| Details for Back Alley Transactions |
| Summary: | The Collector and his partner sell a dragon egg to an unlucky buyer. |
| Date: | 1939-03-27 |
| Location: | Diagon Alley |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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— The chill of the evening air is hard to ignore this late at night even in a place like Diagon Alley. The warmth of the buildings that enclose the length of this particular walkway can barely be felt even if one is leaning casually against the brick walls. A light fog has rolled it's way through the air that obscures any viewing at a distance… which makes it an ideal place and time for a literal 'back alley' transaction.
What is not ideal however is the very real chance of some poor soul stumbling into their deal. As such the man known as the Collector seems eager to be done with the deal as soon as possible. If one were to see his face they would not see the visage of Hector Carrow, but instead that of an entirely different man (Actor: Charles Dance). A stout looking older fellow with grizzled features that are only enhanced by the stern frown on this face as he speaks to the man.
"Were it not for your generous offer I would refuse to meet in so public a location." A hard emphasis his put on the word public, as if said with some disdain. "You have the payment I assume?" An eyebrow rises on the man's features as he looks down at him. The buyer is a plump and somewhat tame looking fellow that clearly has more money than sense. His lurid green suit is tailored to fit his frame but does little to make him look attractive. His expression is one of forced calm though as he regards the Collector and his female associate… though she gets a much longer and more attentive stare when he looks at her before looking down at the small wooden box at her feet.
There is something insidious and decidedly dark in the cool smile that forms on the lady's lips as the customer looks her over. Her demeanor is relaxed; but only in the way that a cat seems languorously calm before considering how best to sink its claws into prey. If she were a cat, her tail would be twitching… And yet, that beguiling expression remains on her refined features as she stands there, returning the customer's stare; her hands resting lightly on her hips. If only for her own amusement, she currently stands with one shapely leg raised so that her dainty foot is perched atop the crate. Hey, someone has to look out for the good of the item inside.
Shelley was growing tired of the Cauldron. Thankfully, it wasn't the only place to get a good, stiff drink on Diagon Alley. The auror moves down the street, tugging her cloak a little more snuggly around her shoulders against the creeping cool of the fog. A group walking side-by-side approach, seeming to care little for other pedestrians as they talk and laugh - and force Shelley to take a step into the mouth of an alleyway to stay out of their way. Rude, inconsiderate little-
— "I… of course I have it." The portly customer says with a quick nod before he looks back at the Collector. His eyes holding on his for just a moment longer before he adds, "If the egg is legitimate then we will both leave here tonight very content with ourselves."
His own gaze travels down to the box underfoot before the man nods toward Beryl as if to direct her to open the merchandice for display. When he looks back at the customer he smiles in a thin sort of way before replying. "If my reputation does not convice you that this is a very real dragon egg then you may examine it for yourself. I am sure you know enough to be able to tell a fake from a forgery." There is no indication yet that he is aware of the newcomer in the alley just yet as he extends an open palm toward the man. "Be my guest."
Cool green eyes drift toward the disguised Mister Carrow, and Beryl simply replies with a faint little nod. Her foot is withdrawn from the top of the crate, primly, and she tucks her skirt in a demure fashion as she crouches to lift the lid.
Slim, gloved hands noiselessly remove the covering, and once the deed is done, Beryl carefully brushes back the packing material within the crate surrounding the item. In the dim alleyway light, one can still see a large, dark red egg - red like the blood of a freshly opened wound - and covered with a pattern of scales. It is flawless; a natural beauty, a true work of perfection. Still poised over the crate and holding the packing back from the egg, the redhead tilts her face to gaze up at the customer with a smirk and a quirked eyebrow that seems to dare him to find an imperfection.
Shelley rolls her eyes, and shoots a glare at the retreating backs of the group which had forced her into the alley - but as their inane babbling pass, she becomes aware of voices… behind her? There was someone in the alley? Several someone's, she notes, and they don't seem to have paid her any mind. She steps up against a rain gutter hugging the side of the building - hoping that it, along with the fog and gloom, will conceal her for a moment as she listens.
— The expression on the face of the buyer suddenly becomes bright and exicted as he watched the box being opened, now apparently unaware of the woman kneeling before it. The pristene egg sits comfortably in the crate and as he holds his gaze on it for a few second he replies. "Um… yes yes… that is indeed what I am looking for. A Chinese Fireball…" He seems to be in awe as he speaks and is only brought out of his revere when the Collector takes a step closer to him and looms over the man.
"One such as this would rarely be seen on our side of the world. It's rare nature brings equal parts power and threat to any whom control it." The sale is not done yet and is seems that the Collector is aware of this and is still closing the deal. "This means we have a deal then I assume?"
For her part in this entire transaction, The Collector's assistant has not made so much as a sound. Her voice has been utterly silent. For all the customer knows, she could be a deaf-mute. A chatterbox, Beryl is not.
She remains in place, for the time being. She may be small and fragile looking when compared to the man who is looming large over their unfortunate customer, but one gets the impression that it would be a serious misstep to attempt to cross her. As the eggs were purloined from a dragon's nest, it seems somewhat fitting to have someone like her to stand watch over them.
Words here and there are picked out, swirling through the mist. Two male voices, talking of a deal and… Chinese Fireballs? Shelley frowns, her wand slipping into her hand. She's outnumbered, she's not supposed to be doing field work, she's off the clock, and illegal deals in dragons and dragon parts are not her department.
Like any of those facts are likely to deter her?
Though the gutter pipe provides little cover, Shelley remains there for the moment. Beryl, by virtue of being crouched, is spared for the moment - and given the choice of two men, she seems to judge the larger man to be the larger threat - as it's towards him that the first spell flies. "Stupefy!"
— "We do." The man states with a wide grin as she hands reaches into his pocket to grab a large envelop which he quickly hands to the woman. As he does this the man leans down and reaches for the crate.
As the Collector is about to turn to Beryl in order to instruct her to take the money the sound of a spell being yelled out from further down the alley is heard… a moment later the force of a perfectly directed spell crashes into Hectors chest. Sending him flying into the wall with a crash before he slumps to the alley floor completely unconscious.
In a panic the customer draws his own wand and points is down the alley. A hurried flurish is all he manages before shouting "Stupefy!" and sending an arcane bolt of light toward the would be thief of his precious egg.
Well, that escalated quickly…
No sooner did Beryl take the envelope of gorgeous, delicious money from the eager customer than things went to hell in a hand-basket.
Hector is taken unawares and brought down by the spell of the oncoming woman. Beryl's cold green eyes narrow and focus on the silhouette of Shelley only an instant before her attention is directed to her boss. The envelope is shoved down her collar and presumably into her bra (What did you expect?) and then she jumps over to Hector. One hand latches onto the Collector as she stands over him, the other flourishes her wand. She's taking a big risk here… "Have fun with your new toy," the woman calls out flippantly to the customer. And then… *CRACK* She and the unconscious man vanish into thin air.
"Deflecto," Shelley answers as one of the men - the only one still standing - aims a spell her way. It's redirected harmlessly away from her, as she steps out from against the wall. "Expelliarmus," she adds a moment later, again towards the man who attacked her. "MLE. Stop where you- well, damnit. I hate it when they do that." You know, have the gall to /run away/. Letting out a loudly exagerated sigh, she moves towards the customer, keeping her wand leveled on him, as she glances down to see if all the fuss was about, well, what it had /seemed/ to be about.
— There is a sharp cry of pain as the mans wand is forcefully ripped from his hand and thrown into the air. "Wait!" The buyer calls out in pain and fear before he takes a step toward the crate and reaches out for it. "I have money! I can pay you to keep this quiet!" Once the crate is in hand the man steps backwards while hugging it to his chest. He does not seem to want to let such a thing go now that he is so close to owning it. "Please, just let me go…" He mutters as he notices now that he is alone in the alley with the Auror.
"And now I get to add attempted bribery to the list of charges. Lovely! Anything else you want to add, or did you grow a brain?" Shelley answers wand still trained on the man as she moves closer. "Hand over the box. You're under arrest," she says firmly. The why's can be sorted out later. Hopefully what she /thinks/ is in the box is actually in the box.