Unrepentant

It didn't take long before she was hooked in conversation. A tall skinny man, clad in deep maroon and golden jewellery had approached her not long after her dissent into the mist of dark wizards. Sebastian lingerd behind sipping a small goblet of sparkling white wine trying his best not to appear as though he was stalking her.

"What is a beautiful thing like you doing in a place like this then." He danced around her, his hands ghosting the sides of her waist.
"Why hello. I'm just here for the drinks and dancing, I must admit it seems rather silly now, having seen all the buisness being done here. I feel well in over my head." She batted her eyelashes at him, smiling softly. It seemed in all this time she hadn't gotten any worse at lying through her teeth.

"Well my sweet, I'm into business myself. If you'd like I could talk you through some of it." He flashed her a toothy smile, his teeth were yellowed and his lips caped.
"I would like that very much. What with the disaster last month. I must say its all rather intriguing. I do love a mystery."
He had reached for her hands holding them ruffly, spinning her around before pulling her closer to himself.
"Oh it's no mystery my love, there was talk of an attack for weeks before it happend. Some man in a hood." He span her once more.
"Oh, well that's rather scary."
"No. Nothing of the sort, he only wants to send a message. We all do in some ways I suppose."
"But the innocent people."
"Shhhh," he dipped her low leaning over her, shadowing her face. Sebastian's heart was racing, his feet moved before he could even process where he was going. "None of that matters now, just keep drinking and dancing. That's what you wanted right?" Where is Thomas, why isn't he watching her. Surely he wants to keep her safe from these people. Why didn't he care, she is clearly uncomfortable.

"There you are, I've been looking for you darling, and who is this?" Sebastian mustered the mist professional voice he could, turning toward the man with sharp eyes and a hardend glare. Don't touch her again, he wanted the message burnt into the mans brain.
"And who may you be?" The man stared down at Sebastian, but he was far from intimated, not whilst she stood at his side.
"I'm her fiance, now you never answered my question, who are you?"
"My love please, my friend here was just trying to teach me about his business. Although now you're here I do believe you're the better one of us to discuss it with," She turned to the man once again. "My fiancé works in the potion trade, fancy stuff from what I understand."
"Mmhm yes well, I wouldn't want to steal you from your beloved, I shall take my leave." He bowed to her "my lady." And bowed quickly towards Sebastian before dashing towards the exit.

"What was that, I had it under control."
"He was trying to screw you for Merlin's sake. Just get on with the mission, I want to leave this place as soon as we can." The pair split once again.
Sebastian's eyes drifted once more to Thomas, whose focus hadn't shifted from the bartender and the glass of liquor infront on him. Were they not supposed to be partners. Its his job to watch her back. To keep her safe. Why didn't he care.
He removed his gaze from the pair of them. Let them do as they please, he thought, I'm here now I shall do it myself.

He put on the hardest face he possibly could, for the first time since that day in the green room he hoped the darkness behind his eyes burnt into the minds of everyone who looked at him. If it could help save Anne, he would say anything, do anything. And so he picked himself up and headed towards a table in the corner of the room.

It was dark and smelt of sage and smoke, the dim light that hung overhead cast ominous shadows across the faces of the occupants. Four people sat at the small wooden table, each with a large glass tankard in hand, sneering at eachother as the played cards. He looked to the man in the centre. He was a handsome thing, with a long pointed nose and thick eyebrows. His eyes were forest green and shone like emeralds in the low light. And his ebony hair was slicked back, with a single gentle curl falling onto his forhead. He, along with all his companions, where dressed near identically to Sebastian, long black cloaks and suits, all with some lavish fabric or striking embroidery.

"You," the man looked up from his cards, turning to look at Sebastian. "Do I know you." Shit, he had not been prepped for this.
"I doubt that, it's my first vist. I must say I was hoping for more."
"Yes well, this is a social club. All the real hard work goes on elsewhere. Are you sure we haven't met?"
"Ah I see. Its a shame I was looking for someone who might be able to help me with a little problem."
"Well sir, you found the right people. My names Killian. And by the looks of you we're one in the same. Come, sit. We'll talk over a game of Rummy."
"I don't believe I've got anything worth betting on I'm afraid."
"Everyone has something worth betting on my friend. Let's play a round. If you win, I'll help you find whoever it is you're looking for."
"And if you win?"
"That lady over there," he gestured idolly towards the auror. "She's your's right? If I win, I want her to join us here for a drink. What do you say. Game on?" Your's, what was he thinking. She belonged to nobody, she never had. He had no say in what she did and didn't do.
"Deal. Let's play." But he really needed those answers.

Sebastian pulled a wooden chair out from under the table, swinging himself into it seamlessly. A woman, who had a marvelously tall updo with several peacock feathers hanging loosely from a bun at the top of her head, began shuffling a large deck of rather tattered cards counting a set of ten cards to each of the gentlemen. She placed the remaining cards in the centre of the table and turned over the top card with a long spindle like finger.

Sebastian picked up his hand, organising them silently into melds. His opposition mirrored him. He had a few decent choices, enough that a strategy began to from in his head. On his turn he drew a card from the drew pile, discarding in turn a low card. Killian did the same. For a minute, the game progressed at the same slow pace, picking up cards and discarding them without much tension at all.

"You never did tell me your name?"
"Sebastian. Its good to meet you."

As the game continued Sebastian had successfully created several meld, and he was sure to quickly play them on the table. His partner had too made a few melds, but it seemed now he was beginning to struggle, a beautiful sight considering the stakes. They continued again to draw and discard.

"So. What is it you need help with?"
"I need someone good with curses. The unbreakable kind. I have some people I need taken care of but I unfortunately can't just have them killed." He hoped the lie wasn't as obvious as it sounded. He tried to channel every bit of bitter rage he felt into it.
"Mmmm. Well you just missed the perfect guy it seems." He placed down another meld, looking Sebastian in the eyes once again.

Finally on Sebastian's turn, he drew a single card. He was ecstatic, the card completed a set of three cards he had been slowly working on, and as he played the meld to the table he couldn't hide the smug smirk playing on his lips. He discarded a card. Killian drew, but it couldn't help him now. Sebastian drew one more card, playing his final meld.

"Rummy!"
Killian slammed his hand down on the table, he was close.
"In which case, Sebastian, I think I can find you your wizard."That was easy. "He came by about three weeks ago, stayed in the room above the pub. Far as I'm aware no ones been in since. You'd do well asking Mr Danoso for his records. But from what I can remember him saying he weren't much a fan of the ministry, wanted to send them a message. Preached all about it the minute he had a sip to drink. Tell me what you do again. Sebastian?"
Oh Merlin, if this man recognised him then they were screwed. He had nothing to back him up. No one to confirm his lies.
"I deal in the potion trade. A risky buisness but a rewarding one."
"Hmm, but you didn't bring any money for gambling."
"Well I didn't expect to be gambling."
"But you expected to be doing buisness."
Please, anyone come and take him away from the table. He'd take anyone, even the creepy crimson clad man.

"Ah there you are. I've been looking for you." There she is, right where she needs to be as always. "Who are your friends?" She looked down at the table.
"Killian Blakeley, and you?"
"Isabelle Wetherford. Its a pleasure to meet you." She extended her gloved hands gracefully. It was like she'd practiced this a million times. It was a fake name, a fake identity. Should he have made a fake name?
"Well Ms Wetherford, how do you now my friend Sebastian."
"He's my fiancé. He works in the potion trade with my brother. We met at a souree. You wouldn't expect it but he's quite the romantic." Good, if she confirms his story perhaps the dark wizard will begin to believe it. "Well we must be off, I promised Father I'd be back by 12:00 and you understand what carriages are like in this part of the city. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr Blakeley." She waved to the man, linking their arms and walking away. Her skirt ticking his legs as they presses together in the busy room.

"Who was he?" She whispered, her mouth barely moving. He twirled her around walking her backwards towards the opposite corner of the room. "We're are we going. Sebastian." Once they'd gotten as far as they could, and the crowd bar was as far away as he could manage, Sebastian pressed her against the wall. "Sebastian!"
"Shhh relax its only so we can talk."
"Yes well you don't have to be so close to me."
"And risk another random dark wizard come and interrupt us. No thank you. Stay still. You built this story, play along."
"Alright, who was that?" He could feel her body heat radiating onto his chest, the fabric of her dress pooled onto the floor covering both of their feet.
"Just some dark wizard but," he stopped for a moment watching as her eyes danced across his face, peeking behind him every so often, but always returning to his."The man Ms Parker mentioned, he's our guy I'm sure of it."
"Why. How could you possibly have discovered that from a game of cards."
"You were watching me?" Her eyes left his again, looking down towards the pair intwinded legs before shooting back ip to him again.
"Yes you're not trained like me and Thomas, I needed to confirm you weren't breaking our cover."
"He's proficient in curses, stayed in the room upstairs three weeks ago."
"The attacks were three weeks ago."
"Exactly. He said no ones been in the room since."
"We need to get in that room." He looked into her eyes, just as blue as they were 8 years ago, with flecks of gold that shone like the sun.
"We're to be wed correct. How many Galleons have you got on you?"
"Enough why?"
"Let's go rent a room."