GOOD DOG || Sirius Black

(Thirty Seven: Louring)

Louring: Darkened by clouds.

{===}

The invasion of the Death Eater headquarters took far less time than expected.

It was almost eleven at night on Wednesday the fourteenth of February. The mini SWAT team had intended on launching their attack at ten, but Sirius Black (who had adopted the codename 'Mr Badass') took so long making terrible Valentines Day puns, improvised 'roses are red' poems and stolen pick-up lines that they ended up emerging from the Fawley House a full half an hour behind schedule. Alex had to admit the delay was at least partly her fault, mostly due to the fact that she had spent far too long working with Lily and Marlene on a plan to drop a plant pot on Sirius' obnoxiously glossy hair from the balcony above his head.

Alex could see the lobby of the Evil Bad Guy HQ, as James had been subtly referring to it, from her position across the street. It somehow looked simultaneously cheap and expensive, with the ugly concrete outer walls contrasting with the sleek modern interior of uncomfortable-looking white sofas that went, she suspected, completely unused to the curved reception desk illuminated by softly glowing electric lights.

It was deserted by now. Or, she hoped, almost deserted. Sure enough a fittingly shadowed figure flickered at by the elevator bank at the back of the lobby, only visible by the phone light that shone up on his face. 

Before she realised what had happened, James was signalling for them to charge. From all around the nearly deserted street teenagers appeared- Sirius and Peter from around the corner, James where he had been tying his shoelace by the front door, Alex, Micah and Remus from the doorway of the apartment block across the street and the other two girls from seemingly nowhere.

Their plan wasn't the most elegant, they hadn't had time for that, but the onslaught of spells had the desired effect. The Shadow Man ducked, not having the time to go for his wand.

It was Lily Evans who had the brilliant idea to shoot an, "Incarcerous!"

Ropes shot out, wrapping around his crisp suited body and sending him flopping to the ground like a fish out of water. 

And that was it.

No resistance.

No wash of Death Eaters pouring out of side doors with a wall of curses to send them spinning out of life like toddlers letting go of the rails on the roundabout and flying loose.

The Shadow Man was lying helpless at the feet of a bunch of schoolchildren.

And they didn't know what the hell to do. 

Alex skidded to a halt next to his form, unsure exactly what it was she should be doing. Lily had already taken care of the tying-him-up part, and she wasn't precisely ready to offer him a cup of tea and a biscuit. 

The Shadow Man grinned through his teeth at Alex Fawley's canvas trainers, "Not sure what comes next, Miss Fawley? I could help if you wanted. I have to admit, I'm usually on the other side of this situation, but I've been taking some improvisation classes at the drama workshop in Nottingham so I believe I can handle the change quite adequately." 

Lily twisted her hand, and the ropes squeezed tighter. The Shadow Man hissed out his pain.

"Shut up." She said, taking charge, "What floor is your office?"

"Oh, are we getting to the torture part this soon?" The Shadow Man asked blandly. He raised his eyebrows, "You could have at least bought me a drink first."

James stomped on the Shadow Man's fingers and tried to pass it off as an accident. 

Alex stooped and picked up the Shadow Man's phone, which was already unlocked. She tapped through a few screens lazily, "We don't need to torture you. We have the lift access codes. This is just going to be a lot quicker and easier for all of us if you tell us."