They were everywhere.  And when they were taken down, new ones would come back in their place.  And who was sent to sort it out? Zora Roh.  Yesterday had been one of the most exciting days in her career, but it was apparently back to the dull sort of patrols and daily routine devoid of violence and spellfire.

Zora Roh, Auror, ripped one down on her way into Reducto Records, and doffed her uniform read hood.  She didn't have any idea who this supposed muggle was or even if it was true.  She'd argued with Raynor about it this morning.  Wasn't this something for the Oblivators to attend to? Find the muggle, wipe her memory and relocate her back to the wild? Why was this something for an Auror to look into?

Because, Raynor had told her.  There were rumors of a wizarding supremacy movement in London and the flier is inflammatory.  Let the Muggle office deal with the Statute and we'll deal with the security of those in Diagon.

Fine, she'd snapped, and whipped off to do her duty.

Reducto was a pretty famous shop these days, especially with its strong connection to the Three Owl Standard (Zora was a fan).  She walked in among the stacks and shelves towards the counter.  She tapped the bell with the authority of a witch who didn't often have to wait.

"Auror Corps - need to speak with someone, eh?" she called.


_{Edited not call Tamis Tamis! She's totally Raynor to Zora.}

It'd been a week and, it seemed, the flier's poster (or, perhaps, posters by this point) had no intentions of growing bored.  So far, Tilly was still insisting that there was no reason for Jacoba to find employment elsewhere so Jacoba had fallen back into her usual routine. 

And, truth be told, the fliers aside, things were looking up.  Sasha was home and as safe as one could hope, given the circumstances.  They hadn't had much time to talk in depth but he'd been managing to send the odd text message when he found himself alone.  Things were unpleasant and uncomfortable for him and he was in the midst of packing but he was, for the most part, safe and would be away from their parents in Germany soon. It was an acceptable even if not ideal outcome to all of this. 

Not to mention, last night had been a brilliant night and the elation was, easily, carrying her through the day.  Despite all the complications, Jacoba couldn't remember the last time she'd felt as settled and ... well ... stable as she felt right now.  And, it seemed there was little that could interfere with that feeling. 

So, when Jacoba approached the counter at the sound of the bell she was full of more optimism than one might expect.  "Morning," she offered, her germanic accent prominent in her voice.  Auror Corps?  Luckily, thanks to recent circumstances, that term actually held meaning with her.  "Well, how can I -" her gaze darted to the flier in the woman's hand and she sighed.  Fantastic.  "You're not here for holiday shopping, are you?"

The woman who appeared was tall. Very tall.

"Blimey, look at you," Zora said flipping her dark round sunglasses up on top of her head.  She nodded her head up and down like you do when scaling up someone's height.

"What are you, six foot? Bollocks," she marvelled further, not really expecting an answer. So instead of waiting for an answer, she took a gander a the poster, holding it up so that she could compare the photo to the woman.

Zora wrinkled her nose.  It was close enough not to be a coincidence. 

"So you're the, erm, muggle, then?" Zora hadn't had occasion to ever speak to a muggle and call them a muggle ever before in her life.  It seemed like she was giving away state secrets some how to even say the word.

"Bet you are.  What's your name, then, eh? You know what an Auror is right?"

She looked at the woman with furrowed brows, not sure if any of it was getting through.  Again, she'd never met a muggle like this before and she had no idea what the protocol really was.  Why the bloody hell wasn' the Muggle Liason Office doing this?

Jacoba's eyes widened and, in a much slower and smoother motion, she followed the woman's gaze down, surveying herself.  Why was an auror here asking her about her height?  Self-consciously, she drew her fingers through her hair, drawing it back from her face before shrugging. 

"Just shy of.  It's a -" The woman plowed on, cutting off Jacoba before she could offer whatever lame and (at least what seemed) unimportant explanation. 

The question about her appearance might have been slightly unsettling but the inquiry about the poster was much easier to address.  "Yes, I suppose I am," she answered without hesitation or apology.  She had opted against going out and personally removing the posters but she also wasn't going to hide from them.  For her, it wasn't the use of muggle that struck her but the 'the' that proceeded it.  The Muggle. 

"Yes," she answered simply.  Life hadn't left her with the greatest trust in law enforcement of any sort though recent exceptions have improved that perspective.  Until she had a better feeling for the nature of this visit, less seemed more as far as answers were concerned.  "And, my name's Jacoba Schlagenweit." 

Glancing around the shop, she hesitated a moment before, with a slight sigh, asking: "There's a break area back in the store room if this conversation needs more privacy."  It kind of had that crime-scene-investigation-show feel to it.

Zora didn't know what she expected.  She knew that muggles were human beings like everyone else.  But a muggle among them, the witches and wizards of London, was a rarity, even rarer than a squib, although essentially the same thing.  So when she responded normally, Auror Roh didn't settle down much.

If Zora recognized the mouthful of a name Schlagenweit, she didn't show it.  It had, though, rang a bell.  That Hogwarts student who'd finally been returned, the most recent victim of the bizarre criminal known as Kronos Malvivicus. It made a little more sense that she might have a magical relative.  Too young to be a mother, Zora guessed, but sometimes babies had babies.

"Good."  Zora finally decided to say.  Good indeed.  She knew what an Auror was and that you were to answer their questions. But she waved off the offer to change venue. 

"Should tell you," she said, beginning to plow onward into this mess, "that I'm not here to get you into trouble.  Not yet anyway.  I'm here to make sure you're safe now that someone's taken to paying attention to you.  Not my business if you're legally employed or not, or what have you.  Just making sure you and Ms Quinn aren't being harrassed, muggle or not."

She flipped open a little notebook and looked at her and raised her eyebrows.

"You're not ... being harassed, are you?"

Jacoba wasn't sure if she was relieved or concerned with how easily the offer to move to the back was dismissed.  "Alright," she simply concluded, taking a deep breath.  So the woman expected the conversation to be quick - that could be good or bad.

Apparently, though, knowing what an Auror was was good. 

Despite what she'd hoped was confidence, Jacoba couldn't deny the big, long sigh when the woman insisted Jacoba wasn't in any trouble.  It was an undeniable relief - she knew she was pushing the envelope a little bit being here and had known that before that crazy woman's visit. 

She considered the woman's question a moment.  Were she in school, now would be the time to deny the existence of any trouble.  So, in many ways, it went against her better judgement when she shrugged and admitted, "somewhat.  But, not as much as, I guess, one might think?  This one woman came by a few days ago and gave us a bit of grief.  Those started going up just after that.  I've been trying to ignore it - I guess I get some grief now and again when I'm down here; I just don't move around much on my own. At least until it becomes old news." 

She shrugged.  "I'm not looking to cause trouble but I'm not going to hide, either.  Let them say what they want."

Zora couldn't help but stare with furrowed brows at the muggle.  An expression that read Are-You-Serious?  She didn't write anything, instead put the unused notepad back into her robes.  She crossed her arms and took a lecture stance, the same one she took with her teenage daughter.

"You're not ever going to be old news," the Auror said firmly.  "The friendlier sorts of people will get bored of your novelty, but everyone's always going to know what you are and that you're not really supposed to be here.  Don't think me a purist - it's just a fact.  Diagon Ally isn't a place for Muggles.  It's one of the last places in Brittain that's just for us and that's how it's always been.  You will always stick out and you will always be noticed and you'll always cause trouble.  Get cozy with that idea."

The muggle woman seemed stalwart enough.  Bold and up front.  But she was being naive. She acted like she was invulnerable, as if she wasn't defenseless in a world of wands. Zora knew that you couldn't blame the victim, that crimes were the responsibilities of criminals, but Jacoba seemed to be blithely unaware of the risk she'd undertaken by squatting in Diagon.  Blithely impervious to hatred she was inciting.  The fliers were mild compared to some of the hate rhetoric that flew around sometimes.  But Jacoba was right here.  A sitting duck.  A shining target just waiting to get hit every single day from 10 to 8 Monday through Saturday and from 11 to 4 on Sundays.

Should Jacoba repose the offer to move the conversation to the back?  As she watched the shorter woman tuck the notepad away, Jacoba got the distinct feeling this conversation wasn't going to be quick.  Unless, of course, Jacoba just graciously agreed to take the woman's advice and give it due consideration.  Or, agreed completely and tossed in the towels and left the wizarding world. 

Which, she'd been contemplating, anyway.  Her original intentions of coming here had been to show her brother some family-based support.  Now that he was leaving, Jacoba had started to wonder if it was right for her to stay in his absence.  Likely, the woman was right; maybe Jacoba never would become old news.  But, to leave now would just send a message that those bigoted fear tactics worked.  And, last night had been a big reminder: Sasha had been the reason Jacoba had come back to London and had found herself in this world but he wasn't the only reason she'd stayed.  She'd come to realize, last night, despite her muggleness, how much she'd come to feel like she belonged here and how much she really didn't want to leave. 

Playing naive was easier - there was no logic or reasoning to defend and there were no fatal flaws to be found in that logic or reason.  So, at first, she offered a simple and straightforward response.  "Well, the way I see it is a place for the people whose worlds I'm a part of.  And ..." She hesitated a moment before adding.  "I can't help but think that my leaving would just teach these people that they can use intimidation against muggles and get there way.  Granted.  That might be okay since these fear tactics are only directed at muggles and don't go any further than the end of Diagon Alley."

Her tone had taken on a sharp-edged tone that almost challenged the woman opposite her to ignore the falsities in Jacoba's statement.  In a stark (albeit, significantly taller) version of the woman across from her, Jacoba folded her arms across her chest and straightened up to her full height.  "Now, I appreciate that despite seeing me as being out of my place, you aren't purist but I'm not doing anything wrong.  Nor am I hurting anybody.  I'm doing a job and earning a paycheck.  And, supporting my brother.  I'm not leaving, yet, and if I do choose to leave, it will because I chose to.  Not because of some bigoted scare tactics."

The muggle squared off to the Auror who was mildly entertained.  Zora was used to being treated with respect and a healthy dose of fear.  Defiance in this 'youngster' only reminded her of her daughter asserting her independence about one of those Dolly St. James books, or travelling alone to Nottingham for a Three Owl Standard concert.

"Listen to me twice," she said, her tone leaving amiable behind and moving into domineering.  "First: I'm not telling you to leave.  I'm here to babysit. Second: These are not scare tactics and you're in no position to teach anyone a lesson."

Zora refrained from adding that what would likely happen in a lesson-teaching scenario would be a dead muggle woman found in Southwark, died from mysterious causes and everything going back to normal in Diagon.  It wasn't a scenario that Zora wanted to present as relevant, although it probably was. 

"You're brave enough. I can see that. I want to know who's been taking runs at your or Quinn.  So who's that who came by last week?  Has there been anyone else?"

Hopefully this silly woman would stop being so adversarial and start cooperating.  But then you had to be a bit off to be a muggle interested in tweedling about in Diagon where some fresh thirteen-year-old could steal your ears if she wanted.

Any placating that the auror's assurance of not being there to shuffle Jacoba off offered lasted about as long as it took for the woman to follow with the words I'm here to babysit.  Jacoba's eyes narrowed and her chest expanded as she inhaled, slowly.  Positive interactions with those in the 'parent' generation had been lacking in Jacoba's personal history - from her parents to her friend's parents who all looked down their noses at her. 

But she managed, with some effort, to keep her tone civil, even if the civility was obviously a bit strained.  "I'm not trying to teach anyone a lesson - other than showing my brother he doesn't need to be ashamed of what he is by supporting him and showing an interest in his world." 

"There've been lots of stray remarks and comments but nothing that can't be ignored.  And, everyone's entitled to their opinion."  Jacoba leaned against the back counter and crossed her arms across her chest.  She earnestly believed they were entitled to their opinion and she knew doing anything that would suggest she thought otherwise would only lead to more conflict.  That very reasoning had been why, when that Dr. Bombay had come by and encouraged Jacoba to join her in ripping the posters down, Jacoba had politely declined.  She hadn't discouraged Dr. Bombay from doing so but she knew it couldn't be her. 

"Tilly called the woman last week Ms. Wiedman.  Short little witch - rather rude as well.  It was a little unsettling how she regarded Tilly." 

The window seemed to suck in its belly before the stone came crashing through.  All the event posters and gig promo's that papered the large pane of glass did nothing to help the poor window from shattering into a thousand screaming pieces.

The stone was native to this part of England, and flew as true as any of its brothers and sister granites from anywhere in the world.  It landed in a bin of vinyl records marked 'S - T'. 

The deafening crash nearly drowned out the crack of an Apparition.  Passersby on the street flinched and pulled themselves away from Reducto Records. 

And then for a moment there was silence.  And right after, everyone began shouting at once.

Auror Roh couldn't help but picture Jacoba as a mouse sitting on the nose of a sleeping manticore, speaking casually of whisker flicks and breathy snorts.   She was idealistic and naive.  Was she taking any precautions at all?

And Wiedman was a very bad name to have sprung up.  Dazmond Wiedman was in their books as a person to watch.  Her previous offenses were non-violent but the Aurors knew she was capable of turning someone inside out with a drip of this or that.  And her connections - not so much about hugging.  Her brother, Dominik Wiedman was a violent offender and continues to legally assault people weekly on the quidditch pitch.  And they were apparently big fans of Diagon's newest freak show.

As Zora sighed to get on with helping the muggle who won't help herself, a loud crash interrupted her.  She was around the counter in two seconds, pulling Jacoba down with her with a shout.

"Down, you!"

Quick thinking, the middle-aged witch's wand was out and when she saw that the shop was clear, she was on her feet and out the door.  Wand leveled out in front of her, she scanned the street, looking for any sign of the person who'd thrown the stone.  She wasn't sure, but she thought she'd heard an Apparition crack.

People on the street were already coming towards her talking loudly. 

Down in the basement, wearing a pair of charmed and fluffy earmuff-headphone hybrid, Tilly busied herself going over the newest inventory. An American starlet was set to release her sophomore album the coming Tuesday, and Reducto would have to brace themselves for an influx of holiday traffic and desperate parents. Not to mention children who were usually stuck in a castle in the middle of the Scottish mountains.

But even a little dose of magic in her musical oblivion couldn’t stop Tilly from hearing the crash upstairs. Mostly because she’d turned the minuscule dial to be sure the things weren’t completely soundproof while she worked.

Dropping her clipboard and tearing off the headphones, she looked skyward; the ceiling above shook, and the lamps attached swayed like a drunken ship on a midnight tide.

Clutching her tummy, which had become a fast habit of late, Matilda jogged up the stairs two at a time and plunged into the main floor of the shop. “What in the w--” Her eyes narrowed, and then quickly widened. “Jacoba?! Everyone?! Is anyone hurt? What happened?!” Her voice was frantic as she looked around wildly for a familiar face, or at least a reassuring one. Her hand still clutched the knob of the basement door.

She didn't expect the Auror to understand and, quite frankly, Jacoba didn't feel a need to try to explain it.  There were many reasons she was there.  Many involved being there for her brother but not all of them.  Perhaps, not even most of them.  After all, her brother was leaving the wizarding world in four days and at some point the previous evening Jacoba had decided to stay.

And, she was taking precautions even if she wasn't paranoid.  Though, if the need arose to become paranoid, she knew who to ask for guidance. 

"What!?" Jacoba jumped as the shop window exploded, her eyes darting around the room as she tried to figure out what had happened.  But, in the next second, the smaller woman had pulled her down behind the counter.  Breathing heavily, Jacoba leaned against the wall, staring at the back of the cabinet.  What had just happened?  "Were we just ... did we get bombed?"  It was the first thought that came to mind.  But, no...of course not.  Wizards didn't use bombs - at least she hadn't heard of it. 

But, the woman didn't answer.  She was on her feet and out the door before Jacoba had managed to catch her breath. 

Jacoba heard footsteps pounding up the steps from the basement and felt her stomach lurch nervously.  "Tilly, wait!" she called, not sure if the assailant had, indeed, left.  She pushed herself to her feet and hurried towards the basement door as Tilly stepped through.  "I'm ... we're fine.  We just - I don't know.  This auror-" she waved at the shorter woman still out on the street, "came by about the visit last week and the fliers.  And then ... I don't know what happened."  She turned towards the shattered window and took a hesitant step towards it. 

"Mein Gott."  They'd just been attacked. 

"Was that cabbage vendor!" cried one woman, waving an accusing finger at an old man with a cart.

"Vampire! Vampire!" a man in a dress was claiming irrationally.

"We saw four men in black hoods! Four wizards!" blathered two teenage girls, clutching at their purses.

"It had to be goblins from Gringotts!" retorted to be-bearded old codgers from a carriage window.

And Zora Roh in the middle of it, realized no one had seen a thing.  It was a hit-and-Apparate and very possibly there'd be no witnesses at all.  Part of Zora wanted to bring down the whole Corps, red sparks for backup, and get the muggle to safety.  But as she looked out onto the street, there was nothing.  Stepping back and waving off the pestering onlookers who couldn't provide a sensible concrete detail, Zora drew out her enchanted spyglass and scanned the crowd.

The spyglass revealed nothing unusual.  Under it's probing lense, the invisible and concealed were made plain.  The teenagers were covering some spots on their foreheads.  The cabbages in the cart showed themselves to have the beginnings of rust at the edges of their leaves.  But no one lurking.  No one hiding behind a cloak, potion or charm.

Satisfied that the danger had passed for now, Zora turned back into the shop to find Jacoba and a witch - pregnant at that.

"You must be Matilda Quinn," she said flatly, sure to keep half an eye at the front of the shop.  "I'm Zora Roh from the Auror Corps.  Sent down to have a word with Miss Schlagenweit about security here.  I'm to understand you're a squib, am I correct?  Have you received any threats? Any harassment? Other than his most recent stone?"