Patrick Laak was currently a very happy man. Ever since the return of the Dark Lord business in knocturn alley had been booming. With his return, the alley had become too dangerous for aurors to patrol like normal, and thus his client base had increased dramatically. A few undercover aurors had in fact been discovered and killed in 'the full moon' tavern that very morning. The scum stuck out like a sore thumb in a bar whose primary clientele were werewolves.

Without the normal restrictions or surveillance being probably implemented his work ran a lot smoother. He had more people prepared to pay for what he had to offer, which during this time of war was more valuable than ever.

Patrick was an information broker, very little happened in the wizarding world without him knowing about it. In fact the only information he wasn't readily, very well informed upon was the inner working of the inner circle, and Dumbledore's order. Which wasn't to say that he was completely in the dark. He even had an informant inside the department of mysteries. Granted the information he came out with wasn't particularly useful, and he had to pay through nose to get it, but being able to claim knowledge on the inner most working of the infamously secretive department was incredibly good for business.

So it was with a spring in his step, and a whistled tune on his lips that Patrick strolled down a side alley that evening towards the 'dragon's breath' inn were he was known to frequent. His work was dangerous, and he had made as many enemies as he had 'friends' during the forty years that his name had become known. It was for this reason that he spent a lot of time in what was considered to be the most dangerous bar in the British underworld.

He was friendly with the owner, especially as he was being sought out more and more frequently and was thus very good for business. He tended to bring in a dozen customers a day, and most tended to be very nervous around the hardcore criminals, and professional thugs who made up the locals, and thus could never muster up the courage to barter with the ridiculously high prices that the inn keep would charge anyone who looked out of place.

The sign above the pub swayed slightly in the still air, the black wood encaptured an intelligent, faded orange, evil eye. The words 'Dragon's breath' painted across the bottom in gold. The sign hung above a large black door, which Patrick pushed open.

Stepping into the pub the out of place clean shaven man in a smart robe immediately halted the conversation occurring in the establishment as the customers turned to look at the intruder. Recognising him the men and women around the place returned to conversation, some for business some for pleasure.

Patrick stepped up to the bar and sat on a stool as Rhiannon, the red haired beauty behind the bar immediately slid a tumbler of Ogden's finest 70 year old fire whiskey in front of him. At 24 galleons a measure it was worth far more than its weight in gold, but what was the point in making an excessive amount of money if you couldn't enjoy the finer this in life?

"Malfoy's been asking after you." Rhiannon said

Patrick took a pause his glass on his lips tilted so that the alcohol wet his lip, taking a small sip he set it back down on the bar. "Should I be expecting him today?"

"Apparently it was important but not urgent, so your guess is as good as mine."

Patrick nodded. "Thank you Rhiannon."

She smiled at him as she returned to work, filling up the glass of a customer who looked suspiciously like a vampire with what looked suspiciously like blood. Rhiannon caught his interested gaze before giving him an evil smile.

"Donated by a couple of aurors this morning."

"Interesting." He said, and meant it. Because of his career it wasn't often that he was surprised, but he had never heard of a bar that didn't solely cater to vampires serving blood. It seemed that Rhiannon was branching out.

He considered approaching the vampire, he was curious about a few things, before dismissing the idea. He was Patrick Laak, people approached him not the other way around. It was at that exact moment that he was proven correct as a large, tattooed ginger man sat down beside him.

"Laak." He stated simply.

"Hello Wes, I haven't seen you around in a whilst."

"Been laying low, ran in to a spot of bother with some people I didn't set out to get on the wrong side of."

Patrick smirked. "And I assume due to the fact that you are out in public that Goyle forgave you?"

"Goyle's dead." Wes paused "You didn't know?" He asked his brow furrowed.

Patrick simply stared at him. Of course he knew, but it was always useful to see how well connected people were. For example Goyle had been killed by the Dark Lord for screwing up a mission three nights ago. It was all being hushed up as the Dark Lord didn't want word of him killing his own men reaching the ears of anyone. People would find out eventually, but the fact that Wes had heard already suggested that he was connected in some way to the Death Eaters.

Patrick watched the man from the corner of his eye for a moment. Probably guerrilla recruiting. He wasn't looking to buy information for them. Malfoy was looking for Patrick which meant that they wanted to know something big. Probably something going on in the Depatment of Mysteries. Ever since Rookwood's arrest at the end of the last war Patrick had become their go to guy on the recent working of the Department, and they wouldn't send Wes, apparently a man on the fringes for that kind of information.

"So what can I do for you Wes?" He asked after a moment's pause.

"Well I've got a job planned out, I have a crew, I have a plan, I even have a buyer in place. All I need is the ward maps."

Patrick didn't bother hiding his smile, ward maps weren't that rare of a request, but because of the nature of them, and the reasons they were usually asked for he could always charge a lot of money.

"Who's? By when? What's the score?"

"Amos Diggory's house, whenever is convenient, and the Triwizard cup."

Now there was a surprise, he knew that after the apparent death of the Potter boy the cup was passed to the Diggory's as it had officially been co-owned by Potter and the Diggory spawn, but that Diggory had kept it in his house was shocking. That priceless item was traditionally held in the winning school, or a Gringott's vault. Patrick bit his lip.

"Who's your buyer?" He asked quickly, curiously, the cup was unique, it couldn't be displayed so that meant it had to be someone with a very personal interest in the competition.

"I can't tell you that can I?"

Patrick shrugged nonchalantly "I can get you the maps."

Wes nodded. "I knew you could, what's it going to cost me?"

"A glass of the 70 year now, 30,000 galleons when I hand you the maps, and any pensive memories in the house when you do the job."

Wes thought for a moment, "25"

"27,000 and I want a vow that you'll do anything short of causing the death of one of your team to get me those memories."

Wes thought for another moment "Rhiannon, two of your finest whiskey's please."

"So we have a deal?" Patrick asked draining what was left of his first drink.

"Aye, we have a deal."

After performing his vow Wes left the bar, to go an rustle up some funds whilst Patrick got out his journal and preceded to update his to do list.

Consult with Mark on D wards.

Mark was a curse breaker for Gringott's, there were a few who worked with him from time to time, but Mark was the best. Because of this he was usually out of the country but Wes said that time wasn't a factor and Patrick was a big proponent for the slow and stead approach.

A few moments later, Patrick had just ordered a third glass of the excellent whiskey when the bar silenced, indicating another arrival. The silence however stayed, indicating a new face. Patrick turned to stare at the woman in the doorway, her features screamed pure blood: aristocratic, and condescending. She took a look around the room, appeared totally unconcerned over the suspicious, lecherous, and occasionally murderous gazes directed towards her across the room.

She took in the bar, before spotting Patrick and making her way over to him. She sat down carefully before asking Rhiannon for a butter beer in a cold confident voice. When Rhiannon tried to charge the newcomer 5 galleons for it she just stared the bar tender down before Rhiannon mumbled.

"You know what, take it, on the house."

The woman's expression or tone didn't alter as she said "Thank you dear."

She then turned her gaze onto Patrick "Mr. Laak, I've come to make your day."

Patrick wasn't sure how to react so he settled for keeping quiet.

"In 5 minutes one Lucius Malfoy will walk through that door demanding to know why you requested a meeting with him. The chances are you're going to agree to my terms without the added threat but if he finds out that he had to come here for nothing the he isn't going to be best pleased."

Patrick narrowed his face into a scowl.

"Now I could just sell the information onto him myself but I do not want to become a person of interest for the organisation he's a member of, so a middle man is going to be required. Fortunately for you, you fit the bill."

"What do you know? How much do you want for it?" Patrick managed for his first words in the conversation.

"I want a lot, but it's worth a lot, I want three rare books from the Malfoy's library, which will be up to you to negotiate for me, don't worry, it should be easy, Malfoy would sell his wand for this information. They're titled magik, curses worse than death, and grim's grimoire."

Patrick snorted. "Those books are all two or three of a kind, I may have better luck negotiating for his wand." He joked.

"Well, that's my price, take it or leave it. What I have to sell to him, through you, is the location of Harry Potter's aunt and uncle."

Patrick's eyes widened, and his hand stung as very fine whiskey seeped into fresh cuts when he gripped his tumbler too tight in excitement

The sun set slowly over the excruciatingly muggle street that was Private Drive. Bellatrix Lestrange sat, disillusioned on the lawn of number thirteen staring over the road into number four. She was filled with an odd mix of excitement and disgust with her current situation. She had been told to come and capture the muggle relatives of Harry Potter and present them to her Lord.

She had two newly marked Death Eaters with her to do with as she wished, and at the moment what she wished for was to tear them both limb from limb, the one to her left because he stank and was a heavy breather, and the one on the right because he was being too quiet. Despite the bloodlust she managed to curb it and surrender to the boredom.

She would have moved in as soon as she'd appeared on Private Drive if it wasn't for the fact that her Lord ordered her to ensure the capture of all three muggles. As it was she could only be certain of the presence of two of the filthy things inside the dull house. A fat, dirty, walrus and an anorexic, ugly, horse were sitting on a sofa in the living room his fat fin resting over her skeletal shoulders.

'I can feel a crucio, a crucio, a crucio coming, I can feel a crucio coming to them.' Sang Bellatrix to herself.

'Shut up Bella.' Nasty Bellatrix thought.

'Leave her alone, she's just having some fun.' Replied a nicer Bella.

This started Bella off again singing whilst she argued with herself.

'And her antics could fuck the mission up for our lord.'

That stopped the singing again, as it was turned into hysterical wails of grief. 'Bella would never ever ever do anything to betray our master.'

'We know sweety.'

'Just be quiet for a bit.'

She gave the impression of nodding before asking 'But we will get to use crucio won't we?'

'If you shut your trap.'

Bella felt a great fill run through her, as her breath became deep with desire. Sensing the approaching noise, a part of her lifted her wand and she silenced herself.

The disillusioned and recently silenced witch caressed her wand as she waited, stroking the tip whilst rubbing the handle gently. Every part of her hummed with satisfaction as she felt her magic build up within her.

When she notice a hog strut down Privet Drive girlish giggles and screams of orgasmic joy echoed through her head, as her face transformed, her violet eyes turned into black holes, pulling magic into them. Her nose flared, and her grin became manic

The hog took a last puff of his cigarette before flicking it down a drain on the side of the road. Turning his ugly visage away from her, he walked towards number 4. Her heart thrummed in her chest as the part which was still in control of the situation signalled he team to get ready. Reaching the front door he bent down to unlock it as Bella signalled her team to move out, she let the too quiet one lead the smelly one as she leisurely skipped behind them.

The hog unlocked the door and and pushed his way into the house just as the new recruit reached the front step. Bella saw him take a step inside before the too quiet one hit him with a dark curse designed to stop all motor neurone action and overload all sensory neurone action simultaneously.

Bella couldn't stop the three quick claps that escaped her at this. The smelly one set up some silencing wards as they pushed into the house, and closed the door.

"Dudy?" Neighed the horse.

Bella signalled for the other two to drop the disillusionment and was gratified with screams of shock, the creaking of furniture, and two curses cast.

'Who cracks first the walrus or the horse?' Asked a new part of Bella.

"Who? Who? Who?" Asked a sweet, eager voice.

"The egg!"

Giggles, cackles and sneers echoed through her head as she looked down with glee at the suffering boy beneath her.

'It's a shame really.' she thought

'What is?'

'I like to hear the screams.' she mentally sighed. Before excitement gripped her again. She waved her wand over the boy, playing around with the spell, allowing the firing of some motor neurones. Immediately she was rewarded with a screaming, thrashing hog. She hog tied him and floated his wildly, heavenly, screaming, carcass into the living room.

All three Durselys, spent the next 4 minutes and 28 seconds under some of the most brutal torture seen to the world of magic. It ended with three limp bodies, lying in a bool of body parts, blood, urine, and drool. She swept her wand over the comma ridden muggles and they were turned into three piles of shit. She turned to the smelly one. "Pick th..."

She was cut off as the window looking into the living room exploded inwards, sending shards of glass towards her and her playmates. Being the extraordinary witch she was it was no real hardship on her reactions or magic to protect herself fully from the glass shrapnel. Her two new friends were not so good. Glass ripped them to shreds tearing off chunks of their flesh, as well as splitting skin and piercing organs

Before either of the cadavers that used to belong to Marcus Flint, and Marietta Edgecrombe could even think about hitting the floor Bellatrix was on the move. Bursting into a black smokey substance she flew through the newly smashed window and reformed on the street outside pivoting, her eyes scanning the area for the threat.

It didn't take her long to locate her attacker, there on his own about 10 metes from her, eyes burning with hate was:

'Potty!' She squealed.

'Potter.' She said greedily.

'Cunt!' She hissed.

'A dish best served cold.' She snarked

"Wooo goody." She said a smile of joy, transforming her face angelic.

"Hello Bella." He smiled back.

And with that simple introduction the two titans released hell on each other. Powerful blast of magics exploded in mid air between the two as both simply directed their hate for each other towards their partner.

After only a couple of minutes of the magically draining form of fighting both were drenched in sweat. Harry bought his wand down casting the first recognisable spell of the duel in the form of a fire whip. The streak of flame gouged deeply into the tarmac as Bella moved a shoulder span to the left.

Harry flicked his wand following her and his fire whipped towards her quickly. In a deft move Bella slapped the fire down, which tugged Harry's wand down and she released a barrage of nasty curses towards his face.

Harry managed to disengage the whip and pull his wand up to meet the onslaught. He managed to shield against a rainbow array of different curses, before he saw a small opening were he managed to send a simple leg locker towards her.

It was enough of a distraction as she was forced to exit her spell chain in order to dispel the jinx which gave Harry time to switch it up. Pooling his power he attempted his most difficult successful conjuration to date, and was very happy when a minotaur popped into existence in front of him. Succeeding in training and in anger were very different things, but Harry was always good at keeping his head and only doing things he knew would work.

Letting out a roar the beast charged towards Bellatrix. Her wand came up straight away as she fired a blasting hex at the creature. It struck true, but the minotaur barely stumbled. Harry started to barrage Bella with spells as she struggled to deal with his creation.

She eventually had to take a bone breaker on her off hand and nasty cutter to the knee so that she had enough time to enunciate "Avada Kedavra" to take the beast down. The pain definitely didn't slow her down. Her movement was hindered due to the cut but the pain in general caused her to see red, and Harry quickly found himself on the defensive.

Desperately trying to block several spells a second he started to lose ground as she forced him back, walking toward him slowly and deliberately. Suddenly he saw another opening and sent out another minor jinx to try and regain the advantage.

Unfortunately for Harry it was a trap, the small pocket of space he thought he had seen in which send the spell, had been crafted by a sneaky illusion that Bellatrix had snuck in, and he thus caught completely unawares by a powerful bombarda.

He was sent flying head over heels through the air until about 15 meters later he crashed hard into a car. The thing crumpled as he heard several loud cracks originating from within his body. He was blinded by a flash of light on impact as he stumbled onto all fours onto the floor coughing up blood, and teeth, the hacking of his body send more blinding pain through his skull and ribs.

His ringing ears vaguely heard a cackling from in front of him before his whole world was filled with pain once again. This time in the form of heat. He smelt barbecue, before realising the implications and he threw up. That was when the pain really started with a loud "Crucio!"

He screamed and screamed and screamed, blind a deaf, all he could do was grip his wand and pray to magic that some senses would return.

Miracles do happen it seems as, as soon as he finished the thought he could see and hear again. Bellatrix was standing over him, cackling as she held him under the cruciatus. Harry moved his wand so that it was pointing at her, his arm jerking wildly as he summoned up his control and croaked "fiendfyre."

A huge griffon burst out of his wand, and before she could even lift her curse on Harry she was engulfed by the protective fire. She didn't even have time to scream before she was destroyed. Harry fought down his griffin, as snakes, and manticores tried to escape before the fiendfyre was gone with a scream. Stumbling he slowly stood up as he approached a flaming pyre of ash in the street. Swaying like a drunk pirate he managed to cast an elemental ward around it designed to stop weather affecting it before an auror team arrived wands pointed at him. He very quickly apparated to a park nearby, collapsing onto the ground. His head was ringig and he felt horrible as he swayed. Thinking about his next actions was hard. But he patted himself down making sure he still has his polyjuice, and his three new books on him before making a slightly better attempt at landing with decorum on the floor of the Hog's Head. The patrons, all looked at him as if he were an inferi that they couldn't do anything about, he stumbled to the fireplace scrapped some flu powder out of one of his pockets before landing unconcious on the floor McGonogall's office.