"When the goblins put a price on my head, he tried to wiggle out of the vow I made him take and get the bounty. He died for his efforts, but still he tried. So if you do contact him, keep my name out of it. I don't want to have to see him."
"Oh, I will see if I can get a hold of him," Remus said and then looked back to his research. He was fascinated on all the updated spells from the future.
"Remember, we're looking for a woman," Hydrus stated, and then went back to his own reader.
He got two nods in return and silence fell once again. They kept at it until midnight, not finding anything on what they were researching, but plenty of good things they might be able to use in the future. This set the rhythm for the next few months.
A few busy days passed and little was found, the looking into the people missing and reappearing was a bust. Hundreds of witches left the country ten years ago and many of them returned and were all doing normal things, like working and raising a family. So this Dark Lady was still a mystery, if she even existed at all. It was something they were debating, because there was no word of an uprising in the darker parts of the magical world. No recruiting, no propaganda, nothing that would indicate someone trying to take over. The only thing they had to go on was Hydrus's stalker, and they didn't know if she was one and the same. Not wanting to take that chance, they continued researching.
It was Saturday and Hydrus and Sirius were having one of their public lunches. They tried to be seen in public a few times a month, so there was reason to talk about one another at their jobs. They had just finished their meal and were walking to the Apparation point when out of nowhere Hydrus was hit with a Killing Curse.
Once again finding himself in a grey space, Hydrus said, "Well, this sucks. Death, are you around?"
"Yes," came the succinct answer from behind him.
Hydrus turned and saw the deity in all his gloomy glory. He waved his hand and conjured seats. "Will I always meet you here? I mean, can't I just drop dead and then jump back up?" the immortal asked as he sat in on of the chairs.
"I needed to speak with you," the very thin man said with a shrug of his shoulder, taking the other chair. "You will usually heal right away, unless I am in need of you."
"Really that takes a load off my mind. What do you need to talk to me about? Is it about whoever killed me this time?"
"Yes, this Dark Lady of yours does not like you. I believe you are the reason she is around. I cannot tell you who she is, but you have personally affronted her. While she is not a major threat to the citizens, she will still come after you until you die or you neutralize her. Since you cannot die…" another shrug of the shoulder.
"Great, my own personal nutter, guess she can't really be called a Dark Lady. Hmmm, wonder who I slighted so badly?" Hydrus sighed and ran his hand down his face. "Is Harry in danger?" something he was very concerned about.
"Only from crossfire. She has a thing for children. She will not harm them intentionally," Death answered in is stoic voice.
"And Grace?"
"It might be best that she carries protection, though I don't think she would hurt her too bad. Once again she has a soft spot for non-magicals. This woman is not like your Voldemort. This is a personal vendetta," the tall thin man warned. "You would do well by looking into all you have done since you came back. The reason she is after you is hidden in plain sight."
"Anything else?" Hydrus asked as he stood. He really hated those riddle like answers. It reminded him too much of Dumbledore.
"No," was the answer as the deity stood as well.
"Well thanks for the tips. Can you send me back now, we were in a busy area and I don't want to be known as the Boy Who Lived again."
With a wave of his arm Death flung his soul back to his body. Hydrus woke with a gasp, sat up and looked around. His forehead furrowed; he was on a table, in a dusty room made of wood in what looked like the back of an empty shop. There were bits of broken furniture and piles of discarded parchment. The afternoon sun was the only light, shining through the broken, dirty windows. He seemed to be alone, but he could hear someone coming, so he whipped out his Cloak and moved to the furthest wall, wand in hand.
Sirius came into the room and looked around, wand in hand. "Wonderful, first he dies on a full street and now he disappears." He threw up his hands and was going to walk out.
"Padfoot," Hydrus said, taking off the Cloak, "what happened?"
"Hydrus!" Sirius shouted as he twirled around. "You had me scared half to death. You got hit with a Killing Curse right in the middle of the pavement. I knew you didn't want people to know, so I disillusioned you as soon as you fell and drug your heavy arse in here." Which was sort of a lie, since he levitated him.
"Did you see who hit me?" the immortal asked as he put away his Cloak. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Nah, it came from behind us. I ducked and looked, but everyone was running at that point. So I disillusioned you and made like I was taking cover. After you fell, there were no more curses thrown."
"Oh, okay, and thanks for that. Did anyone see me get hit?" He sat on the dusty table he had woken up on.
"Merlin, I hope not." He shuddered thinking of all the press that would happen if that occurred.
"You and me both, Padfoot, you and me both," Hydrus sighed, thinking the same thing. He then jumped off the table and went to the door. "Well no time like the present to find out." He opened the door, his wand at the ready, and saw a lot of confused people milling about. Many of them had wands in hand and were looking around for an enemy, which was a far cry from his timeline when they just ran and hid. It made the time traveler feel better about the populace that they were ready to defend themselves.
He stepped out the door, Sirius right behind him, and went to the nearest man. "Did you see what happened?" he asked the alert person.
"Someone fired a Killing Curse, but we don't think it hit anyone. Can't be too careful, what with rumors of a Dark Lady floating about," the man said, looking Hydrus up and down as if to make sure he was a man.
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