MAPS Part II

[Julian Fallon S7]

Julian was surprised that Cassandra had left him the way she did, he was still furious but surprised none the less. He had been hard on her and he knew that, but he had over heard the conversation to Pyro that she was coming home. That meant that she was going to the Blackfire mansion. Surely he wouldn’t spend Christmas without her, he was sure she would join him at the Villa after she calmed down. He had really driven her to leaving the way she had, and he wanted to go after her, but he was sure that by the time he got down to the alley she would be gone. Julian decided he would pack up all of the presents, food, and decorations; all hoping that Cassandra would join him in Italy. He was sure that she would want to see Taire, and to make plans for Taire to stay with her in Italy while she was out of school to have the baby. She had picked out wonderful muggle racing gifts and was sure that Cass would want to see the look on Taire’s face when she opened them.

Julian gathered the presents, packing them all into a duffle bag with a little help from his magic. He paused as he came across a weird looking present for him. He couldn’t help opening it since it wasn’t wrapped in any of the paper that he or Cassandra had picked out when they had done their shopping. It also didn’t have a giver’s name on it, just Julian’s. He opened it carefully, not sure of what was in it. Once he got it unwrapped, he noticed a scrawling handwriting. He had seen the writing before, but he couldn’t remember where. So much had happened over the last year that he barely remembered anything he had saw any more, with the exception of his wife. He could remember everything about her with out any changes. Cassandra had told him that Taire and Dare had already made their way to Italy, and that they would be at the holiday celebration at the Villa. Julian knew that this strange little black rectangular box that he held now in his hands had to be something of muggle creation. He thought about how much Taire knew about the muggle world, about how often she had stayed in the muggle world before she left her parents home. He was sure that she could tell him what this muggle contraption was that confused him so. Maybe she could also explain it better to him. He waved his wand and everything seemed to pack into the proper bags all by itself. Julian was glad at this point that he was a wizard.

Going down to the alley with all the bags, Julian looked around. This was the first time he had seen the alley since Cassandra had left. The alley looked strange to Julian. Not because Cass wasn’t still down here, he didn’t expect her to be. The alley looked as if there had been a struggle though, and Julian couldn’t help but to look around. There had not been any type of major trouble since the Dark Lord had been killed and his followers in Azkaban. His search around the alley had him looking around the garbage cans. The last person he could think of being in this alley was his beloved and very pregnant wife. He noticed many things as he looked around, pretending that he had lost something, as there were a few passers-by. He had lost not something but someone. His search had brought him to find Cassandra’s wand. His thoughts raced. What could have caused her to drop her wand? He stepped back over to the baggage and aparated quickly to the Villa. He was concerned.

Getting to the Villa, Julian became more worried to find that it was dark. He wasn’t sure what was causing him this worry. Cassandra had said that she was going to the Blackfire mansion. He was sure that she had just accidently dropped her wand and would come home to look for it soon. He ran to Taire and Darien’s with the strange box in his hand. Not thinking to knock, he burst through their front door. “Taire!” Julian bellowed. He wouldn’t have yelled for her like that had he been sure that everything was alright. “Taire!” He bellowed again, not hearing her answer the first time. She came around the corner looking at him as if he had lost his mind. Maybe he had, he was sure he would if anything happened to Cass or the baby. “What is this? How does it work?” He asked looking at her widely and concerned.

[Solitaire Keighley H7]

((Will be posting Julian’s explanation in this post, will try to do it from Taire’s point of view, but it might stray into Julian’s point of view.))

Solitaire had been in Italy for the past few days now. She had even spent time over at Julian and Cassandra's trying to get the villa ready for the christmas celebration that Cass had owled her about. She had gotten Darien's help with the decorations after several attempts of persuasion and bribery. There were so many things that she had offered that he had not agreed to, this made her wonder if giving up racing would have triggered his reaction sooner. Solitaire had been thinking about giving up her muggle fantasy. She knew it was only a hobby and wasn't going to take her anywhere in life, she was determined to turn her passion for cooking into her career in life. She also hoped that she could mix her drawings into that some how. Perhaps she could help Cass one day with a new line of clothes. Taire wasn't sure what she would do yet, and time was getting close for her to decide. Darien assured her over and over again that she wouldn't have to do anything if she didn't want to. He would be able to take care of them. She told him that she couldn't sit around doing nothing while he was out with the special forces aurors.

Taire was in the kitchen, cooking a muggle recipe that she had decided to attempt when she heard her front door slam open. She spun around through the kitchen, grabbed her wand and headed toward the door. As she rounded the corner between the dining room and the front door, she heard Julian bellowing her name. He never gave her the time to answer before he shouted again for her. “What on earth is wrong with you, Julian?” She yelled as she came around the corner. She noticed the frantic look on his face, but she demanded still to know what was going on. “Get in here and explain this outburst.” She spoke calmly hoping her mood would rub off on him. Solitaire couldn’t help herself but to wonder where Cass was, but she knew better than to ask Julian if she wanted answers about his outburst.

Solitaire guided Julian to the living room, and tried to sit him down on the sofa. She couldn’t even make him sit down. “Julian, tell me what all of this is about. Why did you nearly break my door? Why were you shouting? I need an explanation before I can help you.” She calmed Julian down so that he could explain. She watched Julian carefully reach in his bag and pull out something. “What is this?” Julian screamed at Taire spitting out the words as he let out a few gasps of air. He showed her a small black box. Solitaire could see he was hyperventilating and couldn’t grasp what was so upsetting. “Julian, where’s Cassandra? What’s going on?” Taire asked openly, hoping that she could get a calm reaction out of him.

“Cassandra and I had a fight this morning over the baby, and she left. She said she was going to Blackfire Manor and left the flat to go to the alley and apparate. I didn’t think any thing of this, until I started packing the presents.” Julian responded to Taire still more loudly than what she was used to. She sat quietly listening. “That’s when I found this,” he shook the little black box, “It was wrapped like a present. The only thing that made me open it was that it was wrapped in different paper and didn’t have a gift tag on it. I knew Cass had taken the time to tag everyone’s presents so that she wouldn’t get them confused. At first I thought it was some sick prank from Cass, but then I went to the alley with everything to bring it all here, and I noticed the alley seemed odd. Like someone had been fighting. I hadn’t heard anything, so I started looking around and found this.” Taire’s jaw dropped as Julian showed her Cass’s wand. "This was all I found of her, Solitaire. Don't you understand? Something has happened. Either to her or the baby or both." Julian had started screaming again. He was going hysterical and Solitaire knew she wouldn't be able to calm him down. “There’s no way she could have apperated without this.” Taire said taking the wand from Julian’s hands before he could accidently break it. "Don't you think I know that she couldn't have apperated without her wand. I want to know what this is." He screamed once again, this time shoving the black box in her face. "It's got to be something muggle. What has happened to my wife?!?" Solitaire took a deep breath, why should she even try to calm Julian down, it just wasn't going to happen and she couldn't blame him. “I know what the black box is, Julian, but I need you to calm down. I can help you figure this out.” Taire assured Julian.

Solitaire had demanded on a few muggle luxuries when she and Darien had gotten the small Italian home. She moved her muggle belongings including her television set and video cassette player. Solitaire had kept the VCR as the muggles called it, put up since they rarely used it. She had been home alone before Julian showed up as Darien was out on some errand that he wouldn’t tell her about. He was due back in time for the Christmas celebration though. “Let me find something, and I’ll show you what the black box is.” She knew without showing Julian it would be hard to explain it. Solitaire ran up to the spare room, and grabbed a larger grey box off of the top shelf. She had found the VCR and ran back down stairs holding it carefully. Hooking the VCR up to the television, Taire explained, “The little black box you’re holding is a video cassette tape. It’s a device muggles use to record movies and things that happen in their lives so that they can view them again later. This thing that I’m hooking up is a VCR, it’s the device they use to get the picture from the tape to show on the television. Now, we’ll put the little black box in this slot,” Solitaire took the tape from Julian and put it in the slot for the cassette tape. “This will show us what’s on this tape.” Solitaire changed the channel on the television to match the one that the VCR played on, and sat beside Julian carefully. “Are you ready to watch this?” Julian shook his head no. How could he be ready, this could hold answers he may not want Taire thought to herself. Before she hit play on the VCR, she heard a knock and a voice at the door.

[Olivia Dawson S6]

Olivia was proud of herself and the way her plan was going. She had really managed to gain everyone’s trust quite well. She was actually getting pretty close to Julian again, when at first he had been suspicious of her. She couldn’t honestly call herself one of Cassandra’s friends, because in fact, she was using (not to mention tricking) the poor girl. She did pity her though. She tried to warn Cassandra that she needed to know how to stand on her own. She was sure she’d be able to do this, the girl was tough. She could handle the difficult task of being a single mother. Although, maybe once Olivia was engaged with Julian in the future, she could set Cassandra up with a nice responsible boy who could help her care for the child. At first, Olivia really hated Cassandra for stealing Julian from her. But she didn’t hate her anymore. She still felt that Cass needed to be kicked out of the picture, but she wasn’t going to be the one to kick her out herself. How could Julian possibly love her again if he hated her for driving his ‘true love’ away from him? No, she’d slowly tear them apart, making them hate each other. If all went according to plan, Cassandra would get to a point where she loathed and despised anything and everything to do with Julian Fallon. Then, crushed and heartbroken, Julian would return to his previous love. And of course, Olivia would be waiting with open arms. In theory, it was the perfect plan. Olivia couldn’t stop congratulating herself for ever thinking of such a brilliant scheme. She even had enough wit and skill to pull the plot off as well. She was almost there. Cassandra had invited Olivia and a few others to their villa in Italy, a place Olivia had only visited once many years ago when trying to run away. She had been told that her good friend Flare or Care or something lived next door with her boyfriend, whose name also ended in that ‘air’ sound. Olivia had a wad of cash and a pocket full of gold ready for this trip. The money the goblins gave Olivia for talking would definitely be put to good use here.

Olivia packed her things, which in reality weren’t all that much. She had a few nice things, a gorgeous bikini bathing suit (how would pregnant, ordinary looking Cassandra look when sitting in a lounge chair next to the gorgeous and slim Olivia?) some clothes, and other necessities for her little vacation. During this vacation, she planned to sneakily do some very little things and cause many minor mishaps to a point where Julian would become irritable about everything. She’d have muggles visiting them with briefcases and sales ideas, she’d make all his food burn, and she’d do pretty much whatever it took to make him mad without letting him know she was doing it. That way, he’d take all that anger out on Cassandra, who Olivia knew wouldn’t take a word of it. She’d storm out, and Olivia would make sure they didn’t talk for weeks. Knowing them, they’d probably make up afterwards during school when Olivia couldn’t keep them apart, but if she kept secretly instigating these fights frequently, until eventually their marriage is broken because of one of the fights. It seemed cruel in theory, but it was the truth. It was odd, really. She had been seeing more of the Slytherin side of her more and more since she started this plot to win Julian back. For some reason, she didn’t feel any sort of remorse for what she was doing to Cassandra and Julian. In her opinion, she was helping the couple out. Only a select few could handle Julian Fallon. Cassandra was fairing pretty well in the battle, but she would be much better off with someone else. She wasn’t going to learn that by latching herself onto Julian. Then of course there was Julian Fallon himself. He really wasn’t going to figure out that he could do so much better than her and that he needed to leave her for both their safeties. Olivia couldn’t lie to herself. There was obviously some sort of attraction there. But their so-called love was dangerous. She had to stop it. And of course, the only way to stop their love was to put another woman into the picture after Cassandra left. Was it such a crime if that woman happened to be her?

Once she had all her things packed and ready to go, Olivia walked into her sister’s room. Olivia had long since said goodbye to her Aunt Sara’s place and hello to her old room in the Dawson home, but she did come back with dignity. Her mother practically had to beg and bribe her to return, and Olivia returned under the condition that she pay her own rent in exchange for freedom and not having to live under Laura’s rule. She knocked and found the younger girl painting her toenails and listening to some music. “Hey Elle.” Olivia’s little sister smiled and Olivia took it as her cue to walk inside. She placed her small duffle bag on the floor and sat on her sister’s bed. “Where you going, Olivia?” Elle asked, eyeing the bag. Olivia smiled. “Italy. For a little over a week. If Laura asks, let her know. Not like she would though. I’ll see you, hun. Have fun at that big Christmas party.” Elle’s jaw dropped. “Aw, why can’t you take me with you? I’ve always wanted to go to Italy!” Olivia smiled and picked up her bag, eyeing the time. She was going to be late. “Because Laura would probably blow me off the face of the earth if I took her precious daughter from her. Maybe next time, kiddo. I‘ll see you in school.” She said with a wink and a smirk before apparating off.

Olivia arrived a block away from where she figured she was supposed to be, which frustrated her quite a bit. She’d passed her apparation exam, but she hadn’t done very well. She rarely ever splinched herself, but she always seem to end up slightly off in her landing. Olivia shrugged. At least she could have herself a quick smoke before she met up with everybody. Cassandra was pregnant, and everybody would freak out if she started smoking in front of her. Olivia had made that mistake once and didn’t plan on making it again. Julian had nearly ripped her head off for it. She lit herself a cigarette as she walked. As Olivia neared the home that Julian and Cass were staying in, she heard voices. She recognized the loudest one as Julian’s, (how could she not?) and realized it wasn’t coming from his home, but the home next door. Olivia remembered Cassandra telling her that her friend lived there, so she decided it was probably best to take a look. She quickly put out her cigarette and approached the doorstep. The door was open, so she decided to just walk in. She saw Julian and some other girl huddled in front of a television and Olivia raised her eyebrow, wondering what was going on. “Movie time, I presume?” Olivia asked, leaning against the doorway, now chewing gum. She glanced over to the girl and smiled. “You must be Cass’s friend. Taire, is it? I’m Olivia. What’s going on?”

[Jack Reid]

Jack had managed to apparate out of the Reid household again over the holiday break. It was the second party he had decided to attend, this time without Riley. After their little rendezvous at Victoria’s the night before Christmas Eve, Jack had spent the main holiday at home, only to have Riley show up at the Reid house. The scene had been quite a interesting one, and that was where he wanted to leave it. In the past. Not that it had been so much a bad day, but knowing Jackson, his father was not quite big on him dating a Gryffindor girl. But he had feelings for the girl, deeper than his father could ever know. His father was sleeping around with all those women he didn’t love, and the only reason he was doing that was because he didn’t love Mum anymore. It was a true statement, but not something Jackson would admit, and not something Jack would say out loud, and particularly not to his father. It was a pathetic ritual though, and it was one of the main reasons he had decided to meet Julian Fallon at his parent’s vila in Italy for the night. He had been invited since he and Julian had first talked about the plan for the party back in November. Jack would definitely welcome any chance to get out of the Reid house for any amount of time, and a chance to see his good friend again.

Julian and Jack had been friends for the past couple years. Jack couldn’t remember when they had been formally introduced, but it had likely been in a Potions class with Snape. Either way, it didn’t matter. They were friends, and Julian was really the only person who Jack could trust with certain things, certain truths in his life. Julian was the first to know about Riley, and he was also the first to hear about his interest and his quick decision to date her. Julian had also been the first to give him a bit of a Slytherin slap on the wrist, bringing up the House tradition. But hearing his thoughts and feelings, Julian had, for the most part, approved of his relationship with Riley. Jack wasn’t above severing a friendship that strong over someone like Riley, but he knew Julian well enough to know that he wouldn’t give up on a friendship that easily. Riley knew about the party at the Fallon household, but she hadn’t been able to get out of the house a second time, mainly due to the overload of alcohol from the other girls within Godric’s Daughters, the group Riley tended to associate herself with quite often. The girls were trouble at times, but Jack trusted Riley. Maybe trusted her a bit too much, but that wasn’t an issue at the time. She hadn’t done anything to betray his trust, and at the moment he wasn’t planning on betraying that trust at all.

As Jack walked up to the back door of the luxurious Fallon residence, he could hear some music playing. He listened closer and could have swore he heard Julian around the house, at the top of his voice. It wasn’t coming from his parents house, but from the next door household, where there was only a few lights on. He shook it off and went to open the gate, but as he did, he looked down and realized something was on the grass towards the side of the fence. Closing the gate slowly, he reached down to pick up whatever it was. The yelling got a bit louder, and he realized it was Julian, coming from the next door house. He had every intention of going over to find out what was going on, but he had to find out what this object was. It was a note of some sort, with an envelope, large enough to fit a wand in, and as he opened the note, his eyes widened. Written in a scrawled handwriting was the note:

Fallon:

We have your wife. The proof is in the bag.

We played your game. Now, you will play ours.

Find the place in the video.

If you use magic, we will have to do again what we did to get these off.

Aghast, Jack couldn’t believe what he was reading. The envelope had Julian’s name on it, but it was slightly weighted. He popped it open, revealing what he had thought to be in there. Stuffing the envelope in his open pocket, Jack ran around the back of the neighboring house, hearing the yelling getting louder. By this time, Jack knew for a fact the yelling was coming from Julian. He pushed the door open, knowing this house was Taire’s place. She would have to understand, especially since the news Jack had right now was the most important news Julian needed to hear at the moment. He turned a corner into the room where the group of people were, and saw Julian yelling at Taire, still at his loudest. “Julian,” Jack said loudly over him. “You need to see this. It was outside. It’s got your name on it. I’m afraid it’s not good news.” With those words, he handed Julian the note, let him read it, and pulled the envelope out. “This was included.” Jack turned the envelope upside down and Cassandra’s wedding rings, complete with the Fallon crest and diamond in the middle, fell into Julian’s empty hand. “What does this mean? What game are they playing with you? And what’s with all the yelling?” Jack hadn’t meant to ask so many questions, but now he was in the middle of everything, and it looked like Julian had some explaining to do.

[Mikayla Moon]

Mikayla was up and moving. She was a storm of motions and smiles as her grandmother tried to gain some control over the 17 year old. Of course that wasn’t going to happen. Mikayla was too wired for her trip to Italy to be able to be controlled. She wanted nothing more than to see her Cassie….yes her Cassie, that’s how she always thought of her anyhow and it was even more exciting with a pregnant Cassie. Oh how Mikayla had every intention of spoiling her friend’s baby. There would be nothing that Aunt Mikayla wouldn’t get for him or her. If they wanted it to rain chocolate everyday she would figure out how to do it. Anything for the little baby. Maybe her seemingly crazy nurturing feelings were stemming from the fact that Mikayla was the only child…it made her all the more centered on settling down and having her own family…though she felt she was too young for that right now, but she didn’t mind living vicariously through her best friend.

Mikayla threw another set of clothing into her bag. It seemed the girl would never get done packing and it wasn’t like she’d be there forever…but for some reason the tiny girl just felt she had to bring ten different outfits for one party. It was like it was her big day or something, when really it wasn’t. That didn’t seem to stop her though as she finally jumped up on the case trying to slam it closed…at least enough for her to latch it…that’s when the muggle in her realized that this didn’t have to be so complicated. She giggled in stupidity as she jumped off the suitcase and pulled her wand out muttering a few spells to both lighten the load and fit everything into the case perfectly. She’d just have to remember to pull her dress out first so it wouldn’t get too wrinkled.

With that finished she dusted her hands off and looked around her room for any last item she would need. Her grandmother hung back at the door watching the girl as if she were something out of a mystery movie, which made Mikayla grin even broader. Her grandmother just didn’t understand that witch in Mikayla, just as she didn’t understand the wizard inside of granddad. Mikayla hugged her grandmother goodbye and then her granddad. She smiled her biggest smile as she knew they would miss her for the holidays and she would miss them. It wasn’t too often she wasn’t around and they were basically her parents…they had raised her and with that came the burden of knowing that she would someday not be around for a Christmas day or another holiday. That didn’t bother Mikayla though…not really. She was too excited for what was to come and she knew that this was the beginning of what would be a great holiday break.

The last thing she saw before she apparated was the wink from her grandfather and she wiggled her nose in a ‘Bewitched’ style before disappearing. It was within seconds of her disappearance that she reappeared just outside dear old Cassie’s place. However something was amiss before she even knew it. The shouting was coming from right next door to the home…it was Taire’s place…and the yells were familiar voices… It was in an instant that she dropped her bag and bolted up the pathway to the other house, her form rushing through the door. She knew something was wrong…knew it even before she’d walked in and the group of people standing before her were arguing and shouting things she didn’t want to hear.

There was chaos in the yelling…Julian seemed out of control…and Olivia, that was her name right? Julian’s annoying ex-girlfriend was in the middle of things trying to ‘fix’ them…or cause more problems, who really knew with her? There was one thing Mikayla did know…she didn’t trust her as far as she could throw her. Then there was Jack whose voice she had heard from outside…he was saying something about whatever he was holding not being good. There was only one person missing really from this mass of people…the one person that Mikayla didn’t want to not see in that moment. “Cassie…” she said suddenly over the roar as best she could. “Where’s Cassie?”

[Finn Miles H7]

Yes? No? Finn had been debating back and forth as the day arrived when he was supposed to go to Italy. Cass had invited him to a get together of hers and Julian's friends for Christmas. As much as he wanted to go for Cass, Finn knew that Julian really didn't like him that much. Plus, Julian's Slytherin friends would be there, and as much as Finn prided himself on getting along with most anybody, he knew that Cass would be the only one who really wanted him there. Mikayla was nice too, but Finn barely knew her. If he was going to do this, it was going to be for Cass. That was that.

"Why the puzzled look?" Raina said, sauntering into his room and plopping down on his bed.

"Trying to decide if I should go to Italy," Finn said with a sigh.

"Oh, what a tough decision," Raina mocked as she rolled her eyes. "Italy, how terrrrible."

Finn laughed. "You're right. I should just go, yeah?"

"Cass will be there," she said with a smirk.

"How many times have I told you?" He shook his head. "I don't like her. Not like that." He knew it was impossible to explain. "Get out of here, punk, I need to pack." Finn playfully shoved his sister out the door and hurried around his room to get everything he needed. If he apparated soon, he'd make it on time.

Twenty minutes later and an uncomfotable 'pop' and Finn was in Italy. Oh, the wonders of magic. He was loving every minute of his newly acquired apparition license. Just up ahead he saw the Fallon's villa. As well, he saw the small figure of what was unmistakably Mikayla Moon. Oddly enough, she was sprinting away from Cass's house and up to the one next door. Weird.

It wasn't until he walked closer that Finn understood why Mikayla was running. A trumpeting round of voices was coming from the house, and Finn decided that maybe he should hurry in as well. Something was clearly not right.

"Where's Cassie?" He heard Mikayla ask. His eyes scanned the room. Julian. Taire. Jack. Olivia. Mikayla. No Cass. Maybe she was next door. Julian's face said otherwise. Finn didn't know what was going on, but something was wrong. He stood silent, knowing his questions would be better answered if he just waited rather than asking.

[Julian Fallon S7]

Solitaire had not even gotten the tape started when everyone else started coming from his house to see what all of the shouting was about. Julian couldn't believe how quickly everyone started to appear. Now that his friend Jack had shown up with the found note, and Cassandra's wedding jewelry, he needed to see what was on this video tape that Solitaire had ready to be played in what she called a VCR. "Will everyone just Shut Up!?!?" Julian bellowed. He needed to concentrate for a few moments. He needed to see what was on the tape. So many thought ran through his mind at once. He knew their friends deserved answers.

"I'm not sure where Cass is. All I do know is she is missing, a muggle video tape found mysteriously in our Christmas presents, and her wand found in the alley outside our flat in London, but no sign of her anywhere. I know she couldn't have apperated without her wand, so I'm left with no clues except the tape and now this note that Jack has brought me." Julian read the note out loud to the small group that had gathered around him. He wasn't sure what his next step was going to be. "Who ever decides to help me look for her will have to follow these rules apparently. Who ever has taken her apparently thinks I have played some type of game with them, and they think by taking Cass they will be able to get retribution."

Julian thought about the no magic rule set by the kidnappers. He knew what this meant. He would have to contact some one that had more muggle contacts than he did. Solitaire had a few muggle connections but it wouldn't be enough. A shock flushed over him as he realized that he would have to call Pyro and let him know what had happened. Looking toward Solitaire, Julian's face turned to a look of desperation. "I'll finish explaining this to everyone in a moment, but first I need to talk to Solitaire alone."

Julian pulled Solitaire out on the back patio and pulled the door shut behind them. "Do you still have Pyro's muggle cell phone number?" He asked, his voice now more shallow and distraught than it had been in front of the group. "I'm going to have to call him, I'm going to have to explain all of this to him. We'll need his help." Solitaire understood, nodding and pulled out her cell phone. Dialing the number, she handed the phone to Julian as it rang. "I'll leave you alone." Solitaire said as she turned and went back into the house to explain to the others what Julian was now doing.

"Pyro, It's Julian. I have a problem, and I'm going to require your help." Julian said taking a deep breath. "Cassandra has been taken. I know, I know. It's all my fault. Please I would rather you yell at me to my face. The thing is, who ever has taken her has left specific instructions that anyone looking for her can not use magic. I'm prepared to look for her alone, but I need help with the muggle transportation and other muggle needs. Meet me at Solitaire and Darien's and I will explain the rest." Julian snapped the phone shut, and went back into the living room. "Solitaire, Pyro will be here in a moment. Please take time to put away anything breakable, I'm sure that there's going to be a fight."

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Parchments had an odd way of cropping up in places and cluttering areas. It was something that Pyro had never expected in his life. When he was young his father had always hammered neatness into him, both with his affects and with his personal appearance. Pyro had never found any problems with neatness, in fact it came in handy during school days when he could simply reached into his bag and produce the item within seconds whereas the other students would have to search through a heap of crap. Pyro had always remained neatly groomed, once he started growing facial hair that is, and even though his hair was long it was always tucked back into a tight and neat braid whenever he went out into public. Now he sat staring at the atrocity that was his desk, covered with so much parchment clutter that Pyro didn’t even remember what the color of his desk was. Pyro remembered when he had seen his fathers desk similiarly cluttered and it had disgusted him, how could a man who preached neatness as much as Charles have such a dirty desk. Yet here he was, pressured under a mountain of paperwork, memos, request forms for odds and ends, and his own private letters from his darker associates.

Pyro knew he should clean, but who had that kind of time anymore? He couldn’t even let his house elves clean the desk or else he ran the risk of not being able to find anything ever again. Yet everyday that went by added a new layer to the pile. With a heavy sigh Pyro sat down, shifted a few parchments, found the letter he was looking for and quickly began to read. He worked for a couple of hours, writing a letter here, filling out a form there and as always, the day slowly began to drip away.

Brrrrr

Pyro snapped his head up and looked around the office. “What?” He asked the empty air, he could have sworn he had heard something. Brrrrrr Pyro’s attention snapped down toward his desk, he knew that noise had originated from there. What the hell could it have been? Pyro began to sift through the mountains of paperwork, the noise came two more times before Pyro finally found the curious little device and the memories came back to him. Pyro picked up the cell phone and looked at it curiously, most of his muggle relations contacted him via a 3rd party office he had set up, this office immediately received any muggle information and converted it the more convential wizard format and vice versa. Only a few people actually held the number that would reach him directly, and it was only reserved for emergencies.

“Hello?” He asked flipping the phone open and pressing it to his ear. A scowl immediately found its way onto his face as the familiar voice of Julian came in on the other side of the connection. Pyro managed to identify a slight uneasiness in Julian’s voice before the bomb was dropped. He barely managed to hold on to the phone as his blood turned cold at the news. Cassandra had been taken? Rage quickly boiled up within him, he knew that this had to be Julian’s fault, even if it wasn’t Julian still deserved to be punished for not being able to protect his own wife. “Cassie has been what!? How c….” Julian quickly cut him off saying that he would rather be yelled at in person and quickly explained what he needed Pyro for.

Pyro could hardly remember what transpired the next few minutes, all he knew was he was talking with Julian, than a red wall of rage filled his vision and suddenly he was dressed and prepared to apperate. Pyro quickly apperated to Solitaire and Darien’s front door, hardly waiting to be let in Pyro simply barged in and quite easily managed to locate Julian. Pyro was not prepared to the see the crowd assembled before him but that hardly slowed him. That familiar wall was once again falling before his eyes but Pyro fought back against it, he wanted to be conscious during this, to see every shining moment. A few quick steps closed the distance between him and Julian and quick as a flash his fist arched out to connect squarely with Julian’s jaw.

“You let her get kidnapped?” Pyro shouted at him. “What the hell did you do?” Pyro seethed, barely on the edge of control as he looked at Julian before him, waiting to hear his lame excuse.