The spring of 2008 brought a curious case to the desk of Beast Division Head Covadonga Gertrudis. She began a cursory investigation into why Runespoors are back in Britain. But it turned out to just be the tip of the tail of an incredibly dangerous, many headed smuggling mystery.
Living runespoors are being smuggled into the country, exposing the public to incredibly dangerous magical creatures. They are being bred illegally and then sold for parts. Venom, fangs, scales, skin and livers - all being sold for ends that can be nothing other than vile.
Seeking and finding these black market connections is dangerous for everyone involved and the casualties continue to stack...until things finally go quiet during Summer 2009.
Note: The Runespoor Smuggling investigation slowed down in mid-2009, when leads on the smuggling ring seemed to run dry. Because the plot chapter was getting so long, new developments after January 2010 are being documented in Plot:Runespoors_Revisited. Visit there to get involved or to see more recent events in the story!
Jason Marren, the Healer-in-Charge of the Creature Injuries floor at St. Mungo's Hospital reports to the Department for the Regulation & Control of Magical Creatures that a woman has a Runespoor infestation in her garden. Highly irregular. Covadonga Gertrudis suspects foul play.
Her expression turned concerned as she mumbled to herself, “We may have a dark wizard or witch on our hands…” Covadonga’s gaze turned back to Jason’s as she ominously finished, “I may have to bring this up with the MLE…”Covadonga Gertrudis
Covadonga Gertrudis meets with Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Alexander Belisario to inform him there may be a criminal influence behind the Runespoor infestation earlier that week. They hash over the likelihood that this report may herald another influx of Runespoor on the black market, and that the presence of live, grown Runespoor could become a big problem. Now it is clear the DoMLE is working cooperatively with the DfRCoMC.
One report has become many. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is working overtime with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to catch smugglers and confiscate the dangerous live serpents.
In the early hours of May 1, Covadonga Gertrudis, Tamis Raynor and a handful of Wranglers, Magizoologists, Hitwizards and other Aurors raided a nest of Runespoors. The situation was chaotic and Gertrudis had to be rushed into St. Mungo's Hospital with a grievous bite to her leg. More information referenced here.
The Daily Prophet publishes on the results of the May 1 raid. This is the first time since 1996 that the public has been notified of a possible Runespoor problem in Britain. Mercutio Tiverton was reported to have been arrested. Also reported was the confiscation of at least thirteen live Runespoor eggs. MentionS Covadonga Gertrudis
We finally meet a couple of low-lifes on the bottom rung of the smuggling ring. Early in the morning of May 12, Jimmy Haliwell slips a secret package into Rafe Sellaphix's usual shipment. Nate Briggs, Sellaphix's employee, takes the delivery in and together the ne'er-do-wells ogle the very expensive, very dangerous goods: a crate of Runespoor eggs.
"What have we got..." he mumbled. Nate held his wand like a pencil, drawing up the tack-nails that held the crate lid down. Once it was open, he passed the lid off to Jimmy. At seeing what was inside, he put his hands up in surrender and stepped back.
"Are you kidding me, mate?," he almost gasped. Nate looked like he'd won a sweepstakes on the WWW, his face incredulous. "You've got those? How have you got those? I'm impressed - now a felon having seen these - but impressed!"
Niobe Thursby meets Duna Gazini early in the morning in the Ministry of Magic atrium. Gazini is the Department of International Magical Cooperation's African Affairs Head, and as Thursby has heard, has been brought in on the Runespoor investigation. During the discussion, Gazini reveals that his office is working closely with the magical government in Burkina Faso - the origin habitat for the Runespoor. He reveals that the serpent is entering Britain primarily in the form of live eggs, rather than in parts, or as grown serpents. However, he doesn't have an inkling for why they are being taken to Britain.
I believe they arrive mainly as eggs. They would last due to their soft, leathery texture. As you might know, Runespoors have nasty temperaments. To try and ship them alive would be foolish. They rarely last long once the third head has been bitten off, which happens fairly often if one does not know how to control the animal. A powerful charm is necessary to keep the heads at bay.” He nodded sagely, a powerful charm indeed. “Of course, the eggs are more valuable. They are highly sought potions ingredients.” It made more sense that the eggs would be shipped as they were than to try and transport live snakes.Duna Gazini
An article is published in the Daily Prophet revealing the results of Niobe's interview with Duna Gazini from the previous days. The article discusses the ways in which the serpents are entering the country and clues to how long this has been going on. Mentioning Duna Gazini and Covadonga Gertrudis
A young Traveler witch, Mairead ó Fearghail, wanders into Skulk & Slither's in Knockturn Ally. For as much the girl's benefit as her own, Niobe Thursby assumes the role of her 'mother' so she can do some undercover investigation into what might be a selling point for Runespoor parts. Mai puts on an excellent show as a sick child, while Thursby presses skulk to sell her Runespoor. But just before Niobe can find the hard proof, a scarlet-robed Auror enters and the pair must Apparate away.
Covadonga Gertrudis led a raid on a breeding house in Knockturn Ally. The self-same house they'd undressed on May 1. What they discovered was a full grown, eight-foot-long female who got very angry when Gertrudis confiscated her eggs. The serpent went mad and escaped in a rage, chasing Gertrudis out of Knockturn. The result was chaos. The panic caused by the rampaging Runespoor damaged businesses and injured at least thirty witches and wizards.
Covadonga Gertrudis was aided by interns Fauna Blake and Nina Morales. Gertrudis sustained another bite to her arm, but was not poisoned. Niobe Thursby got too close in an effort to get a good story and was bitten as well, resulting in the loss of her finger.
"Yes, this particular snake was a feisty female, the only one who had been missed during the collection, which had been able to happily grow large and fat in the extra room she had over the past couple months, enraged by the fact that Covi had stolen her clutch of eggs, which was being cradled in her uninjured arm, but this rendered her unable to perform any spellwork as she was no longer able to swish and flick due to its current occupation."Covadonga Gertrudis
Colonel Kabir Ahmed of India's Magical government was struck down in Heathrow Airport in London. He had deboarded a muggle jet aeroplane and suffered an attack by poison.
Sources inside St. Mungo's have suggested Col. Ahmed has shown symptoms of severe Runespoor poisoning. If this was the case, this would suggest a sinister trend of the black market trade of Runespoor escalating to deep international level.Niobe Thursby
Colonel Kabir Ahmed arrives in Heathrow Airport in London. Adon Eleor, and Auror trainee, is there to meet him. As Kabir is riding an escalator down a woman in Kashmiri clothing attacks him from a distance with a blow dart. Eleor sees and rushes to assist the fallen Kabir. Eleor has a difficult time removing the wizard from the muggle area, but finally succeeds in getting the foreign diplomat to St. Mungo's Hospital.
At St. Mungo's, Aurors rush to ascertain the threat, and a pesky reporter pesters for the story.
Thursby is able to get word out fast about the source of the city-shaking explosion. The Ministry, at this point, have not made public any arrests or information.
In the small hours of the night Nate Briggs has to run an errand for work. His boss Apothecary Rafe Sellaphix (NPC) needs him to hide of a crate of bottles containing cured runespoor venom. The venom in this form is extremely volatile and will erupt upon contact with any form of magic. The crate cannot be vanished, shrunk or otherwise hidden with magic. So Nate decides to bury it under a dustbin in the ally behind the Black Chimaera. Trying to keep a lid on things, he's foiled when Margaret Groust and Ambrosio Dimas get nosy. Soon, the commotion escalates and a spell is fired. The runespoor venom erupts in a fiery ball and the ally is nearly destroyed. Maggie and Nate as well as Seamus (Cináed Tawse's dog) are badly injured.
The commotion draws out Cináed Tawse who desperately fears for his freedom, feeling sure he'll be blamed. He threatens Nate who flees in a half-brained Apparition, leaving Maggie and Cinaed to deal with Aurors Tamis Raynor, Archer Radley and Adon Eleor. Cináed apparates away with Maggie, while Dazmond Wiedman shows up to see about damage control.
Nate Briggs has Apparated away from the ally to the roof of the Shodding Arms, where he lives with his wife Dazmond Wiedman. He stumbles into his room, rousing Daz. He sits in a chair while she cleans out his burns with caustic, cruel potions. He explains what happened in the ally and she leaves him there so she can try and save her business connections and her husband's skin.
It's about 5am and Nate Briggs has finally fallen asleep in his flat at the Shodding Arms. He is badly injured, but stable. Daz is away trying to keep things under control. Adon Eleor and Jacob Clayton, and Auror and Hitwizard, have been sent to arrest Nate who has been named by Cináed Tawse as the one responsible for the explosion and the one to posses the cured runespoor venom. Nate tries to run, but he's restrained mercilessly by the Aurors. He's arrested and taken to the Ministry.
By 6am he's subjected to questioning and medical treatment. The list of charges could mean Azkaban. After Eleor interrogates him, Nate finally admits to a half-true involvement with the crime and instead turns on Sellaphix, promising everything he's got if they'll suspend any sentence. Adon agrees, however there is a little "hiccup", a half-assed attempt to leave, and Nate is stuck in the hole for nearly a fortnight.
That morning, Niobe Thursby takes lunch off to visit her friends across the street. But she arrives to find that Margaret Groust has endured a horrible ordeal. Maggie relates her experience to Niobe, who is furious and ready to blame Cináed Tawse. The friendship is galvanized, but Niobe must promise to keep their discussion between them and off the parchment.
Adon Eleor, an Auror assigned on the Runespoor Explosion case, pays Margaret Groust a visit to ask her some follow up questions. At first she argues with him, but then they come to an understanding and actually talk to each other without yelling.
"As for the pain in the ass," well, silence would only confirm. And denial would be a lie. Best to reroute with a bit of humour. "Just make sure you keep moving around; it'll avoid you getting bedsores. Pacing works," he said, pointing to where she had been prowling not too long ago.Adon Eleor
The Daily Prophet reports that Rafe Sellaphix (NPC) and Nate Briggs have been arrested in connection to the explosion of October 14. The article discusses the insidiously dangerous of cured Runespoor venom.
Frustrated with himself after his imperiused partner murdered Gawain Robards, Adon Eleor confronts Tamis Raynor about his future in the Auror office. He ends up taking a month-long leave of absence instead of resigning.
“You are on paid leave for a month. If you have a better reason to quit in one month’s time than ‘I am screwing up’ then I will write you a letter of recommendation. I am not taking that badge until then.”Tamis Raynor
Theodora Kingstreet, to fulfill her need to instigate chaos and upturn order within the Ministry, writes to Dazmond Wiedman and offers to help alleviate Nate Briggs's legal problems.
It has come to my attention that your husband Nathan Briggs was allegedly responsible for the impolite ruckus three nights ago at the Black Chimaera, and that he was taken by Aurors and is being held for charges. I can understand how you might feel dreadfully ill equipped to handle this as you are uneducated and bound by marriage law to be meek and obey and all that. (A poor legal choice I have never considered for myself.
Continuing what has quickly becoming a tradition of unannounced nighttime visitations between them, Tamis Raynor pays a call upon private investigator Jonas Trevelyan. She hires Jonas to run the investigation while Adon Eleor is indisposed, asking him to pay careful attention to corruption within the Ministry.
While visiting at Hogwarts, potions mistress Dazmond Wiedman recognizes the strange pet of first-year student Mairead ó Fearghail as a two-headed Runespoor.
Jonas Trevelyan corners Niobe Thursby in her favorite curry joint. He's been hired on to assist in the Runespoor smuggling investigation and Niobe's names are all over the Daily Prophet's coverage.
"You've been working this one for longer'n I have, and the word about town has it that you're better'n anyone else at what you do. I'm not in this to play games. I don't give a bloody damn who brings the bastards down. We're working toward the same goal on this one, aren't we? Reckon it makes sense for us to make a deal."Jonas Trevelyan
Jonas Trevelyan returns to Aileen Reid's home, nominally to discuss the Egyptian curse with her but secretly to ferret out information about Trevor Reid's possible involvement in the Runespoor smuggling case.
The Prophet reports that Sellaphix will be standing trial for smuggling Runespoor. Briggs is reported to have got off easy.
Zora Roh, Rafe Sellaphix, Nate Briggs mentioned.
Around nine o’clock this morning The Department of Magical Law Enforcement ordered an unprecedented full-Ministry lockdown not seen since the wrath of the Second Wizarding War. For two hours all entrances and exits from the Ministry of Magic Headquarters became impenetrable, creating mass confusion during the morning commute.Agnes Meriwether
As the Ministry reopens for business after the New Year, Tamis Raynor is given an emotion-filled welcome back to the office when a trainee Auror delivers a package with her deceased fiance Tait Aldridge's missing badge inside. Shaken, Tamis orders a full lockdown of the Ministry in hopes of catching the mysterious Irish Man before he can escape again.
Aileen Reid visits her brother Trevor at his office, hoping he'll help her stop Analiza Snark from following through on her blackmail plan. Before he can throw her out, however, Aurors choose that moment to arrest him for his involvement in the Runespoor smuggling.
When the Eleors and Jonas belatedly meet to wrap up their investigation of Trevor Reid, one of Dreogan's coworkers tags along. Azize Mulogo offers to help with the future investigation in any way that he can, and Jonas suggests setting him up as a target to try and lure the Runespoor smugglers into another assassination attempt. Dreogan is not pleased with this risky suggestion.
Rafe Sellaphix (42), the owner of Sellaphix Apothecary in Knockturn Alley, has been convicted of trading in illegal reagents, and hundreds of counts of trading in a variety of controlled substances over the span of twenty-five years. Sellaphix has been sentenced to serve seven years in Azkaban.Niobe Thursby
Dreogan Eleor summons Jonas Trevelyan to meet with him in a last-ditch attempt to convince Jonas and his brother not to go through with their plan to use Azize Mulogo as bait. They do not see eye to eye.
Adon and Jonas have undertaken their surveillance of Azize Mulogo. On a Sunday morning, while they are waiting for him to arrive at the Ministry, assassin Azorma Hyskos approaches in the form of Adon's brother Dreogan. Thinking that Dreogan is attempting to interfere in the operation, Adon goes to confront "him," but he is stabbed with a Runespoor venom-coated blade and goes down after a fight.
Vedir Prideaux, a Hogwarts governor, exits the Visitor's Entrance in the middle of the scuffle. Seeing him, Azorma immediately flies into a murderous rage, until only a last-second, desperate act can stop her.
After the failed assassination attempt, Azize Mulogo approaches Tamis Raynor to discuss what went wrong and what can be done differently in the future.
An attempt on the life of Azize Mulogo, Head of African Relations at the Department for International Magical Cooperation, was stayed by Aurors Adon Eleor and Jonas Trevelyan on the afternoon of March 15. Mulogo and bystander Vedir Prideaux were set upon by the suspect outside the Visitor's Entrance of the Ministry of Magic.Niobe Thursby
Two days after the assassination attempt, an overwhelmed Jonas returns from lunch to discover Tait's mother, Charisma Aldridge, waiting at his desk. She confronts him about the article in the Prophet, and he confesses that the murder case has been reopened along with the Runespoor investigation.
“The fifteen year old murder case for my youngest son has been open for a month and no one thought to tell me? Tait’s badge was returned to his fiancée and head of the aurors and that’s not worthy information to tell his mother? And by who? Could he have been the one? Did you idiots let my son’s murderer just walk into this place and return a souvenir of his exploits?”Charisma Aldridge
Adon has ended up in St. Mungo's recovering from his Runespoor poisoning. There, he is visited by his friend Margaret Groust, a reporter for the Daily Prophet. Under the effect of potions, Adon accidentally lets slip the assassin's name.
Continuing the investigation into the assassin's history and motives, Jonas visits the home of Vedir Prideaux. Prideaux admits knowing Azorma under the name of Atalana Kanika, but a slip of the tongue threatens to take the investigation in an entirely new direction.
"Raised basilisks, did he?" he asked, his brows knitting. He kept his tone carefully even, perfectly nonchalant, even as he watched Prideaux carefully for the response. "He ever market any other type of reptile?"Jonas Trevelyan
After Maggie's visit, Jonas goes to see his partner in the hospital. Amid a series of confessions, he asks Adon for advice on where to take the investigation next.
After speaking to Adon at the hospital and hearing mention of Azorma Hyskos, Maggie finds Jonas Trevelyan and asks for more information about Hyskos' assassination attempt. He reluctantly agrees to help her, but only if she agrees to wait to publish anything.
Jonas travels to Hogwarts to speak with Hyskos's son, Tapendra Trishna. Tapendra, taken by surprise to learn that his mother is still alive, confesses that Prideaux was involved in the Runespoor trade but doesn't yet trust the Ministry enough to hand over any evidence.
Over drinks at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, Ignan mentions that the family are aware of Johann's tendency to use sleeping potion. Johann does not appreciate the interest. Ignan also gleans Vedir Prideaux's dealings.
“What I do with potions is my business. Sleeping potions really aren’t the worst things. Everything’s fine, I just could do with everyone giving up the tired line that I’m going to kill myself.”Johann Storm
After Azorma's arrest, her son Tapendra Trishna manages to negotiate a visit -- both for himself, and for her onetime lover, Ignan Storm. The extended Trishna family has a bittersweet reunion in the Ministry interrogation rooms.
With the investigation slowing down, Adon and Jonas brainstorm what's next -- and decide that the best way forward is to convince Tapendra Trishna to trust them.
Jonas stops in to visit Professor Tapendra Trishna at Hogwarts, with Adon keeping watch in the halls. Finally, he manages to persuade the Astronomy Professor to pass on what he knows about Vedir Prideaux and the Runespoor trade, in return for a promise to keep those close to Trishna safe.
Jonas, eager to repay a favor he owes her, invites Niobe on a mission to gather intel on the smuggling ring, following up on a lead. Under the guise of smugglers, they meet with long-suffered muggle Benjamin Wright. They end up walking away with a live Runespoor.
The trial was swift but brutal. Hyskos was sentenced to life in Azkaban for two counts of assault and attempted murder in the first degree. Her other suspected crimes include up to 100 counts of murder, assault, and theft across Europe and various countries. Before wrecking havoc in England, she was last seen in Italy, where she assassinated several prominent families and Magical Law Enforcement Officers.Margaret Groust
A runespoor is set loose in the Reid household to send a grim message during Trevor's trial. Abby holes up in the owlery and sends a note to Jonas for help. He and Adon arrive in a hurry to deal with it, but things end oddly when the Runespoor manages to bite Jonas -- but he shows no sign of being affected by the venom.
Note: Much of the rest of the Runespoor plot was concluded off-screen. As the Aurors used the new information provided to them by Trishna, they were able to get several high-profile busts during the summer of 2009. This resulted in the Runespoor Smuggling Ring once again shifting its operations away from the United Kingdom.
The Runespoor trade resurfaced only in early January 2010, with a slightly different focus. New developments will be documented in Runespoors Revisited.
Later that afternoon, Tamis Raynor goes to Cináed's family home in Scotland without informing any other Aurors. Cináed has been wanted since the explosion, but Tamis has other plans than to arrest him. Raynor had been advocating on Cináed's behalf and had arranged for charges against him to be dropped if he submitted to heavy surveillance on the Black Chimaera.
“As your parole supervisor, I am here to tell you that in exchange for dismissing the violation, you agree that your place of business and residence, the pub known as the Black Chimaera, will be subjected to twenty four hour surveillance and that from this point on all Parole Inspections will be unannounced.” She shifted, fingers tightening around the wand that had rested beneath them since she entered the property. “If you decline this offer, I will have to arrest you.”Tamis Raynor
Adon Eleor, back on the Runespoor case, gets into the British holiday spirit by paying a surprise call on the Trevelyan home. He and Jonas Trevelyan end up at a nearby pub, where they compare notes and agree to a tentative alliance.
"I'm really hoping -- really thinking -- that won't be a problem, though. We've done good work tonight. And if we work through this together, we get through this together. This investigation is an absolute priority to me. Is it to you?"Adon Eleor
"Regardless of how the public might feel about Runespoors," commented Balfour Spectre, head of Beasts Division, "we must bear in mind that the mistreatment of creatures is strictly illegal and inhumane."Niobe Thursby
![[[Richard Burke]]](/wiki/images/f/f3/Richard_Burke.jpg)
![[[Melanthe Grumman]]](/wiki/images/f/f1/Melanthe_Grumman.jpg)
![[[Vedir Prideaux]]](/wiki/images/thumb/f/fa/Vedir_Prideaux.jpg/180px-Vedir_Prideaux.jpg)
![[[Kabir Ahmed]]](/wiki/images/4/41/Kabir_Ahmed.jpg)
![[[Vladislaus Dragulia]]](/wiki/images/6/62/Vladislaus_Dragulia.jpg)
![[[Adon Eleor]]](/wiki/images/thumb/3/31/Adon_Eleor.jpg/196px-Adon_Eleor.jpg)
![[[Duna Gazini]]](/wiki/images/6/6c/Duna_Gazini.jpg)
![[[Covadonga Gertrudis]]](/wiki/images/5/58/Covadonga_Gertrudis.jpg)
![[[Samuel Harcroft]]](/wiki/images/3/30/Samuel_Harcroft.jpg)
![[[Jason MacDonell]]](/wiki/images/8/8f/Jason_MacDonell.jpg)
![[[Azize Mulogo]]](/wiki/images/f/fe/Azize_Mulogo.jpg)
![[[Archer Radley]]](/wiki/images/2/21/Archer_Radley.jpg)
![[[Tamis Raynor]]](/wiki/images/2/2a/Tamis_Raynor.jpg)
![[[Aberdeen Spencer]]](/wiki/images/f/f7/Aberdeen_Spencer.jpg)
![[[Jonas Trevelyan]]](/wiki/images/d/d4/Jonas_Trevelyan.jpg)
![[[Nathan Briggs]]](/wiki/images/thumb/d/df/Nate_Briggs.jpg/154px-Nate_Briggs.jpg)
![[[Jacob Clayton]]](/wiki/images/1/17/Jacob_Clayton.png)
![[[Theodora Kingstreet]]](/wiki/images/thumb/e/e7/Theodora_Kingstreet.png/135px-Theodora_Kingstreet.png)
![[[Cináed Tawse]]](/wiki/images/3/37/Cinaed_Tawse.jpg)
![[[Dazmond Wiedman]]](/wiki/images/5/59/Dazmond_Wiedman.jpg)
![[[Mairead ó Fearghail]]](/wiki/images/3/3d/Maireado_Fearghail.jpg)
![[[Fauna Blake]]](/wiki/images/7/74/Fauna_Blake.jpg)
![[[Graham Bombay]]](/wiki/images/4/45/Graham_Bombay.jpg)
![[[Kia Ferris]]](/wiki/images/thumb/c/c8/Kia_Ferris.jpg/180px-Kia_Ferris.jpg)
![[[Jason Marren]]](/wiki/images/7/7c/Jason_Marren.jpg)
![[[Nina Morales]]](/wiki/images/5/5d/Nina_Morales.jpg)
![[[Moira Randall]]](/wiki/images/5/54/Moira_Randall.jpg)
![[[Charlie Robards]]](/wiki/images/9/99/Charlie_Robards.jpg)
![[[Ignan Storm]]](/wiki/images/thumb/4/4f/Ignan_Storm.png/113px-Ignan_Storm.png)
![[[Niobe Thursby]]](/wiki/images/thumb/e/ee/Niobe_Thursby.jpg/154px-Niobe_Thursby.jpg)
![[[Tapendra Trishna]]](/wiki/images/a/a1/Tapendra_Trishna.png)
