Quiet before the Storm

Abraxas led the small gropu through the night. They had to travel without the use of magic if they wanted to avoid detection and tracking by the Ministry. The group was small, consisting of only those trusted highly, the mission was simple, a quick snatch and grab. In and out as quick as possible, they need information first and formation, and if they wished to progress later on then, they would need as many of there men alive and out of Azkaban as possible.

"Right, it's simple," Abraxas whispered to the group as they remained in the cover of the shadows, "do not engage with any one unless it is absolutely necessary, the perfect out come is to get in and out of there without being detected."

Aamon knew that is was probably going to be difficult with it being such a secure location, but he could hope for the best. His men were competant enough, and his daughter better than them. He had argued once again about having her accompany them, but she had put up with a fight offering up a good argument, unable to disuade her she had travelled along with them, but he would be sure to keep a close eye on her. It wasn't her that he was worried about, it was what she would do that he was unsure about, Amelia was unpredictable which made him that much more tense about the operation.

"It's nearly time," Abraxas told them, checking his watch and looking up at the night. The cloud covered sky, offered them an advantage of extra darkness, without the light of the moon, they would be able to move through the dark a lot easier. He watched as his pet stared with intent eyes, the beast was a rarity, it had been with Abraxas for a long period of his life. Abraxas was not sentimental, and knew that it was still only an animal that wasn't worth the label of family member, but it was loyal and Aamon used that and the beasts power to his advantage.

He was still unsure why Amelia had insisted bringing him along this evening, he wasn't the smallest of creatures and would draw more attention to them if anything. But she had simply told him to trust her. Why did he have such a sore spot for his daughter?

"You ready?" he stood proud infront of the animal, he never showed it any affection, just respect. That is all an animal needed, if you showed it who was boss, showed it a strong leader, then it would follow with blind loyalty.

Loki flagged the ranks, his snout following the floor in invisible pathlines. He didn't know anything right now apart from his need to find this scent. The person that his Master had ordered him to find.

Ah! A path to follow. A link. A trace!

"Woof!"

Loki broke rank and raced ahead in the darkness, his fur glistening from the heavy rain. "Woof!" he urged, urging his Master to follow.
They were here.

Amelia stood proud in the shadows, this mission was easy, she didn't understand why they even needed this many people. She thought it only would cause them more trouble, sometimes she thought that her old man was becoming soft and more cautious but she would soon be set straight as she would see the cold eyes and stone demeanor that she knew so well.

As Loki found the scent she smirked, he father didn't think that he would be any use to them, but Amelia liked to think she knew better. The less magic they could use, the less chance of being detected, and so Loki was there best chance at tracking down the target.

"What did I tell you Aamon," she glanced his way, "seems you need to have a bit more faith sometimes."

Amelia was the only one that got away with calling her father by his first name. He didn't like it but there was nothing he could really do about it.

Amelia stalked off, following Loki as he lead the way through the shadowed estate.

Her eyes dark and fierce now the moon wasn't visable, Ursula followed the girl Abraxus. "You happy now?" she hissed. "Can I get home to my niece now you've gotten your way?"
It was all such a stupid thing. She couldn't believe it had come to this and what was more, Ursula couldn't believe she was actually bargaining with them. But as she had been reminded, there were a lot of ways to get to a child, just like they were doing now.
Emily wasn't going to stay safe with Ursula cowering in a corner.

Although really, she was just doing the same thing now, only out in the cold. Feeling a pang, Ursula shambled into a run backwards away from the group, a lump rising in her throat.

"Uh, uh uh," Amelia turned and with a flick of her wrist sent a leg locking jinx at the fleeing woman, "you're going the wrong way."

Amelia stepped forward head held hight as she eyed the cowering woman, it was sad what family ties could do to a person. It made a person soft and helpless, they would risk their own lives to help their kin. No matter what situation, Amelia would not do the same for any of her family, self preservation was what her father had taught her and even if it was him that was at stake it would make no difference. But it did make other's easy to manipulate.

"We don't want poor little Emma getting hurt now do we?" a sickening sweetness dripped from her words, "I think you can help us a bit more in this than simply showing us where to go. For all we know this is a Ministry estate, and you are leading us to be ambushed. So I think you should stay around until we are sure everything fits to the deal."

Amelia released the woman, knowing that she had only one option.

Luke sat in his father's study, the man had asked for him to meet him there when he got home and so Luke was sat in the arm chair opposite the desk waiting for his father to appear in the fireplace.

He swung his legs staring at the ceiling, glancing at the clock every now and again, watching the minutes pass. His father was half an hour late already but Luke still didn't hold much hope for him turning up any time soon.

He had ignored the calls of his batty mother, and had locked the door so that she couldn't get in. Too stupid to think to use her wand, she had left him be, ordering a house elf to bring his supper to the study.

Luke had eaten it with out much interest and had set the half empty place down on a nearby table. He wasn't hungry, he was more curious of what his father had to tell him. Luke rarely got to see his father, he worked away from home for days on end, and when he was home, he would remain confined in this study. Luke had only been in it a few times and so the ornaments, trinkets and books that adorned the shelves fascinated him. But he would never touch a thing for fear of feeling the harsh infamous temper of his father.

Luke's attention flashed towards the window as he heard what sounded to be the bark of a dog. There were no dogs on the family estate, his mother couldn't stand them and his father didn't care. Luke shook his head, thinking that he must have simply imagined it, and went back to staring at the fire.

Conor quite literally had his hand twisted so far behind his back he had a knife down to the hilt in his spine, his own fingers curled around the blade. All he had to keep thinking was that as long as Reuben was safe and sound, everything would be worthwhile. The Abraxas household knew how to reward and treasure their clientele and where some people saw pain, Conor saw profit.

That was how a year could change you.

He rapped loudly on the ostentatious door knocker, as the rain started to pummel more heavily around this estate. Conor was surprised a house like this hadn't a longer front garden but no. As the house elf graced the steps in front of him, Conor seized him by his bony throat and held him up high.

"We have no use for you," he says, dropping him from the steps onto the wet grass below with a thunk. The house elf barely had time to raise a wizened hand and react.

"Come on," he said to the rest of the group, inclining his head at their leader.

Up until the door opening Ursula had to follow the Ministry worker Moon religiously. She wasn't surprised she'd let out a little sob yet, but those could wait. The past few hours had gone by so scarily she could have dismissed it as a dream and she would have believed it, if it weren't for that knowledge that even her subconcious wouldn't be as sick and twisted and true as reality inevitably is.

She wanted to do something- if not for the house elf because she was averse to the bony things- to warn the family, to warn the father with a wife and a son and an empire to maintain. And yet she stood limply by the pillars of the house, like a puppet with its strings cut. She was too much of a coward.

Abraxas nodded his approval to the Ministry worker, what was his name? Murn, Mourn, Maroon? It didn't matter in the slightest, names were only a weakness.

He barged past the woman, the Professor, she was pathetic. So easily manipulated, it just showed that family could be used against anyone, it was why you had to detach yourself from it, or build up a great defence, the latter was what Aamon had chosen to do, although he would never let on that he would do anything for his daughter. He had become a lot more cold since his wife's death, but Amelia was the only thing he had left, and he would let nothing change that.

"Now keep quiet," he hissed to everyone, "and keep your guard up, we may be in, but we don't know what awaits inside. We have come for Elwood, just remember that, and Finchley, keep those sticky fingers of yours to yourself, we are not filthy thieves."

The corridors were dimly lit, the lamps down low, and there was only the gentle ticking of a clock that stood at the end of the corridor. Moving slowly through the house, Abraxas listened carefully for any murmuring of voices. His sources had said that he was back only for a few days, that he had a meeting with someone, who that someone was he didn't know, nor did it make any difference. If they were here they would have to come too, there couldn't be any witnesses.

Barking happily and bashing through the hallway door, Loki broke rank and followed behind Abraxas loyally as a good doggy slash monster would do.
"Woof!" he intoned darkly, slamming his side into one door to the left. He could smell the scent of the target he had been given a sweater of earlier. Whether he was in there now or not or it was just a remnant of him would be left to be decided by his master.

His master was a good man, and Loki would go to the end of the worlds for him.
"Woof," he barked.

Luke wasn't paying attention to anything, his thoughts drifting around wondering what his father wanted with him. Was it going to be another lecture, or maybe he had something to give Luke. As if. Luke rarely was ever given anything from his father, he usually had to just trick his mother into giving him money and he would go out and get it himself.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a knock at the front door, he remained seated, the house elf was sure to get it and deal with whomever it was. There was no need for him to move.

He went back to swinging his legs on the chair, kicking a beat with his heels, and tapping a rhythm on the arms of his chair.

He heard the bark again, but he didn't think it was outside any longer, he was sure that it was louder, as if inside his house. Maybe the person who had knocked on the door had brought a dog with them.

Suddenly something large burst into his father's study and Luke could do nothing but freeze, gripping the chair and holding his breathe. Unblinking he stared at the people that stood in the doorway not knowing what to do.

"Who are you?" he finally found his voice, "My father isn't here right now."

Ursula stood halfway through the front door and felt tremours. Who else was here not by their own choice? There seemed to be so many faces that the minute she saw one and tried to imagine an excuseable story for them they'd disappear and she'd forget their faces completely.

The only thing she was thinking continuously however was this'll show the neighbours. Bitterly.

Elsewhere, anywhere. But not home. But not home.

That was where she was found and that was where Emily hopefully was right now, all tucked up in bed. That was what she hoped. That wasn't what she expected. Fear does that.

For what won't be the first nor the last time in her life, Ursula has the compelling idea to contact David. This would mean a lot to him. The first raid- that they had known about- for him to catch. Even if this was personal, this was still something they had talked a lot about stopping.

Fear does this thing where if it's happening to you you don't want it happening to people you care about. And for that reason, with a shrug, sigh and a tremor, Ursula steps right into the house and leans against the wall. She hasn't got many options. It's clear the eldest of the group is the leader. Ruthless, he seems. His daughter- so alike in looks and grace or lack thereof- just the same.

Ursula doesn't have time, options or even a wand. Waiting for him to say how well she's done right up until the very end doesn't look too promising.
How sad, she thinks sardonically I never even got to show my Figgie class my animagus form.
And that is what seals the deal. Ursula can see four different little groups going around and around the house- up the stairs, to the left, down the hall- and she decides now is the time to look like them and blend in. It's just her luck that nearby the door is a cloak room and there are a few black and well kept travelling cloaks. No wand, but she can do without for now, even though her wand arm feels a little lost.

I've got to get out, but how?

Aamon looked over the head of the hulking beast of a pet, glancing round the room, finally settling his eyes on the boy sat in a chair. There was no sign of Elwood. He could have cursed whoever it may be that had tipped him off, this was dangerous.

"Are you sure son?" Abraxas took several steps closer to the boy, staring down with dark eyes, "Do you want to rethink that?"

He stalked around the room, running his hand across the desk and finally sinking himself into the chair he assumed belonged to Elwood.

"And as to who we are," he began, "I think it's best you didn't know."