Mission 2.0
Draco sat stiffly at the long table, his arm out of the sling but still feeling faintly sore. Across from him, Orion lounged in his chair with his usual easy confidence, twirling his wand idly between his fingers. The briefing room was sparsely populated, with only a handful of other Aurors gathered. At the head of the room, Thorne stood, flipping through a stack of parchment with a grim expression.
“This mission is delicate,” Thorne began, his voice carrying easily across the room. “We’ve had reports of a rogue dark magic operation in the East End. The group is small but dangerous—smuggling cursed artifacts and experimenting with blood magic.”
Draco felt his stomach twist. Blood magic. It was dark, volatile, and notoriously cruel.
“They’ve been operating under the radar,” Thorne continued, “but a recent raid uncovered a lead on their main hideout. We need to move quickly before they relocate.”
He looked around the room, his gaze settling on Draco and Orion. “Malfoy, Veyne, you’re leading this one. The others will provide backup.”
Draco blinked in surprise, glancing at Orion, who didn’t look the least bit fazed.
“Why us?” Draco asked, his tone neutral but edged with curiosity.
Thorne’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Because they’ll recognize anyone else. We’ve already sent agents undercover, and their faces are known. You two are new enough to slip in unnoticed.”
Orion grinned, leaning forward. “Infiltration, then? I like it. Do we have a cover?”
Thorne nodded. “You’ll pose as buyers interested in their wares. We’ve secured a contact who’ll vouch for you, but you’ll need to convince the group you’re serious. Once inside, your job is to locate their stockpile and disable any active curses or traps. The rest of us will move in to secure the location.”
Draco frowned. “And if things go sideways?”
“Then you get out. Alive,” Thorne said bluntly. “That’s an order.”
Orion shot Draco a sideways look, his smirk widening. “Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”
Draco groaned inwardly. He had a sinking feeling this was going to be anything but.
~
The air was damp and heavy with the scent of mildew as Draco and Orion stepped into the dimly lit warehouse. Stacks of crates and barrels were scattered haphazardly, and the faint hum of enchantments buzzed in the air. A group of robed figures stood near the far wall, their faces obscured by hoods.
“Remember,” Orion murmured under his breath, his voice low and steady, “you’re the aloof, calculating one. I’m the charming one.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “That’s hardly a stretch for you.”
They approached the group, their wands holstered but within easy reach. One of the robed figures stepped forward, his hood pulled back to reveal a wiry man with sharp features and cold eyes.
“You’re late,” the man said, his voice like gravel.
“Traffic,” Orion replied smoothly, flashing a disarming smile. “You know how it is.”
The man’s eyes narrowed, but he gestured for them to follow. He led them deeper into the warehouse, where an array of dark artifacts was displayed on a long table—cursed amulets, ancient tomes, and vials of murky, pulsating liquid.
Draco’s eyes flicked over the items, his stomach twisting at the palpable dark energy radiating from them. Orion, meanwhile, kept up his easy demeanor, leaning forward to inspect a dagger etched with runes.
“Impressive collection,” Orion said, his tone casual. “But we’re looking for something… unique. Something with bite.”
The man smirked. “We might have just the thing.”
He gestured to one of his companions, who retrieved a small, intricately carved box from a crate. When the lid was lifted, a black orb pulsing with faint red light hovered inside. The air around it felt thick, suffused with dark energy that made Draco’s skin crawl.
“The Orb of Vallis,” the man said. “Pure blood magic. Amplifies spells tenfold—for a price.”
Draco stiffened, his mind racing. If this thing fell into the wrong hands, it could cause untold destruction.
Orion’s expression remained calm, but Draco caught the faintest flicker of tension in his glowing eyes. “Interesting,” Orion said, his voice smooth. “But how do we know it works?”
The man chuckled darkly. “You’ll have to trust us. Unless, of course, you’d like a demonstration.”
Draco tensed, his fingers brushing the handle of his wand. This was getting dangerous.
Before the man could act, a faint crack echoed through the warehouse—the unmistakable sound of Apparition. Draco’s heart leapt as Thorne and the backup team materialized, wands drawn.
“Ministry of Magic!” Thorne barked. “Drop your wands!”
Chaos erupted. The robed figures scattered, firing curses as they ran. Orion moved instinctively, shoving Draco to the ground as a jet of green light streaked past them.
“Stay down!” Orion shouted, his wand already drawn as he deflected another spell.
Draco scrambled to his feet, firing a Stunning Spell at one of the fleeing figures. The air crackled with magic, the battle unfolding in a blur of light and sound.
In the chaos, Draco spotted the Orb of Vallis, still hovering in its box. Without thinking, he lunged for it, shielding it with a protective charm.
“Orion!” he shouted, tossing the box toward him.
Orion caught it deftly, his glowing eyes meeting Draco’s for a split second before they turned back to the fight.
By the time the dust settled, the rogue wizards were subdued, and the Orb was safely contained in a Ministry-approved case. Draco stood panting, his wand still clenched in his hand, as Orion approached him, his usual smirk firmly back in place.
“Not bad for a day’s work,” Orion said, clapping Draco on the shoulder. “Though you really should work on that duck-and-cover technique.”
Draco rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. “And you should work on keeping your mouth shut.”
As they left the warehouse together, Draco couldn’t shake the feeling that, despite the danger, they were starting to make a surprisingly good team.
~
Scene: Ministry of Magic, Auror Headquarters, Debriefing Room
Draco and Orion entered the debriefing room, still dusty and bruised from the mission. A few other Aurors milled about, including Thorne, who stood near the head of the table, going over the mission notes with a sharp-eyed Harry Potter.
Draco sighed inwardly. Of course Potter was here. The Golden Boy seemed to have an uncanny knack for showing up whenever Draco least wanted him to.
Orion, however, didn’t seem the least bit fazed. In fact, he grinned, his sharp features lighting up with curiosity as he leaned over to Draco. “Is that the Harry Potter?” he murmured.
Draco scowled. “Don’t start.”
Ignoring Draco’s warning, Orion sauntered into the room with his usual confidence. As Thorne glanced up, about to speak, Orion beat him to it.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the Chosen One himself,” Orion said, his voice laced with amusement. He extended a hand. “Orion Veyne. Pleasure to meet you.”
Harry turned, his green eyes sharp as they flicked over Orion. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking the offered hand. “Harry Potter,” he said simply.
Draco groaned inwardly, wishing he could sink into the floor.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Orion continued, his tone easy and conversational. “You’re practically a legend in Australia. Stories about the Battle of Hogwarts, defeating You-Know-Who—very inspiring stuff.”
Harry raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to gauge whether Orion was being sincere or mocking him. “Thanks,” he said cautiously. “I try not to dwell on it.”
“Oh, but you should,” Orion said, releasing Harry’s hand and crossing his arms. “It’s not every day you meet someone who’s literally rewritten history.”
Draco rolled his eyes, stepping in before Orion could derail the entire debrief. “Potter,” he said curtly, “did you need something, or are you just here to bask in your eternal glory?”
Harry shot Draco a look but didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he turned back to Orion. “I came to hear about the mission. How did it go?”
Orion smirked, leaning back against the table. “Smooth as butter, thanks to me. Malfoy here had his moments, too.”
Draco glared at him. “I saved your arse, Veyne. Let’s not rewrite the story.”
“Details,” Orion said with a dismissive wave. “The point is, we got the Orb of Vallis and took down the smugglers. Mission accomplished.”
Harry’s expression softened slightly, and he gave a nod. “Good work. That orb could’ve caused a lot of damage in the wrong hands.”
“It still might,” Draco interjected. “If the Ministry doesn’t handle it properly.”
Harry gave him a faint smile. “It’s already being moved to the Department of Mysteries for containment. I’ll make sure it’s secure.”
Draco muttered something under his breath, but Orion clapped a hand on his shoulder. “See? The Ministry’s finest has it under control.”
Harry gave Orion a long look, as though trying to figure him out. “You’re not like most Aurors I’ve worked with.”
Orion grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t necessarily meant as one,” Harry replied, though his tone was mild.
Draco smirked at that, but Orion just laughed. “Fair enough, Potter. Fair enough.”
Thorne cleared his throat, cutting through the tension. “If we’re done with introductions, can we get back to the debrief?”
Harry nodded, his gaze lingering on Orion for a moment longer before turning to Thorne. As the meeting resumed, Draco couldn’t help but notice the way Orion’s smirk lingered, as though meeting Harry Potter had been far more entertaining than it had any right to be.
Draco leaned over and whispered, “You’re enjoying this far too much.”
Orion’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, absolutely.”