Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0491 Vigil

As night fell, a luminous full moon casted its ethereal glow upon the earth, bathing the landscape in a silvery luster.

In the towering office building lights flickered and dimmed one by one as who had worked all day dragged their tired bodies into the elevators. As they descended to the ground floor, the lobby, once a bustling hub of activity, now stood nearly empty. Its marble floors gleamed under the soft light of enchanted lamps, reflecting the tired faces of those queuing up before the fireplace.

The entire complex was a marvel of magical engineering and security. Towering walls surrounded the premises, their smooth surfaces divulging no hint of the powerful wards and enchantments woven into them. Anti-Apparition spells blanketed the area, creating an impenetrable barrier against unauthorized magical transportation. The main gates, massive iron structures embellished with magical runes, stood guard, permitting passage only to those with the proper clearance.

For the weary workers, the network of designated fireplaces offered the sole way out from this fortress-like facility. As each witch or wizard stepped into the emerald flames, calling out their destination, they vanished in a whoosh of magical energy, leaving behind the day's labor and heading home to their families or perhaps a welcoming tavern for a well-deserved butterbeer.

While the offices gradually succumbed to silence, a stark contrast presented itself across the way. The factory buildings continued to hum with ceaseless activity. These windowless structures, sealed tight against prying eyes, guarded their secrets keenly. The lack of windows wasn't simply an architectural choice; it was a deliberate security measure, ensuring that the proprietary processes within remained hidden from potential industrial spies or curious onlookers.

High above this nocturnal scene, Sirius stood at the edge of the office building's roof. The wind, unrestrained at this altitude, whipped around him, tousling his dark hair and causing his robes to billow dramatically.

Sirius inhaled deeply, allowing the crisp night air to fill his lungs. As he gazed at the sealed structures, a flicker of concern passed across his features, etching lines of worry into his forehead.

"Here you go--"

A voice suddenly pierced through the veil of Sirius' contemplation, jolting him back to the present moment. Despite the abruptness, Sirius didn't flinch or show any outward sign of surprise. He turned smoothly and took the sandwich his colleague handed him, unwrapped it and took a big bite. As he chewed, he mumbled,

"Mmm, delicious. Thank you, Tonks--"

"Don't mention it--" Tonks replied, her voice carrying a hint of pride at the compliment.

Pleased by Sirius' reaction, Tonks' entire demeanor brightened. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes, and with a casual toss of her head, her hair underwent a dramatic transformation. The chestnut locks seamlessly morphed into a vibrant shade of violet.

Mirroring Sirius' stance, Tonks leaned against the railing, her gaze drawn to the factory buildings across the way. After a contemplative silence, broken only by the whisper of the wind and the distant hum of magical machinery, she muttered softly,

"A complete waste of time--"

Hearing the complaint, Sirius' lips curled into a wry smile. Though he didn't voice it aloud, he inwardly agreed with Tonks' assessment.

As they stood there, a silence fell between them. Sirius finished his sandwich, brushing a few stray crumbs from his robes. His mind drifted back to the events that had led them to this moonlit vigil.

Two weeks ago, the wizarding world had been rocked by a series of audacious break-ins. Several well-known companies had fallen victim to an unknown group of highly skilled thieves. These weren't petty burglars or common criminals; their ability to penetrate even the most secure magical defenses spoke of exceptional talent and meticulous planning.

What perplexed investigators most was the thieves' peculiar modus operandi. Despite gaining access to the core areas of these companies they hadn't taken a single galleon or secret documents. Instead, they had focused solely on searching the offices of top executives.

The thieves had been remarkably cautious, taking great pains not to disturb the offices they invaded. However, they had underestimated the paranoia and resources of the wealthy and powerful. Through a combination of sophisticated monitoring spells, magical trace detection, and good old-fashioned intuition, the business owners had discovered telltale signs of the intrusions.

Alarm spread through the upper echelons of wizarding society like Fiendfyre. The victimized companies, their pride wounded and their sense of security shattered, banded together with other crucial magical enterprises that had yet to be targeted. United by fear and indignation, they brought immense pressure to bear on the Ministry of Magic, demanding swift action to apprehend the culprits and prevent future breaches.

And Fudge found himself in an unenviable position again. Already dealing with the political fallout from the chaos at the Quidditch World Cup and whispers of dark forces stirring, he couldn't afford another public relations disaster. The thought of losing the support (and generous donations) of these influential business leaders was enough to jolt him into decisive action.

In a rare display of urgency, Fudge deployed the Ministry's elite forces - the Aurors. Some were tasked with following up on the negligible leads available, scrutinizing through magical residue and interrogating potential witnesses. Others, like Sirius and Tonks, were assigned to preventative duty, standing guard over high-value targets that had not yet been hit.

That's how Sirius and Tonks found themselves spending a chilly autumn night on the roof of Floo-Pow Ltd., the sole authorized producer of Floo Powder in the wizarding world. Founded centuries ago by Ignatia Wildsmith, the brilliant 13th-century witch who invented the revolutionary magical substance, Floo-Pow held a complete monopoly on its production and distribution.

The importance of Floo Powder in the daily lives of witches and wizards could not be overstated. It enabled nearly instantaneous travel between fireplaces across vast distances, connecting homes, businesses, and magical institutions throughout Britain and beyond. For many, it was as essential as their wands or robes. The thought of this crucial supply being disrupted or compromised sent shivers down the spines of Ministry officials.

As Sirius and Tonks kept their lonely vigil on the roof, their colleagues Kingsley Shacklebolt and John Dawlish maintained a watchful presence in an office below.

But as Tonks had pointed out, their presence here was a double-edged sword. While Floo-Pow Ltd. was undoubtedly a tempting target, there were numerous other important wizarding companies equally deserving of protection. The small Auror Office, already stretched thin by various responsibilities, simply lacked the manpower to provide comprehensive security for all potential targets.

Seeking to lighten the mood and break the tension that had settled over them, Tonks suddenly spoke up, her tone shifting to one of excitement and curiosity.

"Did you hear?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of barely contained enthusiasm. The abrupt change in topic was characteristic of Tonks, her mind as quick and changeable as her appearance. "Next week, the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons delegations will arrive at Hogwarts!"

Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of nostalgia and envy as she continued, "Why couldn't the Department of International Magical Cooperation and the Department of Magical Games and Sports do something like this when I was at Hogwarts? I wonder if Mr. Scrimgeour would let me take a couple days off for the Triwizard Tournament?"

"You're dreaming, Tonks--" Sirius said, his voice tinged with both amusement and a hint of resignation. "Since I became an Auror, the department hasn't given me a single day off. I've been planning to find time to visit Harry at Hogwarts--"

"Oh, the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter!" Tonks exclaimed, her voice brimming with curiosity. She leaned in closer, as if about to share a secret, and asked eagerly, "Do you think he'll get involved in the Triwizard Tournament?"

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at Tonks' excitement. With a fond smile, he shook his head.

"Impossible--" Sirius said, his tone a mixture of certainty and relief. "Of course, I know Harry - he certainly wouldn't be afraid of the dangers in the Triwizard Tournament. That boy has faced things that would make seasoned wizards tremble."

Shaking off the momentary darkness, Sirius continued, "But the problem is, he's not old enough. With Bryan at Hogwarts, even if Harry and his friends wanted to find a loophole, I'm afraid they wouldn't have a chance."

The mention of Bryan sparked a new train of thought in Sirius' mind. Turning to Tonks with genuine curiosity, he asked, "Speaking of which, Tonks, you attended Hogwarts with Bryan, didn't you?"

Tonks' face lit up at the question, a mischievous grin spreading across her features. "We even served detention together, with Snape--" she said, her voice carrying notes of both pride and nostalgia.

Her expression softened as she continued, delving into her memories of the past. "He was two years above me. Bryan wasn't anything like he is today when he was at Hogwarts. He didn't like talking to people much, but you could see in his eyes that he wasn't afraid of interacting with others. It was more like... he was always lost in thought.

Wherever he went, he carried a basket full of books - he was a well-known bookworm back then. Always had his nose buried in some ancient tome or obscure magical text. Some of us used to joke that he was trying to read the entire Hogwarts library before graduation."

"Sounds a bit like Harry's friend, a young witch named Hermione," Sirius said, smiling slightly. The parallel between the two bookworms across generations amused him.

The mention of Hermione sparked another chain of memories for Sirius, leading him back to his own days at Hogwarts. His eyes took on a distant look as he traveled back in time.

"When I was at Hogwarts, Lily was the one who loved studying the most," he said softly, a hint of old pain coloring his voice. "You must know, she was Harry's mother. She was the smartest witch I've ever met, bar none. Brilliant at Charms, a dab hand at Potions, and she had this way of seeing connections that the rest of us missed."

Sirius' voice grew warmer as he continued, lost in the memories of his youth. "Many people admired her - James, of course, he liked to bother Lily, but it was really just to get close to her. He'd come up with these elaborate schemes to impress her, always backfiring spectacularly. I remember this one time he tried to enchant her quill to write poetry... ended up filling the entire Gryffindor common room with floating love sonnets."

A chuckle escaped Sirius' lips, the sound carrying both humor and a tinge of melancholy. "And Peter..." his voice trailed off, a shadow passing over his features. "Well, we won't talk about him."

Shaking off the momentary darkness, Sirius continued, his tone brightening once more. "Remus was the same - he especially admired Lily's intelligence, though he wasn't bad himself. In fact, Remus was the hardest working of all of us. Always had his nose in a book, always trying to keep James and me out of trouble. Not that he was always successful, mind you."

"Remus told me about how you all became friends--" Tonks suddenly blurted out, her excitement palpable. "He told me that when you were in school, you were among the few students who didn't care about his condition!"

"He actually told you about that?" Sirius looked at Tonks in surprise. "That guy doesn't easily talk about his past. I bet, Tonks, Remus must really like you!"

Though Tonks knew intellectually that the 'like' Sirius mentioned wasn't in that sense, her hair still turned a shade of pink with happiness. She looked at Sirius eagerly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, silently pleading for him to share more stories about their past.

Sirius himself was something of a living legend within the Ministry of Magic. His unique life experiences - from his time as a Marauder at Hogwarts to his wrongful imprisonment in Azkaban and subsequent release - had made him a figure of fascination for many. Quite a few of his colleagues were intensely curious about his story, drawn to the mix of tragedy and triumph that defined his life.

So, when Tonks looked at him with such open enthusiasm, Sirius didn't find her request strange at all. In fact, since Bryan had encouraged him to make more connections within the Ministry, he had made a conscious effort to be more open about his past. Of course, there were still secrets he couldn't reveal - some for security reasons, others too painful to revisit - but in general, he had become more willing to share his experiences.

Mindful of their surroundings and the importance of their mission, Sirius casually flicked his wand, muttering an incantation under his breath. A shimmering, nearly invisible barrier sprang up around them, ensuring that their conversation wouldn't carry to unwanted ears. It was a precaution against both potential intruders and their colleague's downstairs - after all, Kingsley and Dawlish might not approve of their rooftop chat session during such a crucial investigation.

With the privacy spell in place, Sirius settled in to tell Tonks with tales of the past. His grey eyes sparkled with a mix of nostalgia and mischief as he began to recount some of the Marauders' more memorable adventures.

"Did I ever tell you about the time we snuck into the Slytherin common room?" Sirius asked, a roguish grin spreading across his face. "It was in our fourth year, just after James and I had mastered the Disillusionment Charm..."

As Sirius spun his tales, Tonks listened with rapt attention. The two of them became so engrossed in their conversation that they lost all track of time. The moon continued its arc across the sky, casting ever-shifting shadows across the rooftop.

Tonks would tell Sirius what Bryan was like as a student in her memory, in return, Sirius was generous with his own recollections, painting vivid pictures of their adventures at Hogwarts.

As they talked, the night deepened around them. The factory complex below continued its ceaseless activity, Occasionally, they would pause in their reminiscing to scan the area, But each time, seeing nothing amiss, they would drift back into their shared stories.

Time slipped by, marked only by the gradual shift of shadows and the deepening clarity of the moonlight against the velvet backdrop of the night sky. The air grew cooler, carrying with it the crisp scent of autumn leaves and the faint trace of magic that always seemed to linger around places of great magical activity.

Their vigilance was rewarded - or perhaps interrupted - when a large convoy of carriages appeared on the horizon. Sirius and Tonks watched intently as the convoy came to a stop outside the factory gates. A team of security wizards emerged from a small guardhouse, their wands at the ready as they began a thorough inspection of each carriage.

After what seemed like an eternity of tense observation, the security team finally gave the all-clear. The massive gates creaked open, one by one, the carriages advanced into the factory complex, disappearing into the cavernous unloading bay that stretched open to receive them.

As the last carriage vanished from sight and the gates clanged shut once more, Sirius let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He turned his gaze back to Tonks, ready to resume their conversation. The brief interruption had brought him back to the present.

"You know," he began, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "after graduating, I had a falling out with my family. So, I packed my things and moved in with James. His parents... Merlin, they were wonderful people. They took me in without a second thought, treated me almost like a second son. I don't know what I would have done without them."

A soft smile appeared on his lips as he continued, "James and I both tried to convince Remus to move in too, but he always refused. He was constantly afraid that he would lose control one day and hurt James' family. No matter how many times we told him we didn't care about his 'furry little problem,' as James liked to call it, Remus always kept that wall up. I think, deep down, he never quite believed he deserved happiness."

Tonks listened intently, her heart aching for the young Remus that Sirius described. She opened her mouth to comment, but before she could speak, Sirius continued, his voice growing heavier.

"Later, as the war intensified, we..."

BOOM!

The floor beneath their feet suddenly shook violently, as if a volcano had erupted directly beneath the building. The peaceful night was shattered by the thunderous roar of an explosion, followed by the tinkling crash of shattering glass and the ominous groan of straining metal.

A massive fireball erupted from the side of the building, breaking through the magical barriers that had seemed so impenetrable just moments before. Tongues of magical flame, tinged with an unnatural purple hue, licked at the night sky. The heat was intense, causing the air to shimmer and distort.

Amidst the chaos, a figure in a black cloak was violently ejected from the building. The force of the blast sent them speeding through the air, as they arced across the night sky. They crashed onto the rooftop not far from where Sirius and Tonks stood.

For a split second, Sirius and Tonks stood frozen, their minds struggling to process the sudden shift from peaceful conversation to explosive chaos.

"Tonks, Sirius, what on earth are you doing?!" Kingsley's deep voice boomed from below, tinged with a mixture of pain and fury. He had been thrown into the corridor by the force of the explosion, his skin marred by a stream of blood flowing from a nasty gash on his arm.

Despite his injury, Kingsley's wand was steady in his uninjured hand. With a powerful blast of magic, he blew open the ceiling, creating a large, jagged hole through which he could see his colleagues on the roof. Debris rained down around him, but Kingsley paid it no mind, his attention fully focused on the unfolding crisis.

Meanwhile, Dawlish had already burst through the billowing smoke that filled the corridor. His face was a mask of determination tinged with a hint of barely controlled rage. Dawlish vaulted over the scattered debris, making a beeline for the unconscious figure in the black cloak that lay unconscious on the ground.

As the smoke slowly dissipated, carried away by the night breeze, In the clear moonlight, looking at the face whose mask had shattered as it lay on the ground, Sirius and Tonks on the roof were struck dumb in unison.

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