Harry Potter and the Potter Grimoire

Chapter 18: Deep Breaths Before the Sprint

Albus frowned as he stared at the paperwork on his desk. As the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, he saw all the meaningful correspondence of the ICW. He received reports from the Hunting teams, the Security forces, and the Memory teams. Individually, the three corps functioned as their names suggested. The Memory teams were responsible for dealing with any breaches of the Statute of Secrecy, mainly via use of Memory Charms. The Security forces guarded the various locations of highly concentrated natural magic, and the ICW high prison Nurmengard Castle. However, the Hunter teams were the most active of the three. They were responsible for hunting down any magical or creature that threatened the Statute. Sometimes called the Grim of the ICW, the Hunters were notorious of being in the area whenever terrible things occurred.

As every highly active unit employed by a governmental entity does, each corps was responsible for the creation and subsequent passing upwards of reports detailing the activities of their members. These reports eventually make their way to Albus Dumbledore in the Hogwarts Headmaster's Office. It is the contents of these reports that were concerning, not the fact that the stacks of parchment were over a foot tall.

Directly in front of the aged Headmaster were three reports. Two from separate Hunting teams, and one from a Security squadron. The squadron recently reported magical activity on the shores of Lake Victoria. This wouldn't have made it into the report if it wasn't for the next line. 'Officer 23P identified the spell residue as that of a ward identification spell, two points of apparition, and a blasting curse. The target of the blasting curse seems to be a pile of dust that, under identification charms, glowed yellow, indicating a connection towards wards. Lead Officer 25E suspects that Undesirables were examining the wards around Island Inhabita, as the shore point is the closest one could reach the wards and stay out of visual range of the island. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Increased presence of Island Inhabita, dispatch of Warders, and an investigational Hunter squad to be placed on the Island.

Albus read that and looked at the secondary report from a Hunting squad around 1500 miles north of the Lake. Hunter Dusk identified target 3F4RRD, one Howard Clarke, to be involved with members of a Dark Arts ring centered in the Egyptian desert 20 miles south of Mallawi. Howard Clarke was a spell crafter who modified wards to attack the inhabitants of non-magical homes. SEE report 3F4RRDc for charges and details. A raid was organized upon the Dark Arts ring's headquarters, an old warehouse to the west side of a small town. Hunter Dusk left a trail in accordance with protocol F before leaving, as outlined in Articles of Engagement Appendix 3. When Hunter Dusk and other Auror forces under Sargent Issa arrived back on scene, the building was engulfed in an explosion, tied to the appearance of magical signatures. One person was found nearby, in the garb of the Dark Arts ring. Hunter Dusk utilized the affiliation with the Dark Arts ring to apprehend subject 4DTT88, one Hamed Baz, for questioning, in accordance to protocol B subsection 4 and subsection 5. Baz stated that "the ring served its purpose. Clarke did his job. You'll never catch him now." Upon further and intensive questioning, Hunter Dusk has reason to suspect target 3F4RRD has been exterminated after accomplishing his assigned task. Baz admitted to the kidnapping, torture, and killing of dozens of non-magical, and has been transported to Security Squadron 55 stationed in Alexandria. Hunter Dusk searched the ashes and wreckage of the site, identifying the human remains of 3 magicals. Due to the damage of the explosion, farther identification was deemed impossible. Target 3F4RRD will be placed into Inactive-Unknown status until further evidence appears.

Albus frowned and looked at the final report. From a Hunter Fiale, this was from Albania. Hunter Fiale's report was of particular interest to Albus. Hunter Fiale, in search of target U88ST2, identified as an unknown dark magic spike in the area of the Dark Forest, has located what appears to be an abandoned camp, ten clicks east of Puka. Further investigation has shown that the camp was occupied by two magicals followed by three, and some form of serpent of unknown origin and approximately 15 feet in length. The third magical did not walk into camp, apparate in, or be portkeyed in. Two magicals then left the area via apparition and took the serpent with them. Hunter Fiale proceeded to search the campsite thoroughly. The body of one Bertha Jorkins was found buried under heavy concealment charms upon further search of the camp site. Hunter Fiale identified cause of death as heavy blood letting and extreme trauma. Body has been extracted and is on its way to British soil.