| Details for Looking for Answers |
| Summary: | Gideon and Elijah come to the Leaky Cauldron looking for a missing boy, causing a bit of a scene. |
| Date: | September 3, 1937 |
| Location: | Leaky Cauldron |
| Related: | A New Partner, A Strange Interlude |
| Characters |
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Leaky Cauldron
This cramped, angular room is the taproom of the Leaky Cauldron. A long bar runs along one side of the room, plain wooden stools set out before it. Smoke from pipes and candles fills the air. The patrons of this curious little bar, many of them elderly, sit hunched over their mugs at the tables. Waitresses bustle back and forth bearing trays of food and mugs of ale. Many of the people seem strangely out of place, dressed in cloaks and floppy hats, it almost seems as if you've stumbled into another century. Notably absent is any modern muggle devices or electric lighting, or any sign of electricity at all. Still, the occasional muggle does find their way in here, usually declaring it to be 'quaint' and 'atmospheric'.
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A chilly breeze enters the Leaky Cauldron as the door opens, with a chillier man stepping in on its heels. Wrapped in a simple longcoat, topped with a fedora pulled low in front, Hit Wizard Inspector Adamantus Gideon enters the tavern, his steely gaze scanning the room, with a perpetually suspicious stare. He is a regular of the Cauldron, but it doesn't look like he's here for leisure today.
Elijah walks along right behind his partner, although not dressed a thing like him. He's wearing his usual get-up, but his coat is missing, his shoes are nowhere to be seen, and his pants and sleeve are rolled up. His eternal smile is still there as he peers around the room, "Seventy-five point three percent the same people that were here last night."
One of the seventy-five point three percent would be Annie Taylor, Librarian at Large. While not exactly a regular at the establishment, she's seated at the same table she occupied for a time last night, but today she's positioned so she can see the door at an easy glance. As usual, she has a book open before her, and her eyes raise as the chilly breeze dances along the floor to caper around her ankles. Her curious gaze takes in the first man to enter, nothing about him particularly striking but for the serious attitude about him. The second man, however, truly draws the young witch's attention from her book. She's seen HIM before, to be sure, but he was rather a bit more put together than his current state.
Behind the bar, there is a cheery, animated conversation happening between a 'regular' barmaid and the local apothecary owner, Niamh O'Shea. Hands waving and laughing can be heard with a hint of an Irish lilt to some of it. "Now," and Nia pats a container that sits at the sidebar, "Don't open it in the daylight. Only by moon, preferably by full moon. I've got it worked out that it'll ignore gaslamp, but just.." and here, she scrunches up her nose, "go upstairs, just in case."
Turning her head at the entrants, Nia begins to scoot out from behind the bar lest she be confused for one of the bar maids (it's happened before!), and with a bright smile still in place, nods her head and picks up a covered basket that's set upon the bartop. Annie, too, is given a smile, and for her part, a wave.
Gideon glances back to his partner as Elijah catches up. His glare turns to a scowl as he looks the man over. "Where in Hades are your shoes?" he demands in a Glaswegian brogue.
Elijah perks up as Gideon addresses him, "Hrmm? Oh, my shoes are gone?" He looks down and says, "My shoes are gone. Great job, Inspector." His tone is one of completely honesty, no sarcasm to be had. He slides his hands into his pockets and peers around again, "Why are we here, again?"
"I think that's everything I need. Thank you for your time," Kogrod says as he sticks his quill behind his ear and rolls up a parchment scroll, offering his hand to the man across from him, who has to reach a bit uncomfortably far across the table to accept the goblin's handshake. "…You're welcome, Mr. Kogrod. I hope your story will open people's eyes to the importance of our work." the man answers, before getting up and heading for the door back to Diagon Alley. Some people might note him as the director of a local office specializing in helping Squibs find employment.
"Anything that'll get those Squibs off their duffs and taking responsibility for themselves is worth talking about," Kogrod mutters.
Annie's attention is stolen for a moment by movement, Niamh's wave. As smile automatically comes at the somewhat familiar face from the Apothecary that Annie has visited several times in the past couple years. Her last visit to the Cauldron saw the girl hesitate, and miss what hopefully wasn't the chance of a lifetime to talk to one of her favorite writers. Not meaning to miss something today, the book is snapped shut, left at the table with Annie's coat as she stands and begins across the room toward the bar. Her eyes shift briefly to the two older men, hears the question in her own head voiced, and tries not to appear that she might be interested in the answer herself.
Shoes? Oh.. dear. Nia's brows rise into her hairline, the look of amusement and expectation. Now, she leans on the bar, basket in hand.. and she's actually ready to watch this tableau. She does chime up in answer to the question, her lilt rising almost as a laugh, eyes dancing. "Did I happen to say 'thank you', Inspector," she recognizes Elijah at the least, "…for the shutting down of that potions dealer."
Or..
"Perhaps you left your shoes here, and you're retracing your barefooted steps?" Mustn't feed the beast, but.. it's a bad habit to pick! But, she can't help it.
Sifting her position so it's easier for people to get around her, Nia leans over the bar quickly to get a glass before she straightens and 'makes room' for Annie, reaching a hand out to pull her in and out of the potential fray. Her voice lowers to a stage whisper, loud enough for the Inspectors, "You haven't seen a pair of shoes, have you?"
Gideon's eyebrow twitches, but his stern countenance remains otherwise unchanged, aimed directly at Elijah. "Because you were probably right," he says with no small amount of reluctance, then lowering his voice. "The boy is out there somewhere, and with all he's suffered by Muggles, odds are good he's headed for wizarding territory, and that probably means Diagon Alley. So we start here. Follow?"
Elijah glances over at Niamh and says, "Oh, it was no problem at all. Simply doing my duty of taking down malefactors with an intricate series of levers and pulleys and…" He drones on for the next couple of minutes about the various devices that can be used to outsmart a criminal. The highlights include day old sandwich meat, number 2 pencils, and a life-size cutout of Winston Churchill. His ramblings are cut short by Gideon and he says, "Then…why are we bringing him back?" His face wears an expression of confused sadness as he asks the question.
Kogrod looks around the room, relaxing a bit after the end of his interview. "What'd this boy look like that you're looking for?" he asks, calling over to the inspectors. "Maybe I've seen him. Or maybe I missed him while I was doing my interview," he adds, shaking the rolled scroll in their direction.
Annie takes Niamh's offered hand and steps lightly aside, into the open space. Her attention is captured for the entire length of Elijah's view of the workings of the process of capturing criminals. It's rather an interesting way to look at things, and leaves the girl speechless for a moment. Finally, she says simply, "Winston Churchill. I would never have thought, really," looking a little intrigued at the idea.
Nia crosses her arms in front of herself, her jaw settling a little to the side as she listens to Elijah's explanations and elucidations on the best method to catch wrong-doers, and at the end of it all, she exhales as if she was holding her breath. "Yes, well.." her nose scrunches once again, "I'll.. remember that.." Maybe. Not really. Nope. Not a chance. Though Annie's interjection makes her bark a laugh, quickly apologizing for it after, but not without giving the other woman a mock glare.
Gideon, now, is given her attention, her brows rising in askance. "A boy is missing?" She thumbs back in the general direction, echoing (almost) the goblin's words, "My shop is back there too. If you could give us a description?"
Gideon murmurs to Elijah, "We're not. But without his testimony, we have no evidence against the father." He grumbles inwardly about the goblin's damnable sharp ears. Well, the cat is out of the bag now. He takes off his hat, and raises his resonant voice to fill the room. "Your attention. I am Inspector Gideon, and this is Inspector Lovegood. As you may have overheard, we are looking for a missing boy. A wizard, who has likely fled to Diagon Alley. He's been missing for ten days, so the danger he is facing is becoming increasingly worse. He is brown-haired, green-eyed, about this tall," he holds his hand to his waist, "And likely has a black eye or bruise on his face." He not only listens for responses, but also watches the reactions of each patron, particularly anyone suddenly looking nervous.
Elijah nods at Gideon, "Oh…well carry on." He slides his hands into his pockets and begins skulking through the crowd of people, examining their faces with those dark blue eyes of his. He's suddenly become veeery serious, something clicking into place in that screwy brain of his. Although, his sanity hasn't been fully recovered at the moment, which becomes obvious as he starts sniffing at people.
Annie thinks back over boys that might have come into the library, but really, she could likely count the number of those on one hand. The outer door opens again, immediately taking her attention, and she turns to look. A tall, slender, elderly wizard enters, and Annie's interest immediately wanes again, returning to those nearby as she remains quiet for a moment.
Gideon's description could match any kid that sneaks away from family, and Nia exhales, her question rising slowly, "Is he of age for Hogwart's? I mean, they move heaven and earth for wizards to attend. Maybe he caught the train anyway?" She shakes her head slowly, "Anyone now would really gain attention.. but I'll keep a look out for him.." When Elijah begins to sniff around, however, her brows disappear back into her hairline and she quirks her head. "Um.."
Gideon nods grimly. "He was to attend Hogwarts for the first time this year. The school has been notified, and they report no sign of him." Gideon also begins wandering the crowd, displaying an animated wizard photograph of the young man, who smiles and waves, saying something to someone off-camera. "Have you seen this boy?" No. "Have you seen this boy?" No. A snitch known to Gideon gets gripped by the lapels. "Have you seen this boy?" N-no, Inspector. I ain't seen nothin'.
"Well. I can't say I've seen him," Kogrod grunts while shrugging. "But then I don't pay much attention to children." After all, in the business world, it's adults who are important.
Elijah takes in a deep sniff and grabs a man by the arm, "Floo powder. Magical transportation. Only way to get here without going through Leaky Cauldron. Possibly helped the boy get here without going through the proper channels. Gideon. Lead." He jerks his head in the direction of the man he's holding. Then…he gets punched in the face. Elijah falls down to the floor and the man, wearing a checkered coat, bolts towards the door.
Nia's ready to respond to Gideon, "Perhaps they're just biding time first, thinking they can take care of the problem without getting you all involved?" She's more than aware that Hogwarts sometimes takes a slightly different path towards the same end? "I don't know anyone going there now.."
The excitement, however, with Elijah makes her squeak in alarm, and the chase begins!
Gideon is off like a shot after the man, springing into action with the reflexes of a warrior trained. But the suspect is quick on his feet, and slips out the back, toward Diagon Alley, before the Inspector can grab him. As Gideon disappears after him, the photograph, which was hastily shoved into his pocket, falls out and drifts to the floor, unnoticed.
Momentarily taken even further aback by the sudden turn of events, Annie does notice register the light flutter of the photo before it lands. Even as the other patrons start wondering aloud just what's going on, she darts forward and snatches the picture up before someone's boot can land on it.
Elijah rubs at his nose and stands up slowly. He grumbles quietly and and looks out after the chase. He furrows his brows and slinks his way outside after the two of them. As soon as he steps out of the door, the crowd merges around him, causing him to disappear.
Nia leans backwards in an attempt to give the men a little more room, and as they bolt from the establishment, her jaw drops.. and she takes a quick breath before, "That was interesting.." followed with, "What did you find there?" in a lilting Irish accent. Her voice lowers conspiratorially, "I still think the lad is up north.."
Annie turns, looking at the picture and then offering it out to Niamh. "He dropped this. The ginger one." It's no wonder she doesn't come here more often, if it's always as exciting as these two most recent visits.
Kogrod looks around again. "Right, I think after watching that man literally sniffing around… I could use a good drink," he says.
Nia takes a look at the picture, holding it in two hands, her head shaking. "No.." and the word is long and drawn out. "And," she chuckles softly as she hands it back, "Been a long time since I've sat in divination class.." But! "I still say he's up north." Exhaling softly, she leans against the bar again, and her eyes gleam as the goblin mentions that need for a drink. "I think that is a very good idea.. with him around, I almost feel like I've flown a marathon.."
Annie hesitates before reaching for the picture. "You knew the one bloke?" she asks. "The sort of odd one. Would you be seeing him again to get this back to them?" Still, Annie will track the inspectors down, if need be, to make sure they get the photo back properly. The manner of each was so singularly odd, however, that she would rather not.
"Sort of?" is given with a rising tone, and she looks.. doubtful. "Well, yes and no. There was something of a problem with potions in the area, and of course, my shop was investigated." And given a clean bill. After the other inspectors came after Elijah and his pronouncements. "I can take the photo and give it back if you'd like."
It's clearly a grateful look that Annie flashes to Niamh. "Ta, I do appreciate it." She glances around, taking a guess that's it's been well past the hour she had intended to spend here. "I've got to scamper off, I'll be late getting back to work," she says quickly, and scamper she does, to collect up her coat and book at the table.