So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 49 Deserters and Investigators

 

None of the staff here had any doubts that it was Jason Smith who was responsible although no one believed he had done it on purpose. They all hated him largely because he had only got the job because of his Uncle who was a Lord and a big donator. Yet despite the fact he had failed time and time again there was nothing they could do to get rid of him without losing one of their biggest sources of funding.

 

‘Smith,’ Jamieson stated sharply. ‘Come on.’

 

Jamieson marched to the Apparating point some twenty minutes outside of Healer Whitehead’s medical practice. Out of the corner of his eye he could hear Smith running up behind him to keep up with Jamieson’s long strides. Jamieson only stopped at the Apparation point waiting for the young man to catch up with him so they could get back to the office and have the boy checked out.

 

‘Do you know how to Apparate?’ demanded Jamieson.

 

‘No,’ admitted Smith with some reluctance.

 

Jamieson sighed and held out his right arm, ‘hold on.’

 

Smith grasped Jamieson’s right wrist and Jamieson Apparated them to the Ministry of Magic Apparation point. Jamieson lead Smith through the Auror entrance towards Healer Coote’s office in the DMLE department. Smith knew that the American had been busy over a classified investigation but this was just standard check so shouldn’t take more than half an hour.

 

‘Senior Auror Tuckett,’ greeted Coote. ‘How may I help you?’

 

‘Give Mr Smith a basic check for spells and potions,’ instructed Jamieson.

 

Coote removed a small potion from the cold chill, ‘all I need is a bit of your blood, Mr Smith.’

 

Smith held out his left hand allowing Coote to prick it and a single drop ran into the potion turning it bright blood red. Coote removed a seemingly blank piece of parchment from his drawer although Jamieson knew it was not blank at all but specially treated to react to the supplemented revealing potion in the bottle. Coote poured the potion onto the parchment and they watched as words began to reveal themselves.

 

Imperius Curse Administered on 23rd June 1995

 

‘He was Imperised,’ mused Jamieson. ‘I thought it was too convenient that you just happened to set the wards wrong last night. If it was just potions I could imagine that addicts would take advantage but this was too well planned for the person or persons’ responsible to have just taken advantage of your mistake. But I could not tell if you were guilty, a victim or being framed.’