The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

We'd Like To Speak To You About Oliver

"Let's see... erm... two of the tikka masala, a tandoori chicken, a chicken vindaloo, and a vegetable biryani," James said, reading off the menu, "Oh and two orders of the laddu."

The man behind the counter at the curry shop nodded and smiled, "The usual order then."

"Yeah, I s'pose it is," James laughed.

The man nodded and turned away from the counter, disappearing into the back, whistling a tune that James didn't know. He went and sat down in the booth near the window, falling into the seat with a gigantic sigh. He closed his eyes, exhausted, sure if he wasn't careful he could fall asleep right there in the bench at the curry shop.

He'd barely slept in days. Lily had been a right mess for both nights that Sirius was gone, and if Lily was up and a wreck then he, James, was too. Not that he wouldn't have been on his own. - he was just as worried about Sirius as she was - especially when she started going on about the claustrophobia. James had been ready to go down to the Ministry himself and break every wall down until he got Sirius out of there.

 It was frustrating to no end that his biggest move of defense in Sirius's honor had been that morning, putting on the auror uniform, buckling that Ministry-issued belt about his waist and polishing that shiny silver badge until it showed a reflection in it. He'd wanted to throw up with every knot of the boots he'd laced up to his mid-shins, every button on the oxford shirt, with the tightening of the holster suspender's leather straps...

He wanted nothing more than to go home, plant his face in the pillows, and take a nap.

"James Potter."

James opened his eyes.

The shimmering form of a patronus stood before him.

Jasper Odair's fox.

The door of the flat in East London popped open. "Hey, no time to explain, here's the food. I'll be back in a couple hours. Unexpected Ministry stuff." He rushed to put down the bags of food and grabbed his vest from the chair, tugging it on and doing up the buttons quickly.

"What's going on?" Lily asked, concerned. 

"I'm not entirely positive just yet, but I've got to go look into this and I'll be back. I promise. Save me some of the tikka." He kissed Lily's forehead and rushed back out the door, swinging his grey auror's coat over his shoulders as he went down the steps. He checked that his wand was still in his holster - it was - and turned on the spot, mid-walk so that he came out the other side at a trot as he went from the alley way behind the curry shop and turned up in the gap between two row houses in the middle of suburban West London. He turned about and found Jasper Odair standing in the alley, pacing nervously and nipping at one of his fingernails.

"Oh you've come, you've come!" Jasper's voice rattled with relief. "I was starting to worry, I --"

"Sorry it took a mo', I was in the middle of picking up dinner, I had to drop it off for Lily and Sirius before I came," James explained. "I got here as quick as I could." He was still doing up the double breasted buttons on his uniform. "You alright? What's going on?"

Jasper shook his head, "I'm alright, it's not me that's in trouble. It's Oliver Kent."

"What? What's the matter with Oliver Kent?" James asked, looking up as his fingers finished the last of the twenty-eight buttons.

"I think he's being abused," Jasper said it flat-out. "He showed up at the parlor earlier today with a shiner what took up half his face, James." He held a palm up to indicate the full cheekbone area. "Somebody hit him really hard. It would be one thing if he was the type that was really rough-and-tumble, you know, but he's not... he's such a gentle kid, you know that... On top of it, he told me a story about playing ball and getting hit with it in the eye..."