29 November 2011
Morning, directly following the search warrant executed at Genevieve Garcia-Gamp's flat.
Auror Headquarters

Auror Roh was not concerned about Genevieve and her peculiar lawyer skipping town; they'd be along shortly they promised. They might have to wait a titch, however, because there were a few things Zora had to do to prepare. The new information - the harassment by Leo Gamp, the admission she'd been to see Theodora Kingstreet - it would rock the investigation.

She'd entrusted her senior Auror in Training Fauna Blake to get some info from Genevieve's, erm, gentleman caller. (Zora could not imagine a more unlikely pair, but they must have a self-loathing streak to subject themselves to each other. She didn't know Bagnold well at all, but his reputation as a malcontent was widely known.)

Fauna had taken statements before. Hell, she'd been in at least a few interrogations mostly solo. Granted Bagnold cooperated, Zora expected good results.

"Blake," Zora summoned her over. "What'd you get from Bagnold?"

Fauna had just snagged her second cup of coffee from the sludge in the break room when Roh called her. She took a quick sip and hurried on over, interested in finding out what had caused Ms Garcia Gamp to agree to further questioning at the Ministry when she'd looked like she had wanted to tear up the search warrant and hide it in the wall with all the books. Roh and Raine must have found something good!

"He didn't seem to know a lot about what was going on," she started bluntly. "He said that he and Ms. Garcia-Gamp aren't, uh, serious." Fauna paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "He did know about the shoe theft, but Gen only told him about it a few days ago, and she explained it as if a crazy fan had broken into the flat."

Fauna dug in her pocket for her notebook and flipped it open, skimming her notes. "The 27th," she glanced at Roh. "Gen told him about the break-in on the 27th. Bagnold stopped by her flat yesterday to set up some wards."

Roh or Raine must have noticed them while they'd done their search. "I asked if he checked or noticed any magic that could have been left over from the burglary, but he said he didn't. He couldn't think of anyone with a grudge against Gen either - well, besides her husband. I asked a few questions about Leo Gamp, too."

About to check her notes again, Fauna hesitated and looked at her searchingly. "You wanted me to ask him questions, right?"

Roh generally tried to include the trainees as much as she could, but some Aurors were more territorial, and Fauna didn't like stepping on shoes. Toes.

Zora listened with arms gently crossed, taking it in and putting the bits and pieces together. Bagnold and Genevieve's relationship wasn't going to be much help. It didn't seem like they, uh, talked much. Zora shrugged a little; no judgement.

Blake paused in her report. Zora scoffed a little amused.

"Uh, yeah..."

Thank Merlin she'd picked up on that. Imagine those two just standing out there twiddling their thumbs? Zora let out a puff of air.

"Yea, Blake. I wanted you to ask questions. So. What'd he say about Leo? He know about the books?"

Even though Genevieve claimed the shoe and books were unrelated, that Leo was innocent of the murder, Zora had her doubts. There was no way they weren't related. The victim was an Azkaban guard.

"Did he mention the name Theodora Kingstreet at all?"

Fauna grimaced. Thank Merlin she'd asked Bagnold questions, then. How embarrassing.

"Yeah, he knew," Fauna said quickly, grateful to move on from her social blunder. "He said Gen got the books a few weeks ago, and that they were enchanted so they couldn't get rid of them magically."

Fauna was itching to ask what was in the books, what exactly had been done to the books besides the enchantment, but she held back.

"He doesn't know of any other incidents or gifts, from Leo or anyone else. He's only aware of the books that were sent to Gen."

Fauna paused, looking down at her notes to find the exact date of the book drop, when Roh dropped a bomb on her. Theodora Kingstreet. Theodora Kingstreet.

Fauna's expression slowly, steadily went still. She glanced up, her gaze shifting to look somewhere past Roh's sunglasses. Her grip on her coffee mug tightened.

"No, he did not mention the name Theodora Kingstreet," she said quietly, meeting Roh's gaze again.

"He, uh," Fauna glanced at her notes, taking a breath. Seconds passed by that probably felt like an eternity to the efficient Roh. "Bagnold said that Gen visited Leo Gamp in October, beginning of the month he thought. He said she was upset that Leo might be getting out soon. Gen didn't say anything about any guards."

Theodora Kingstreet. The Remembering Day murders. Devlin Matthews. Lucy Matthews. Knox Greyfriar's face after his son's conviction. Fauna looked at Roh, a million questions in her eyes.

Zora watched Fauna properly keep her composure. Just a little shift, but she kept on even if Kingstreet's name spooked her.  Zora listened carefully as Fauna answered her last batch of questions, satisfied. She'd deserve a good word for that, but honestly Blake was nearly done with earning 'good words'. She be full Auror in no time.

Which is why Zora decided it was a good idea to return the briefing, reciprocate in kind.

"When you were out with Bagnold, Genevieve out of nowhere says," Zora began counting on her fingers. "Leo's not involved in the killing, she was responsible, and that she'd been to see Theodora Kingstreet in Azkaban."

She crossed her arms again. It was eerie hearing the name again after it was all supposed to be buttoned up. Just hearing it felt like a ghost had walked through her, that it would follow her. But if that's were the evidence was leading she'd have to follow. Carefully.

"So when Gen gets here, going to try and find out more about that. I'm going to play it easy - she's scared and she should be. Nobody just ... Heh, yeah, she should be. Anyway, we'll need to find out everything we can about that meeting.  I dunno. I might be a fool but I still don't think Gen's a suspect."

Zora continued. "The books were all the same - copies of Genevieve's tell-all. Leo Gamp had somehow gotten the word 'LIAR' written on every page. She's afraid of him and he's harassing her which made him top of my list. That is, right up until Genevieve name-drops Kingstreet."

She smiled wryly. "Should've seen Crowe's face."

Fauna blinked at Roh. Genevieve, responsible! What? Genevieve, visiting Kingstreet! What?

She stood there, coffee mug in her hand, notebook slack in her other hand, swallowing her surprise. Wait, what?

"Um," Fauna shook her head, not at Roh's declaration that she would take it easy on Gen, but the idea that Gen had visited Theodora Kingstreet in the first place. Why? Did she not value her life? What could have driven her to seek out such a criminal?

And the books! The books seemed so stupid now, paling in comparison to Theodora Kingstreet's penchant for terrorism by parchment and quill.

"That's just madness, Roh," Fauna breathed. "What a cluster - I mean, Crowe must have been climbing the walls. Into the walls. Merlin."

Roh's instincts felt right. Fauna didn't think Gen would leave her own very distinctive shoe next to a guard at the base of a cliff, either. It made no sense.

She tilted her head and made a sound between a scoff and a sigh. "Did Gen think going to... Kingstreet and striking some kind of deal would make her husband stop harassing her, or stop him from getting out? I get it, the books are awful, and his behavior needs to stop," she nodded, as if reminding herself. "But uh no, that doesn't make sense either."

Fauna let her mouth twist into a rueful smile as she looked at Roh and sipped her coffee, confident that the Auror would get to the bottom of this, or begin to this morning. At some point, her heart had to stop hammering at the name Kingstreet.

"Is there anything I can look into or help with while you're questioning Gen?"

Zora shrugged. She had only guesses about why Genevieve would get her way in to see Kingstreet.

Then Zora thought of something. She bent over and began scribbling a note. "Here. See if you can get the details of Kingstreet's incarceration. Who's authorized to see her, and who's been to visit. Wizengamot archives will have something, but you might need to go to Azkaban to get the visitor log. Persephone Demos is who you'll want to talk to."

She handed Blake the note which turned out to be a quick authorization that the trainee might need to get access to certain things. A signed order from a full Auror helped grease the wheels from time to time. All the info should be available to Level Two, but Blake might have to be wiley.

"If you get any questions, deflect to me. Think you can handle that?" Roh didn't know if Blake had ever been up to the prison; it was a deeply unsettling place.

Fauna drew in a breath. Azkaban. Well shit! She nodded quickly, holding her hand out for the note, and attempting to look like the Auror she was supposed to be. Azkaban!

It boggled Fauna's mind that anyone would willingly visit Theodora Kingstreet even in the most high security cell, but Gen already had, and she supposed there could be others.

Fauna glanced at the note, then at Roh's face. Roh was cool, professional. Fauna straightened her shoulders. She looked her in the eye.

"Yes. I'll send Demos a note, check the archives on Level 10, and then stop by Azkaban to look at the log."

Roh didn't waste time mocking her; she took the time to explain. She gave her chances. Fauna could do this. She could 'stop by' Azkaban and she could handle hearing the name Kingstreet and she could help with this case.

"Thanks," Fauna held up the note and managed a smile. As she was walking away she took a moment to pause, mouth 'Azkaban', and sip at her coffee. Ok! Note to Demos, then archives, then Azkaban most terrifying place ever. Trainee Blake, out.