down and you weren't."

Scene Breaku003e

Harry awoke late the next morning and stretched. Walking to the balcony of his new room, he looked over the edge to ensure that a new group of death eaters hadn't ported in and fallen to their deaths while he was sleeping Harry smiled when he saw clean pavement without any bloodstains.

Dressing quickly and shouldering his pack, he left his room and went downstairs for breakfast, "good morning Mr. Black." A man greeted him as he stepped off the elevator.

"Good morning Mr. Petersen," Harry nodded to the Swiss Law Enforcement Officer. "Do you need me to answer any questions for your report?"

"No," Petersen shook his head. "All the evidence points to it simply being a tragic accident that you had no control over and as such all we need is the quick statement you gave last night."

"Thank you"

"No thank you Mr. Black," Petersen smiled. "I came here to do a favor for some of my countrymen in Italy, they wanted me to take you to meet the gnomes so that they could brief you on your new account."

"That was nice of them," Harry smiled. "Lead the way."

"Would you prefer a magical or non-magical form of transportation?"

"None," Harry smiled. "After seeing that accident last night, I'd rather take it safely for a few days."

"I'll call a car," Petersen nodded raised his hand to call the car. "How are you enjoying your trip to Switzerland?"

"From what I've seen it's a nice country," Harry shrugged. "After this I guess I'll get a new watch and head to Germany."

"Leaving so soon?" Petersen asked as they entered the car.

"No offense, but I'd rather not stay around after witnessing what happened last night." Harry resisted the urge to frown, after the appearance of the death eaters the Order was sure to follow. "I just want a quiet vacation and Switzerland is getting a bit too exciting."

"I understand," Petersen resisted the urge to laugh, Black had a great sense of humor. "Where are you planning to go next?"

"Germany," Harry smiled, "after that . . . who knows."

"I hear that Berlin is nice this time of year," Petersen remarked. "And Munich is also supposed to be a good place to see."

"Thanks," Harry nodded. "I don't have any plans yet, but it's nice to get ideas."

"Glad I could be of help," Petersen looked around as the car stopped. "It looks like we've arrived."

The two of them exited the car and Petersen led Harry through an impressive set of doors, past the main floor, and to a door marked private. "Just go in and tell them who you are," Petersen nodded towards the door. "I've got to get back to work, have a nice day Mr. Black."

"You as well," Harry nodded back, and knocked on the door."

"Yes?" A short man with a large pair of gla.s.ses answered the door.

"My name is Mr. Black," Harry looked down at the man. "And I was told that I was supposed to have a meeting with the Gnomes?"

"Right this way," the man replied briskly and opened the door wider to allow Harry to enter.

"I don't want to sound foolish," Harry began. "But why is a bank being run by gnomes and not goblins?"

"It's not being run by Gnomes Mr. Black," the man replied evenly. "That's just a nickname used by some of the more ignorant members of society for the bankers here, as for why this bank is run by humans and not goblins." The man paused, "we've never been forced to allow a monopoly to stop a war."

"Oh," Harry thought about things for a few minutes. "Thank you for the information, and sorry about calling you a gnome."

"That's quite alright Mr. Black," the small man replied with a bit of warmth. "So long as it wasn't a deliberate insult, I see no reason to take offense."

"So how does the bank here work?" Harry asked curiously.

"The same as a non-magical bank would," the small man replied. "We are currently in the magical section, you entered through the non-magical section. We see no reason to limit our customer base and our accounts can be accessed by both magical and non-magical methods."

"That's useful," Harry nodded. "What are we going to discuss at our meeting?"

"It might be best to wait until we reach the privacy of my office before we talk about that," the small man replied. "I do not mean to say that the bank is unsafe but . . ."

"It's best not to take chances," Harry agreed. "I understand, it's a sensible policy."

"I'm glad you think so," the small man nodded opening a door. "After you."

"Thank you," Harry nodded walking into the room and taking a seat.

"First let's get your account balance," the man pulled a small piece of paper out of his desk. "It will display your current balance broken down into subsections of how much of what type of currency with a total in CHF at the end."

"CHF?"

"Confederation Helvetica Franc," the banker smiled. "After that I have a small message that I'm to relay to you from several casinos in Monte Carlo."

"Thank you," Harry replied taking the paper. "Is this correct?"

"Down to the last decimal point," the banker nodded. "The Casinos wish to thank you for your efforts on their behalf and the trust you showed by not immediately accepting your winning, and as a small gesture of appreciation they have awarded you a small percentage of stock."

"How much?"

"About one-fifth of one percent of all the casinos in Monte Carlo," the banker shrugged. "It's not much, but it does provide a small income." The banker carefully avoided mentioning that the deal would benefit the casinos immensely, after all, who would try to cheat a place that they knew was partially owned by the infamous Mr. Black.

"Anything else?" Harry asked quietly, still stunned by the amount of money in his new account.

"Not unless you have some questions for me Mr. Black," the banker shook his head.

"Not right now," Harry blinked and looked at the figure written on the piece of paper again. "I guess I'll be going then."

"I'll show you to the door," the banker smiled. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Black."

"The pleasure was all mine," Harry smiled. "Thank you for taking the time to see me."

"This way Mr. Black," the banker led Harry through an array of hallways before reaching an exit. "This is one of the more discreet exits into one of the magical sections of town."

"Thank you," Harry nodded stepping onto the street. "And have a nice day."

"You as well Mr. Black," the banker closed the door.

Walking down the street, Harry glanced at the window displays in front of the shops and stopped in front of one containing an array of timepieces. Entering the store, Harry looked around and found a man with a strange device on his head stooped over a small table.

"I'll be with you in a moment," the man didn't lookup. "I just want to get this last piece in before I stand up."

"Take your time," Harry nodded. "I'm not in any hurry."

The man spent several seconds tinkering with something on the table and then stood, removing the strange device on his head. "Sorry about that, I was in the middle of something delicate and I couldn't stop in the middle of it."

"No problem," Harry nodded. "I've come here because I noticed your display and I'd like to take a look at the most durable watch you have."

"Know what you want huh?" The man smiled and grabbed a solid gold jewel-encrusted watch out of the display cabinet, "this one is as accurate as we can make it, the b.u.t.ton on the side here will change it from local time to Greenwich mean time to any number of times that you select, it's also indestructible."

"Sounds like just what I had in mind, only." Harry paused, "do you have something like it that isn't so gaudy?"

"Of course," the man nodded replacing the watch in its display and pulling out another watch, "this watch has the same characteristics but it is a bit less . . . gaudy."

"I'll take it," Harry smiled purchasing the watch and putting the plain silver object on his wrist. "Do you know where I could arrange transportation to Berlin?"

"Store up the street and to your right," the man nodded. "Called 'Adventure Travel,' you can't miss it."

"Thank you," Harry left the store and entered 'Adventure Travel.'

"What can I do for you?" The woman in the shop looked up from her desk.

"Portkey to Berlin if you have one ready," Harry replied absently as he examined one of the pictures on the wall of the travel agency.

"One moment," the woman opened a cabinet and removed a small circular object. "Anything else?"

"No that will be all"

"Then that will be twenty-five francs," the woman replied. "The word to activate your Portkey in Berlin, have a good day."

"You too," Harry nodded. "Berlin."