The Marriage Decree

Chapter 118: By Any Means Necessary

Alphard Vale's B-team touches down in a field, their wands drawn at the ready, at eight o'clock, having had a quick briefing at the Ministry. No one is around, neither Death Eater nor Muggle. Harry lowers his wand, scanning his surroundings. He's stood in a rectangular field, in the centre is a fenced off circle with a few trees and a large boulder, up the small hill at the back of the field is the ruins of an old stone house.

"Peters, Blackwood, check out those ruins." Vale orders. The two aurors do as they're instructed, disapparating only to reappear at the ruins, less than a hundred meters away.

Harry is already walking over to the boulder, where he finds two gravestones. One in English and one in Welsh, as he reads the myth of Gelert's grave, he assumes the Welsh tombstone is the original translation of the legend. His mentor, Vale, joins him as he finishes reading.

"It's all here," he explains. "The myth explains the grave of the hound."

"I've sent Perry and Houston to the east end of the village. They're going to search for secluded areas where it would be easy for twenty-four people to meet discreetly." He explains.

"Boss, there's this brass dog statue in there, but nothing else," Blackwood tells them.

"You and Peters, start in the west end of the village," he instructs them, and once again they disapparate away.

"Where do you want me?" Harry asks.

"We're going into the village, ask the residence if they remember seeing anything suspicious over the past few months," Vale tells him.

"Are we splitting up?" Harry asks.

"I'm going to take the north of the river; you take the south. Go inside the pubs and restaurants, speak to the staff and locals," Vale says.

Harry apparates onto a bridge in the middle of the village, joining the north and south side together. He follows the road down towards a pub on the south side. Before he enters, he transfigures his Auror robes into a long winter coat and hides his wand in the pocket.

"Hi, how are you?" A smartly dressed man greets him at the front desk. "Are you wanting a table?"

"I'm actually here to ask some questions, are you the owner or manager?" Harry asks.

The man stands up, offering his hand, "I'm the manager, Robert Jones. Are you with the police?" He asks curiously.

Harry shakes his hand, "Yes, I am." He smiles. "Would I be able to ask your staff and patrons some questions about the recent activity here in Beddgelert?"

"What this about? We're only a small village, there's not even four-hundred of us living here." The manager explains.

"We have reason to believe a criminal group has been meeting within the village to plan their crimes," Harry informs the man vaguely.

"What crimes? Is this a drug thing?" He asks.

"I'm not at liberty to disclose that information, sir?" Harry states. "Have you seen any suspicious activity? Our sources place the last meeting occurring about three months ago."

The man frowns, "Three months ago, September. Yeah there was something," he starts, eyes staring unfocused above Harry's head. "Something was happening over by the mountain. We assumed it was a group of teenagers or young people in general. We're a popular tourist destination, usually for couples or small groups that like hiking in the country. Sometimes, we do get the odd wedding party or groups of students that want to get away for the weekend." The man explains.

"Can you talk me through everything you remember about this incident?" Harry takes a notepad and biro pen out of his pocket.

"Yeah, come into the bar." He leads Harry to a two-person table. "Do you want a drink?" He offers.