Marriage is Murder

"I plan on just letting the meeting start itself and then taking it over," Khaat said. "Jim, can you and Brian go around to the back doors..back here..." she indicated the pair of doors at the back of the room. "The speakers will be at that end of the room. "If we seal those doors first, then all we have to deal with are the set of three doors at the main entrance to the dining room. And if I go in the center door, and if you and brian each flank me and go in a different door, one to the left and one to the right of me, and then seal the door behind you, then all we have to worry about is one door. Lets leave one available in case we have to evacuate staff for their own protection. And--one more question. How soon can you unenchant the locked doors if we have to evacuate everyone in a matter of seconds?"

"It just takes a wand flick per door," Brian said. "Jim, I'll be responsible for the back doors if you take the front ones. It will take less time of we are each responsible for the two doors we're facing. I can tell what she's doing. She's going to let the meeting start and then walking in with an attitude of having all the power she can possibly muster and going right down the center aisle. We need to go in just a minute before her so she we don't tip her hand. The necklace will oust the culprit if he's there.

"Just so you know," Khaat said, "Remus is gearing up. I can see him."

"That's not good," Brian said. He looked at Jim. "Remus uses her energy to manifest. You've figured that much out. But..he never manifests unless he believes the challenge is very significant. And he has never manifested a voice. Never. We need to consider that piece carefully. He deliberately manifested himself so that we would all hear him. Khaat, send an owl to your father. We might well need him or Jack or Steven. If we're battling a werewolf, your dad needs to know before we walk into this warzone. Tell him that we'll send for him with our medallions if we need backup. Unless you feel like we can handle him ourselves?" he looked at Jim.

Jim listened and nodded to Khaat " Good idea Khaat, and quicker than you can lock them " he said and smiled at her he listened to Brian and nodded " never was if Remus was involved " he said and looked at Brian " if we do this right we should be able to contain the werewolf easily" he said and looked at them both. He had caught many a wear in his time and knew her plan would work if properly timed. " ok Brian your covering the back and I'll cover the front, but we both cover Khaat, she is priority number one. " he added and nodded to Brian and took out his medallion " never thought I would use this old thing " he said and lay it on top of his tie so he could get to it if they needed help.

"It'll work," Khaat said. "Remember, the stone does not leave us defenseless eitther."

"True," Brian said. "Um..do yourself a favor, Jim, and don't come between that stone and the werewolf. That would be extraordiinarily dangerous. And I hope you're good with loud noises. Its about to become very noisy."

"He'll deal," Khaat said, feeling he had some sense that Flamel's stones sometimes had minds of their own. She checked the time. Then she went to the mirror and doublechecked that her hair and makeup were good. Then as an afterthought she flicked her wand at her dress and changed it from a red sweaterdress to a rich royal blue silk.

"Oh, very nice," Brian said. "You really want to look powerful? Allow me then." He flicked his wand and changed her jewelry gold beads and gold hoop earrings. She checked the mirror and he had changed the style of the dress just slightly. It now was a royal blue pencil thin shirtdress with gold buttons. The open collar showed the stone around her neck quite clearly. "Much better. What do you think, Jim? Will it work? Do we need any finishing touches?" He wanted them to know just from looking at her that she was the director of this hospital. He didn't want there to be a single question.

Jim turned and looked at her and smiled " very nice " he said and looked at the clock " ok times up guys let go a hunting" he said and moved to the door he opened it but waited for Khaat and Brian to walk out first but he staid close to her the floor plan fresh in his mind. As they walked he noted some faces none standing out but he didn't expect it to. He glanced at Khaat's necklace nothing was happening yet. But he knew the closer they got the more likely it would kick off and he had to be prepared in his hand he held a pair of yellow ear plugs ready to put in his ears should he need them. Opening the door the stepped to one side to let them past he followed them inside and sealed the door as he scanned the room moving to lock the next door soon all were done and he nodded to Brian seeing he hoped he had done the same.

"I am not going at the start of the meeting," she told Jim. "I want it to be underway. I want them to be off guard. Give them 15 minutes to get underway. If we go in this soon, our suspect will still be on guard. If we wait a few moments then he won't suspect and we will have a much better edge. He'll just be settling into his seat. If we go now, he'll suspect. Some of the staff know I'm here. They'll question Hannah. That will give her time to tell them that I am not coming. Wait." She handed Brian both her wands. "Keep these. I'll need at least one."

She made them wait the extra 15 minutes before they went down the hallway. She watched Jim and Brian slip into the back. She waited a couple of moments. Then she threw open the doors with big booming blasts from both of her hands and stormed in, walking with a firmness and a power that she had thought only her father could command. She truly didn't know she had it in herself. The room came to dead silence except for her stiletto heels on the floor. For some reason, it seemed to be an unconscionably long distance to the front of the room, and with each step she took, her necklace began to glow--brighter and brighter with each time one of her shoes contacted the floor. Hannah's face was blank, stunned. As Khaat approached, Hannah simply stepped aside from the podium. She turned to face her staff, and some of the people in the front row began to hide their eyes from the brilliance of the light from her necklace. Khaat raised her open palm of her wand hand towards Brian, and he felt Remus's wand snap out of his hand and into hers. Her grip on it was like iron the instant it touched her palm. Brian stood in silence, his wand tightly in his good hand and Khaat's own wand in his left. He didn't remember when he had been more proud of her. He was seeiing an entirely different side of her. He was seeing he had married a woman who had the potential to be a champion.

Khaat's eyes began to scan the faces of the staff. Then she decided to play her trump card--a boldfaced lie. She loudly announced that she was back to work, that her leave and her father's leave was over. And that Gellert Grindlewald had been removed from power that he was dead once more. Some faces were stunned. Some were elated, and some were outraged. She had expected that. She had counted on it. She kept a tight watch on their faces as pandemonium broke out in the room, people getting up and going to urgently talk with each other. And then her eyes locked on four faces in the room. Barely old enough to hold a job and dressed in probationary workers robes. Two men, two women. They were livid. Their eyes were accusatory, blaming her. She connected with the eyes of one of the men.

And she heard suddenly Remus's voice in her head. "Greybacks. Look at the eyes. They're Greybacks," the voice said urgently. She watched the four get up along with the others. But unlike the other staff, they did not move. Their eyes were locked on hers. The stone began to sound a low warning tone that began to get louder and rise in pitch and steadily became more shrill, and the light became for a few more rows of staff. Most of the staff were now becoming more stunned by the stone around their director's neck than by the news about Grindlewald. They turned and stood in fearful silence. She watched as the four young employees began to transform rapidly. One experienced werewolf was one thing. But four powerful young ones, even inexperienced was far more than they were ready for. And they were focused on her.

She was hoping that Brian and Jim could see, from behind them, the teens that were transforming into werewolves. Her expression never changed, but was locked like stone. Employees began to scream in utter terror and rush the doors. If Jim and Brian did not unlock the doors, they both would be crushed by the panic. It did not seem as if anyone would stand with her now--except if Brian and Jim were still there behind the terrified mass. She felt her mind shifting into her training and out of any emotion. If she were going to die, then she was ready.

"Bring it!" she shouted at the teens. "Take me if you can!" They lunged at her, transformed now. She realized she had never been in greater danger in her entire life. The stone was deafeningly loud now, and she thought she saw it beginning to fire. But there were so many things happening at once now. In her mind, she saw Remus shove her out of the way. He had leaped in front of her eyes and she felt her spirit falling, falling, and landing well behind him, in soft grass. He was taking her place, ready to protect her either from dying or from feeling it if it did happen.

"No!" Brian heard his own voice rising, perfectly willing to put himself in front of her. He apparated in front of her only to have an iron strong hand shove him out of the way. He saw the sweeping slashes that Khaat's wand hand was making and the distinctive flourish. Remus. He had no doubt.

James watched Khaat walk up and gave a small smile he had seen Robert command such a firmness and a power before. Once she retched the podium he watched every one in the room. His eyes fell on four people something about them caught his eye. His muscles tensed ready for action as she spoke in a pure bluff. When all hell broke loose he flicked his wand and all the doors flew open letting every one out. He moved closer to the wears not risking firing yet until the last person was out. He glanced at the podium and for a split second saw Remus standing there not Khaat. He took aim and fire at one female who was moving towards Brian but a male turned to face him.

"God I hate wears" he mumbled and fired but missed, the wear charged and he fired again hitting her square in her chest, though it seem to have little effect on her. She swiped at him and he twisted out of the way of the clawed hand spinning around he shouted. "Confringo" the spell hit the woman and she burst into flames, then crumbled into ashes to the floor. He turned to face Khaat/Remus and Brian, now that only three remained he knew they had to capture at least one to find out who they were working for.

" Try and save at least one half pint, we still need to know who they're working for. " He called out to Brian and fired an Incarcerous to one male who fell to the floor struggling against the chains that held him tight as he howled. But the last two paid no attention, focusing on Khaat/Remus.

"Who are you!" the largest male bellowed at Khaat.

"I'm a figment of your nightmares," it was her voice, but Brian clearly saw the sardonic smile that raised just the one corner of her mouth--Remus's own way of showing sarcasm. A smile he never saw from her.

"You're not Khaat Lupin!"

"Well, you're half right," the voice laughed now. Brian got the joke. It wasn't Khaat but it certainly was a Lupin.

"Either way, you're dead!" the werewolf bellowed agaiin and dove for her. The necklace fired instantly, and Remus a moment later. But the additional spell had been unnecessary. The werewolf that had leaped towards her had been ripped soul from body as surely as any Avada Kedavra. Brian was utterly stunned. That thing could kill and had not hesitated. He'd never see it do that. Remus's own spell had been merely firing a killing spell into a dead man. Brian watched the spirit separate and rise up and out through the ceiling.

"Put your eyes back in your head, Junior," Remus told him. "We're not done here."

"You killed my brother, you B****!" the woman shrieked.

"Wrong," Remus said, quick to catch the gender reference. "But try me. I'll surely kill you. I look forward to it. Or you can go back to your daddy and tell him that he's messing with the wrong family."

"My father didnt' send me! But a Lupin is nothing but trash! I'll kill you all!"

"Not today," Brian said.

"Shut that thing up!" she gestured at the necklace.

"Bothers you, does it?" the laugh was bitter. "Change yourself back, and it might let you live."

"I am not human! I am more than human!" she said. Brian could almost feel her powering up.

"Dont' do it," Brian said, warning her. She made a leap at Brian and at the last minute turned her head and attemped to take a huge bite out of Khaat's neck. Brian nearly lost his mind at the sight of it. His wand fired at the same instant that Remus's did, and that was all at the same moment that the wand fired. The woman fell dead on the floor. Brian saw Khaat's knees start to give, and he thought for sure that she'd been bitten. He caught her with one hand and motioned the chair behind her forward. He lowered her into it. She fell forward over his arm, and he sat her back and began frantically searching. He found nothing but a missing chunk of fabric from her collar. Her neck was silky smooth and unharmed. He felt such deep relief that his own knees nearly gave way. He put an arm up on the podium to steady himself.

"Khaat," he called softly. There was no response for a moment. "Khaat," he called again. She slowly raised her head and looked around. The staff was gone. The room was empty except for one captured werewolf on the floor and three dead bodies.

"We got them?" she asked.

"Yeah. We got them," he said, so overcome with his own fright of nearly losing her that he could barely speak.

Jim watched when the she-were jumped at Khaat he bounded over to the podium but got there too late as the woman fell dead he saw Khaat/Remus slump and walked over. " she didn't get bit did she half pint?" he asked his voice calm and steady. but seeing the relief on his face he nodded knowing she had not been. He glanced back at the surviving werewolf struggling on the ballroom floor in the chains. He placed his hand on Brian's shoulder then moved down to the were grasping his shirt he dragged him closer to Khaat.

" who do you work for?" he asked his wand pressed tight to the mans forehead but the man kept quiet his eyes glaring at Jim as he stood over him " Hay half pint, you want this guy?" Jim shouted up " I'll tell you now you don't want him that was his wife you attacked " he said frowning down at the guy " saying that you don't want me ether " he lent slightly closer " I don't like werewolf's" He said his face stern and business like.

"Nobody!" he shouted fiercely at Jim. "I don't work for anybody!"

"He's telling the truth," Khaat managed softly. "Take him to my father's office and send an owl for my father. Let him deal with this now." Brian walked over to the werewolf, thrusting his wand into his chest right over his heart. .

"I you are on your own, give me one reason why I need to keep you alive," Brian hissed.

"You...you need me," the young man struggled to find a reason, himself. "You need..information."

"IF," Brian said, running his own bluff now, "IF I keep you alive, you need to change back. If you do not, I'll kill you. I don't leave werewolves alive. And certainly not a Greyback. Your father killed part of my family. There's more in it for me to kill you than to leave you alive." The young man stuttered and tried to come up with a good reason for Brian to leave him alive. "Change back!" he ordered. "Or you're dead. I'll give you to the count of three. One!...Two!..."

"Okay. Okay," the young man raised his hands in surrender and transfigured back.

"Take him to my father's office," Khaat ordered Jim. We'll be there in a moment." Her thoughts were going to her staff. She saw Hannah peeking in the back door. She motioned Hannah in. "Send an urgent message to my father to come here now. Ask him to bring Steven and Jack. They need to take care of this room for me. If there is anything important on them, Steven and Jack will find it. Gather the staff in the dining room. I need to make sure they're alright."

"Director, are you alright?" Hannah asked, seeing her torn clothing and seeing how weak she was.

"Yes. I'm fine. Now, go," Khaat ordered. Hannah nodded and disappeared.

"Do you have any energy potion in your office?" Brian asked. Khaat nodded. "Then we'll go with you, Jim. Khaat can stay with you in Robert's office. I'll get the potion and join you there. That will give Hannah time to gather the staff. They're upset enough that getting them back together is going to take a bit."

Jim tried not to look to impressed with Brian's bluff but when the boy changed back to human he was impressed to say the least with how he handled the boy. Picking up the scared boy he moved him out of the ball room and down to the office keeping a good grip on the boy " I wouldn't even try anything if you thought he was bad just try me " he said softly the boy just sighed and went with him. Reaching the office he sat the boy down and tied him to a chair as he waited for Khaat and Brian. The more he thought about it the more he was glad he came back to England thought his timing seemed coincidental.

He sat facing he man his wand still pointed at him making his point he would kill him should he make a single move for Khaat. It was then he saw Jack and Steven aperate in Jack moved to stand facing the boy and nodded.

" Greyback" he said his voice growling out the name as he spoke and Jim nodded to him.

" yeah he attacked Khaat , well tried " he said shifting in his seat, he knew Jack was a good werewolf but it still felt uncomfortable to him to have one around even if he was controlled by wolfs bane.