Star Crossed

Chapter One Hundred and Two- Debts

"Are you okay? What happened? People in the office were talking of a fight in the Priestess Inn last night, please tell me that wasn't you..."
"Leave it Payton," I hissed as I slammed my satchel down next to my desk.
"But..." I spun around fixing Payton with a stare so intense that his face paled slightly as he quickly averted his expressional hazel eyes, I sighed. I felt guilt at being so short with him but I was certainly in no mood to discuss the previous night. I knew that I would no doubt already have to do that with Mr.Franklyn, as if on que there was a knock on the office door. Payton looked between me and the door nervously before running over to open it. There stood a small house elf with a gentle wrinkled face. 
"Miss McLaggen Miss, Mr. Franklyn has requested to speak with you." she squeaked bowing so low that her long thin nose brushed the polished wood of the floor boards. 

As soon as my knuckles brushed oak wood door a gruff voice called out for me to enter. I took a deep breath before pushing open the door and clicking it shut behind me. 
"Take a seat Miss. McLaggen." Mr. Franklyn greeted me firmly taking off his glasses and placing them beside him before looking up from his papers to face me as I took the seat before him. 
"I expect you are not surprised that I have called you in here this morning McLaggen." he sighed observing me over his thick, sausage like fingers which were interlocked taking the weight of his large square chin.  
"No Mr.Franklyn." I replied in a dulcet tone. 
"Did I not advise you to take a team with you?" he sighed, he sounded tired, exasperated. 
"Yes Sir," I replied. 
"Then why may I ask did you chose to ignore my advice?" He asked his beady eyes squinting as he stared at me. 
"I had thought that I could do it alone Sir. I thought that the operation would be more discreet Sir."
"And was it?" he asked tilting his head to the side, his cheeks beginning to become slightly pinker I tried to choose my words carefully. 

"No Sir," I replied. "It was... a lack of judgement Sir." I admitted my stomach churning with embarrassment as I admitted my failure. 
"Indeed." Franklyn replied gruffly. "Mr.Grayson and his accomplishes remain at large and are now more aware than ever and probably with a great deal of extra confidence may I add." 
"Yes Sir but-"
Franklyn held up his large hand causing me to fall silent instantly. 
"I am afraid that given the circumstances it would be best if I removed you from this case Miss. McLaggen and we will have to consider this a strike against you." 
"No!" I blurted unable to stop myself, Franklyn jumped in his chair at my sudden outburst. I quickly tried to recover,
"I mean sorry Sir but I just need one more chance. I can do this, I will prove it to you. And..." I took a breath considering my next words.
"And If I fail you... then you have every right to dismiss me from the department." my heart was thumping in my chest, what was I doing!? 
The office fell silent as Franklyn considered me. 
"I take it you understand the seriousness of your request Miss.McLaggen." he breathed. "If you fail, you will no longer be an auror." 
I nodded slowly. 
"Then I admire your determination and I will grant you this opportunity. You have one month. No more failed attempts. You are dismissed." he held up his hand and pointed it towards the door. I quickly stood bowed and my bowed my head. 
"You will not be disappointed Sir. You will have Grayson and his accomplices within the month." with that I turned on my heel and walked from the office, my legs shaking. 

"What happened?" Payton jumped up from his desk as I entered the office, all eyes fell onto me as I walked towards my desk. At my lack of a reply he quickly jogged across the room towards me. 
"What happened?" he whispered. 
"Nothing." I replied quickly, throwing my cloak around my shoulders and grabbing my satchel. 
"You're not... sacked." he hissed. Thought he was now trying his best to be quiet the rest of the office had their ears fixed onto the conversation. 
"No." I replied loudly so that the whole room could hear before I walked across the office towards the door. 
"Grisha!" I heard Payton shouting after me as I closed the door behind me. 

I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before looking up at the crooked storefront before me. I walked towards the door, my heels echoing loudly as they crossed the cobbled street. I pushed open the door causing a little bell to chime breaking the silence, if it had not been for the open sign upon the door I would not have thought that anyone was working. The place had a strange smell, old... dusty and damp. I looked around myself as I walked towards the unmanned counter, shelves upon shelves of unusual and unfriendly looking objects. I stepped up to the counter and was just about to tap the small silver bell before a familiar croaky voice made me jump almost twice my own height. 
"Can I help you?" I quickly regained my composure, pushing some of my blonde hair behind my ear but before I could reply the old man smirked at me.
"Ah it's you... so you've changed your mind about your necklace." his old eyes seemed to sparkle at the prospect. 
"No." I replied firmly, making sure that my necklace was safely hidden from view I continued. "I was wondering if I could speak to Mr.Riddle."
The old man seemed at first disappointed but this soon contorted into a look of curiosity. 
"Mr.Riddle..." he breathed. 
"Yes." I replied. "He does work here does he not?" I rose my eyebrow at him. He just stared at me for a moment fiddling with his hands before he disappeared into a back room. I tried to peer in the door after him but it was too gloomy, I heard him should Riddle's name shortly followed by some footsteps that sounded as if they were climbing a staircase. A few seconds later Riddle appeared in the doorway, he was wearing his crisp black suit but had a black long apron over the top. It almost looked as if he had been working on something. 
His face was expressionless as his eyes fell upon me, his old boss close behind him looking between the two of us the same curious look in his eyes. 
"You know her Tom?" he asked. 
"Yes, I know her." he replied not taking his eyes off of me. There was an awkward stretch of silence before the old man got the hint and reluctantly left through the door into the back closing it behind him. 

"What do you want?" Riddle asked once we were fully alone, he remained close to the door. 
I placed my hands upon the counter in a very business like manner. 
"I want your assistance." I replied. 
"You wish to purchase or to sell?" he smirked raising an eyebrow at me unbelievably. 
"Not exactly." I replied tilting my head to one side. 
"Then I can not help you. This is a shop." Tom replied simply. 

I did not answer him but instead continued to stare at him a serenely calm expression on my face. 
"But I think that you owe me." I smiled, Tom however did not return it his expression was hard as he stared at me. 

"Oh you do?" he asked. "The last time I checked it was you the owed me." 
"Ah but I did not ask you for that you chose to assist me that time on your own. Thank you by the way." I smiled a wide toothy grin at him. He dropped his head letting out a long exhale of breath in an attempt to keep himself calm, I grinned. He walked towards the counter placing both of his palms flat down in front of my own he leaned across it so that our faces were mere centimeters apart, my breath hitched as his familiar cologne wrafted over the counter. 
"What do you want?" he hissed. Funny he had been the one to cross my path and yet now he was running from me just like he used to in Hogwarts. 

"I need Grayson and his gang of thugs. I need them all." I whispered, staring into his blue eyes. 

Tom's jar flinched. 
"I need you to help me." I added, his eyes searched my face as he contemplated what I had said. 
"Tom? Could you-" The old man had barged through the door and onto the shop floor. "Oh..." he breathed. Both myself and Tom knew what it must have looked like as he both drew back quickly, Tom looked murderous. 
"I'm sorry I didn't expect your friend to still be here. Was I disturbing something?" He smirked. 
"No." Tom said firmly. 
"That's ok. I was just leaving." I smiled at the old man before turning my gaze on Riddle. 
"Good day Mr. Riddle. You know how to reach me." I smirked before turning and walking from the store. 
I let out a breath I had not realised I had been holding once I stepped out onto the street. I had either made a terrible decision or one that would save my career but I knew if he was to help me it would come at a price. Riddle always had a price and it was usually a high rate.