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Chapter Text

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Tom ran a hand down his face as he entered the lift to go to the Department of Mysteries. He was one of three people that weren't directly part of the Department that were allowed to interact with Unspeakables without permission. His job was to act as an envoy between the Minister and the Department of Mysteries. It had taken him a few months to figure out what the head of the department actually wanted. They didn't really want an Envoy, they just wanted the Minister to leave them alone. This was a request Tom was more than happy to accommodate.

It was a rare occurrence that he was asked to attend a meeting outside of the once a month regular meeting. He wasn't sure what exactly happened to cause this change beyond the fact that the Unspeakables were called to an crime scene two days before. Whatever they had found had left the normally unflappable Ministry employees in a state of disarray. A letter was sent to him right before he left the day before that he was to be at the Ministry early for a meeting with the Unspeakables.

Tom quickly stepped off the elevator onto the 9th floor, the Department of Mysteries and hurried towards the door. Two guards stood at the doors, their faces hidden under hoods. One of them waved his wand over him checking for charms and spells. Once they were satisfied, he was allowed through. The path to the conference room was a familiar one.

As soon as the door opened, Tom could tell something was wrong. None of the usual researchers were in the room. However their hoods and masks had been removed. He recognized the Head of the Department of Mysteries and two specialized Unspeakables. If he remembered correctly the one on the left specialized in Ritual Magic while the other specialized in Battle Magic. Both were extremely dangerous in their own rights, though the Ritualistic Magic specialist was the most concerning for the simple reason that you wouldn't see the trap until after it was sprung. There were also two others that worked in the Department of Mysteries that he didn't know.

They were wearing suits made for muggles rather than robes. Both were men who wore a pin on the left breast, its base was black, with a crimson half-moon that is surrounded by points. While only the second had a pin on his collar of a dog or wolf. Neither seemed to be carrying a wand on their person. Which was odd. The one with only one pin seemed to be the leader of the two. He had light brown hair and brown eyes that seemed to take in everything about a person in just a moment. His face was clean shaven and his outfit was pressed to perfection. He looked to be in his mid to late forties.

It was the second man that kept Tom's attention however. He was younger than the first, appearing to be around the same age as Tom. He had messy, jet-black hair and bright green eyes. It was the wire framed glasses that made Tom recognize him however. Harrison Evans, the boy that grew up beside him in the orphanage and the boy that disappeared the summer after their second year at Hogwarts.

One day they'd been sharing a room and the next Mrs. Cole was announcing he'd been adopted. It was a story everyone in the orphanage knew was a lie. No one was adopted at their age much less in a time of war. Of course, Mrs. Cole had been quick to deny all accusations of lying. No one had any proof that anything else happened to him. Tom thought maybe the other had just runaway. It made sense in a way since Tom spent most of his days with Orion Black.

Then he hadn't shown up at King's Cross or Hogwarts. As a favored punching bag by bullies, students noticed he was missing. Rumors began that he'd been kidnapped by Reapers. Or killed in a bombing raid. Some whispered that it served the near squib right. That he didn't belong in Hogwarts when he couldn't perform magic properly. Whatever had happened to the other, no one had ever found him or his body. Eventually they stopped talking about him. Tom nearly forgot him entirely but seeing him now brought back memories.

He looked older, obviously, and his face had a few scars. The most prominent being an x-shaped scar on his right cheek where part of the scar ended just below his eye. His hair was shorter than it used to be but still messy. There was a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Then as if feeling Tom's gaze he looked up. There wasn't even the faintest flicker of recognition before the man next to him said something too low for Tom to hear.

"Undersecretary Riddle, thank you for joining us," greeted the Head Unspeakable, "I know this was short notice but getting everyone in the same room can take time. I'm sure you remember my colleagues, from our regular meetings."

Tom gave both men nods in greeting before he said"I'm afraid I don't know the rest of your group. Perhaps introductions are in order?"

"I apologize," said the Head, "They are rather... unique. This is..."

"I can introduce myself, Mr. Wilkes," interrupted the first man Tom noticed. He was the leader of the duo and the older of the two, "My name is Captain Dunn Smith and this is Harrison Evans. We are members of the Nighthawks."

"Never heard of you," said Tom cautiously.

"You wouldn't have," answered Harrison scratching his cheek near the scar, "We are a specialized group that belongs to no Ministry or Wizarding Government. If we are called upon, things have gone very very wrong. In this case, the murder from yesterday was a sacrifice to enhance someone's... abilities."

"We asked for them to assist in tracking the perpetrator down and ending their activities," finished the Unspeakable in a calm voice, "Since this belongs to their activities rather than ours."

"Are they a threat to Britain?" questioned Tom, his attention on the Nighthawks, though the question was directed towards the Department of Mysteries.

They glanced at the Nighthawks and it was Smith who answered, "It depends on what he was looking to do. Harrison if you would?"

"Of course Captain," said Harrison as he stood.

That was when Tom realized that Harrison was only an inch or so shorter than him. At Hogwarts, he'd been one of the shortest in their year. Another sign that their time apart had changed him. Tom watched as Harrison pulled out three candles, a piece of paper, and a necklace with a golden stone in the center. He then proceeded to set the candle in a triangular pattern, placing a piece of folded parchment between each one. Then he sat in the middle of the triangle before lighting the candles and began to whisper in a language that seemed to echo in the otherwise silent room.

"One of the Beyonders?" asked the Ritual Magic specialist sounding interested.

Smith and Harrison ignored him. The air became heavier and crackling. Like electricity was building in the small space. The orange flames suddenly turned an eerie blue. All the while, the man whispered and held the necklace over the paper. It seemed to turn randomly. Tom had a feeling that the movement wasn't random at all. Then just as quickly as they had become blue the candle lights went out and Harrison sighed.

"The ritual has protected him from my sight," he said to Smith, "But he will definitely kill again. We will have a higher chance of tracking him if I have an item of his."

"I figured," said Smith as he pulled out a pipe and began to pack it, "Go investigate. Send a messenger if you find anything. Before you engage if possible."

"I always do," said Harrison with a grin.

"Don't lie to me," chided Smith, "Its becoming of a Nighthawk."

Harrison's shoulders shook with silent laughter before he turned to leave. However the Unspeakables weren't keen to have someone so unknown out on the streets unsupervised. Tom had a sinking feeling of the real reason he was chosen to attend the meeting rather than anyone else. He was the least likely to cause an incident since the Ministry didn't want a war to break out. Not with a group that specialized in killing and hunting down monsters.

"Undersecretary Riddle you will accompany Evans. I will not have him wandering around unattended," ordered Mr. Wilkes and Harrison's attention snapped to him.

"I don't think that is necessary," said Harrison glancing to his Captain for support.

"We are guests here, Evans," reminded Smith, "If that's what they'd prefer take him with you. Besides it would be better to have someone watch your back."

He looked like he wanted to argue further however Smith met Harrison's gaze. Silence reigned for a beat before the younger dipped his chin in acknowledgement of the silent order.

Chapter Text

...

Harrison grumbled a little as he headed back out the way he and Dunn came in. For a moment, Harrison wondered if the Captain was actually punishing him. Not that Dunn needed a reason to send him somewhere. Though, he did tend to give reasons why and didn't make him take an outsider with him. It wasn't often they worked with wizards. Most of the time the Church or the Nighthawks heard of an issue before the Ministries did.

As he exited the Department of Mysteries, he stepped back narrowly avoiding a woman carrying to big stack of books. She didn't notice and continued on her way. However Riddle blinked at him in surprise. Clearly not expecting that of him. Inwardly, Harrison rolled his eyes. Pathway of the Seer had its advantages. He waited until she was out of sight and had taken a few steps away before continuing. Tom followed a step behind him and Harrison had the feeling that Riddle was going to confront him.

How long had it been now? A little more than a decade since they saw each other? He should get pulled out his lighter and relit his cigarette then pulled a drag of smoke. He held it for a moment enjoying the flavor. Then exhaled the smoke watching it curl in the air. He'd need to stop by a shop and pick some more.

"Your captain made it sound like you can track the killer," said the man suddenly, "Can I ask how?"

"Divination," he answered easily, "It doesn't always work unless I have items of his or a picture depending on his power level."

"And that's what we are going to look for?" asked Riddle, "Evidence from yesterday?"

"Basically," agreed Harrison.

They made their way to the lifts finally and Harrison hit the button for the Atrium. As it started, Riddle did exactly what he expected. Riddle got right in Harrison's space. Forcing him to step back against the lift wall. He could have forced the other out of his space but Harrison wasn't looking for a confrontation if he didn't need to. Besides the Nighthawks knew that the best place to hide was in plain sight.

"Its been a long time," whispered Riddle softly, "I didn't expect to ever see you again. Honestly I thought you'd died when you disappeared."

Harrison shrugged one shoulder as he took another drag. Then he exhaled the smoke in Riddle's face. The man backed up quickly. Coughing at the unexpected move. Good he didn't like others in his space.

"Life is strange isn't it?" asked Harrison with a shrug, "By that point you didn't really see me anymore. You didn't care that I was missing or possibly dead. Don't lie, Riddle."

His eyes narrowed. But before Riddle could say something, the lift came to a stop. Stepping forward, Harrison exited first, leaving Riddle momentarily. The other soon caught up not willing to disobey orders it seemed. Harrison could get away with it most of the time though the Captain would give him an earful about it later.

"I wasn't lying," argued Riddle, "I was worried that you had died. We were friends after all. Brothers in every way but blood."

"Brothers, huh?" wondered Harrison, his green eyes flashing, "That's not the way I remember it. Riddle, after we started Hogwarts, I didn't exist in your eyes. I don't have time for this conversation. I need to go to Knockturn Alley."

"You can't seriously be going there!" gasped Riddle, his blue eyes widening.

"And why not?" challenged Harrison as they walked, "It has what I'm looking for. You can follow or not, but I have a job to do."

Riddle gritted his teeth, but followed him.

...

Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley hadn't changed much since Harrison left England. Though people gave him a wide berth on instinct. Even Riddle seemed to notice the reaction. For a moment, the two of them stood in the middle of the street. People passed around them like water flowed past a large stone. No one dared to look directly at him. He headed for the shop that would allow him to buy a few items for the ritual to commune with any spirits left from the ritual.

Harrison picked up the needed items and noticed that the clerk was uneasy. But he ignored it in favor of heading to the crime scene. Riddle was still following him. The other man's expression had changed. It was thoughtful rather than his usual arrogance. Maybe he'd changed since they were kids. Maybe...

Halfway down the alley he paused between two apartments. He didn't even need to activate his Sight to tell something terrible had happened. His skin was crawling. Almost immediately, he pulled his cigarettes from from his mouth and crushed it beneath his boot.

"This is it," he declared to Riddle coolly.

Riddle frowned. Then looked around. There was nothing there to the naked eye. Not anymore anyways. Harrison didn't care about what was in the physical world. He tapped the spot in-between his eyes to activate his Sight. The area became covered in a dark substance. Like an oil slick, the remnants of the ritual was a thick and almost tangible. Even with his experience Harrison staggered a little.

"Everything alright, Evans?" asked Riddle taking a step towards him.

Harrison ignored him. Instead, he opened the bag and began pulling things out. Once that was done, he sat cross legged in front of where it started and began to set out the candles. He put them in a triangle formation like before and set a bowl in the middle of them. After filling the basin halfway with water, he lit the candles. With the knife he carried inside his jacket he cut open his palm and allowed a few drops of his blood to fall into the bowl. Once that was done, Harrison closed his eyes and focused his mind. He felt his Spirituality seal off the area from those on the outside.

He then spoke the incantation to start the communion with the victim if they were still there. There was a low hum in the air and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Then a cold breeze drifted past him and the temperature dropped a bit. The candle lights went from orange to blue in the next instant. He didn't get what he wanted however. Instead of a spirit, he got last last few seconds before the Beyonder started a ritual.

Though it wasn't just a Beyonder. No, the veiled figure that he couldn't make out their features used a stunning spell on the victim. The person was a witch or wizard. This was worse than they thought it was. Beyonders weren't meant to have significant amounts of magic of their own. Their abilities came from their Spirituality. Most with the potential to be Beyonders were seen squibs or barely above a squib. It was because the two sides conflicted and would cause a Beyonder to lose control.

Then he watched the ritual. He had to grit his teeth as he watched the woman being sacrificed by cutting her heart out while she was alive. She screamed in pain. But no one was coming to her aid. No one would have heard her as it'd been sealed with Spirituality. In the end, the woman's struggles became weak and her eyes glassy. Harrison felt nauseous. But he didn't dare look away. Not until it was finished. Once the vision was over, the candles went from blue to a sickly green.

It wasn't over yet... He reached for the cards in his jacket instinctively.

The veiled figure turned towards him and spoke in an unknown language. Harrison didn't understand the words. But he could guess that they weren't friendly. Then the figure attacked him. He cut off the connection an instant before it could land leaving him breathless and cursing his carelessness. To be caught in the residual vision of a ritual meant that the caster was stronger than him. Which he should have remembered from trying to divine the killer's location.

Harrison brought his hand back up and double tapped the space between his eyes again. Turning off his Sight once again and an ache began to form behind his eyes. The Sight was useful, but dangerous at times. If he looked too long or at something that was too far above him, then his mind would shatter. Not to mention his headaches and nose bleeds.

"Are you alright, Evans?" asked Riddle sharply.

"Fine," grumbled Harrison as he tried to stand only to sway a little, "I found all I can here."

Riddle stared at him for a moment, before sighing and steadied him with a hand on his arm. Harrison allowed him to assist him. Only because the vision had shaken him.

...

They went to the Leaky Cauldron where Harrison was quiet. Tom was taking in the information he'd learned from watching him at work. Which wasnt much. Harrison pulled out another cigarette and lit.

"Really?" asked Tom with a disapproving frown, "Are you really going to start smoking again? That is terrible for you."

The look Tom received could have melted steel. But Harrison continued to smoke anyways. Tom guess this was the consequence of their time apart. When they were kids, Harrison would have never dared to smoke in front of him. He knew Tom hated it as Mrs. Cole smoked in front of them.

Before Tom could say anything, Harrison tapped a pattern over his chest. The cigarette flared blue momentarily but that was it. Then Harrison took a drag and breathed in the smoke. Only to let it curl lazily from the corners of his lips rather than breathing the smoke back out. His green eyes looked a bit distant.

Tom could sense just a flicker of power around them. It settled as quickly as it came however. Harrison's breathing was slow and even almost like he was asleep. Which couldn't be the case. Not in the middle of the Leaky Cauldron. But he didn't move or really do anything beyond the slow breaths in.

It wasn't until the cigarette was down to the butt that the expression changed. Harrison finally breathed out the rest of the smoke. He then crushed the cigarette in his hand. Tom watched him with a raised brow. What had the other man been thinking? He didn't get to ask as a hand landed on Harrison's shoulder. Smith was there.

"Did you find anything, Harrison?" Asked Smith.

"Yes sir," answered Harrison in a warmer voice than what he used with Tom, "I believe our suspect is either a Sequence 7 on the verge of becoming a Sequence 6. Or they are already a Sequence 6. They are a witch or wizard that has enough magic to have attended a school and went through the tests."

So most witches and wizards? How did that narrow anything down? But Tom held his tongue. There had to be something he missed. Something that made sense to the other two men.

"Good," praised Smith and a gave Harrison a pat on the shoulder, "We will talk again later. For now, get some rest. You were hit with a fairly powerful blow and should rest while I search out the culprit. Do you think we will need any sealed artifacts?"

Harrison thought about that for a moment then he answered with a frown, "Possibly. I couldn't get a good read on what Pathway he might be. Whatever sealed artifact you feel is best."

"Very well," agreed Smith, "I will send word if I find them. If you find anything new send a messenger."

"Yes, Captain," acknowledged Harrison.

Tom watched Smith leave and when he turned back to Harrison he found him spinning a card. At first it appeared to be a regular card but it appeared to be heavier than normal. As it flipped Tom realized that it was a Tarot card.

Tom just watched fascinated for a time. Not saying a word. There was an odd sort of peaceful silence. Until Harrison decided to go to the room he'd rented for the trip. Tom was left feeling uncertain of what happened.