[black kings] i'll be the villain, you just play the game. [ed]

May 2000 

It had been raining for days in Cork and the streets were beginning to flood. The city was besieged in an dreary fog and time seemed to slow down. Rainfall in May was common, most days it was in moderation, but not this week. The stone streets were covered in water and everything seemed to shine and reflect light back. Magically waterproofed boots hit the ground in quick steps as Nessa made the trip to the Black Kings. It was after hours, far past the normal business day, but Nessa wasn't headed there for normal business. She had set up a meet with Ed in a most clandestine way and she planned on showing up early. She was wary of her counterpart but she knew if they were going to work together she would have to cut him some slack. He had performed odd jobs for her in the past years but never something so serious or so illegal as what she was going to propose to him tonight. Keeping the hood of her cloak over her face she tried to keep her hair from getting wet, even though the rest of her felt like it was soaked through and through. Ireland rain had a way of seeping into everything, even when ones clothes were magically sealed against moisture.

She flicked her wand from under her cloak and ducked into the back door of the building, entering through the dragon gate that seemed to shimmer even more than normal in the rainy moonlight. As she entered the building the custom chandeliers hanging from the second floor magically began to burn, casting an eerie glow across the dimly lit sales floor. Nessa didn't bother to turn on anymore lights as she unclasped her cloak and hung it on the coat rack next to the big glass doors. Ed would know to come in from the back, off the side street, rather than the front door which faced the main road so she kept the back door unlocked. She went to the back of the shop to her enchanting room and opened a thick tome as half melted candles began to burn in the corner of the room. Thunder rang out and shook the thick panes of glass in the old windows of the building as she ran manicured fingers over the text. She had been planning this trip for weeks now, doing as much research as she could, and finally it was time to bring someone else in.

Nessa hated to admit it but there were somethings she simply could not do alone. Tracking and hunting an illusive and dangerous magical beast happened to be one of those things. She read up on the notes she had made last night as she waited for Ed to show up. The wards that kept wizards out of the store after hours had been brought down but she would still be alerted of his presence when he arrived. Silently she went over the little details of the plan. She would be paying him for the job so he wouldn't get all of the details, he'd only get the parts she deemed were necessary for his help, she hoped that would be enough for him to accept the contract. If it wasn't she had no plans on trying to convince him, he was a hired man, she could find another, although Ed was her first choice for this particular task.

Edouard fastened up his travelling cloak and surveyed the flat once more. He had everything that he needed for the trip and had left no signs of where he was headed. Ed had told Jacques that he had some business to take care of and not to expect him until the following morning. Having covered all his bases, the Frenchman read the note from Nessa once more as he stepped from the flat and into the streets of Paris. After his eyes reached the bottom of the scrap of parchment, he touched his wand to the paper and it immediately caught fire and turned quickly to a pile of ash in the young man's hand. Tossing the ash from his hand, the young man wiped his hand on his cloak before making his way to a secluded alley where he could make his way to Cork. Pulling out his wand, the wizard spun on the spot, concentrated on his destination and felt the unique feeling of having his insides turned and twisted until his feet once again felt ground. Opening his eyes and giving himself a moment to refocus, the young man smiled as he recognized the city of Cork.

As he had expected, a rain was falling and accompanied by a light fog that gave the streets a certain sense of foreboding. Ed had arrived on the edge of the city and made his way down the streets towards the shop where he was to meet Nessa. Her note had been cryptic, but it hadn't mattered, Ed knew what was meant by it. The front of the shop was black and showed no signs of life, but he knew that his entrance was not the front, but the side door. Heading around the building, Ed made his way through the dragon gate. He had always appreciated the intricate craftsmanship of the gates made by Ness and her kin,but now was not the time to stop and enjoy the metalwork, he had a meeting that awaited him. Edouard found the back door to be unlocked, as hehad expected, and entered the door into the entryway. The chandeliers were burning, a sign Nessa was already waiting for him. Turning back to the door momentarily, Ed flicked his wand and the door magically locked behind him.

Turning back to the entryway, Ed removed his cloak and hung it by the door before making his way through the back of the shop towards Nessa's enchanting room. He had spent the majority of the time on his last visit in that room and knew his way there well. When he approached, he saw the faint light of a candle or two dancing under the crack in the door. He knocked once and entered shortly after. It was a common courtesy to knock, but under the circumstances, it was rather unnecessary. If there was something she was trying to hide from him, she would have included instructions to wait for her or something to that effect.

When he entered the small room, Edouard noticed the candles, the ancient books and tomes and a few projects that Nessa was no doubt working on during her day to day job. Smiling at the young witch as he entered, Ed spoke up, "Bonjour mademoiselle. How are you doing this evening." Ed was quite the charmer, but he knew his smile wasn't the reason he had been contacted by the witch. She had need of something else, what he didn't know, but that didn't matter. She would certainly explain to him momentarily. Edouard waited silently for the witch after his greeting had been rendered.

She heard the knock on the door but was too preoccupied with her text to move to the door. Nessa nodded toward it, as if to try to open it with her thoughts, but the man was already walking through. Before he spoke she could smell his cologne in the air, it was masculine but soft, she always admired the way he kept himself. He was a good looking wizard, she was sure he knew that by now. Placing a feather in the spine of the book she had been reading to mark the page before closing the book Nessa turned around to face him. His accented words made her push forth a casual smile. "Good evening." She replied quickly and then answered his polite question. "I am doing well and yourself?" The pleasantries had to be observed of course. Sometimes Nessa hated the way proper wizards spoke to one another. It was so confining and boring but she could also see the benefits of keeping things professional. She was about to ask him to help her with something both illegal and dangerous, the least she could do was ask how he was doing tonight and actually listen to his response.

She waited for his answer and then picked up one of the smaller candles that was burning near her. "I'm sure you are curious why I asked you here tonight." She began as she walked over to the work table in the corner of the room and motioned for him to follow. "I have a job for you." That much was clear, as she was sure he had already figured it out, but it was more than the usual bits she tossed his way. This was important to Nessa on a personal level and she wasn't going to take any chances. "The job is dangerous, I won't lie to you on that front. It will take us to foreign lands where we are not welcome and should we be successful we may not return unchanged." She was being cryptic now but she felt she had to be. Setting the candle down on the table it cast eerie shadows on the wallpaper behind it. "I've asked you do to illegal things before and while I do not doubt your loyalty I must insist you make the unbreakable vow before we go any further." She wasn't about to give up information before she knew one hundred percent that he could be trusted. Lightning from the storm that raged outside lit up the room momentarily, illuminating her serious features, before it was quickly followed by ringing thunder. She swallowed hard, knowing what she was asking from him, and continued.

"Should you agree there will be a large reward in it for you. I will pay your starting fee up front and when we return with the item in hand I will pay you a bonus." She meant that, this was important enough to her to pay him more than she normally would. Normally Nessa would try to bargain with him to reduce his fee, not this time. She had every intention of paying him in full but first he had to swear to her that he would not back down from the job. It was more than just his life that would be on the line should they fail. "You will be away from your home for at least a week, possibly more if there are complications." She kept eye contact with the other man before giving him one last piece of information before she asked for his arm. "If we return it is highly likely we will be followed. The act I am asking you to commit will earn us enemies here and abroad." She thought about what she had just said, her words had been selected so carefully as to not give anything real away, but she feared she may have lead him to the wrong idea. "I am not contracting you to commit a murder." She said plainly, because that much was true. Her face grew solid again, dark features looking at his, waiting for any sign of his refusal.

"If you chose you can leave now and I will not hold it against you." She lied, of course she would hold it against him, but she would understand. She was asking much more of him than she normally would ask of anyone, and he wasn't even family. She tried to keep her anxious nerves at bay as the toe of her boot started to tap against the worn wooden floors.

"So Mr. Pontmerci, do you agree?"

As Edouard began speaking, he noticed the smile that flashed across her face. He could only assume that it was his accent that caused her to break her normally serious visage. Moments after he greeted her, Nessa responded. The formality between the two was cumbersome, but necessary. Pureblooded wizards were nothing without their handle on tradition and formality. Even though Edouard had fallen from the graces of his family name, he still knew enough to respect another pureblood and the legacy their family commanded. When she asked about him, Edouard wasn't sure how to answer. She certainly wouldn't be interested in his recent change in living arrangements. His parents had kicked him out the family home, but that was widely known, the reason why, not so much.

Smiling back, Edouard replied "I am well, thank you for asking Nessa." Edouard didn't have to wait long for an explanation as to why he had been contacted. The letter he had received was quite cryptic, but he had known what needed to be done. It was no surprise that she had a job for him. He wouldn't be here if there were not a job, and quite an important job to be sure. As the pair spoke, Edouard took a moment to glace around the room. He noticed that things had changed slightly since he had last visited the shop. He couldn't expect everything to be as it was over several years ago and he didn't know why it really mattered either. What he did know though was that many of the books on the shelves were old and very well worn. Edouard couldn't make out the names of the majority of them, but one bore the name of a well known magizoologist. Edouard's curiosity grew as he listened to Nessa's explanation.

When Nessa began to talk rewards Edouard's ears perked back up and immediately the young man put the questions and concerns behind him. He certainly needed the money, it wasn't like his family gave him much anymore. As far as a fee though, Edouard hated to break it to her, but he didn't really have a fee. He made a mental note to discuss this a little more in depth. Pushing the idea of finances and bonuses to the back of his mind, Edouard listened to the time requirements, the promise of making enemies, and the requirement for secrecy. After hearing all of this, Edouard couldn't help himself, he was going to have to agree. Nodding in agreement, the young French man had to smile when Nessa promised him he wouldn't be committing a murder. He was good with a wand, but not nearly good enough to be carrying out hits.

The offering of an out was meant surely as a formality only. She had to know that with all the build up there was no way that he could honestly miss this opportunity no matter what it ended up being. Edouard shook his head as she continued to offer him the out of leaving. He wasn't going to quit now, he needed to hear what the job was. Pulling out his wand, the young man smiled, so do you have some kind of magical contract prepared? I don't see anyone else here to preform the unbreakable vow for us after all.

She was pleased that he was paying attention and the smirk on her face showed that as he pulled out his wand. Nessa had asked him to make the unbreakable vow when realistically that wasn't possible because a third party was required. She respected the way he paid attention to every word, not just the general meaning. That kind of perfection was exactly what she was looking for. Before saying a word in reply Nessa turned sharply around, her back to Edouard, and with a flick of her wand unlocked the drawer of the work table in front of her. She shuffled through a stack of parchment before pulling out the one she had been searching for. She had made the contract a few nights ago but left the name blank, just in case he backed out, there was no use in having to enchant a new one every time she proposed her plan to someone after all. She turned back around to him, her black hair whipping around as she did and then she planted the parchment firmly on the table between them. The corners of it rolled up slightly as she waited for him to approach the table. "Last chance to back out no hard feelings?" Normally she wouldn't of given someone this much leniency but she refused to fail, she needed all the help she could get, and that meant not forcing someone into the job.

Moving away from the contract she folded her arms across her chest and waited. She knew he was a smart wizard, and he was meticulous, he'd read the contract in full before he even thought about signing it. It was a pretty standard blanket type contract but it would do the trick. Among the words etched in deep purple ink were some very key ones:

By signing this contract I acknowledge, with full understanding of the risks involved, that I, [insert full name here], will accompany Nessa Jade Regan to Egypt with the intention of baiting, trapping, and successfully transporting an illegal and highly dangerous magical creature back to Ireland. I swear by my magic that I will not divulge this information or any information regarding this mission to any entity or third party even under the persecution of the Ministry or other magical authorities.

She paused only for a moment to allow him time to read the parchment before she continued to speak, she was eager to get to the good parts. She wanted to tell him what she had planned, let him in on a secret she'd been holding for weeks. It was unlike her to actually want to include someone but these were extenuating circumstances. Licking her lips she spoke again, this time the smile was off her face and a certain seriousness had returned to her dark eyes. "Whenever you're ready sir." There were a few different types of magical contracts in the world. Some required a signature, some a spell needed to be activated, and then there were those that required a bit more. If he knew anything about them he'd be able to tell exactly which type of contract this was. The etchings in the two top corners of the parchment signified the enchantments that had been placed upon the paper. Each member of the contract would be required to prick their fingers and transfer a bit of blood to their corner of the page. From there the magic already imbued in the contract would intertwine their blood and seal the deal. It was blood magic, which wasn't something Nessa normally did, but it was binding and absolute and that was exactly what she needed.

Ed couldn't help but notice the smile as he made the comment about the Unbreakable Vow. He had noticed at first sight of her that there was no one else around, and he couldn't see a reason for her to tell another person just so that they could cast the spell for them. That left several methods for magically binding their work. The fidelius charm was an option, though potentially unnecessary due to the fact that once he found the information it was unlikely that he was going to be going too many places with people to tell. Ed's questions regarding secrecy and security seemed to be answered as Nessa turned and reappeared with a roll of parchment. It seemed a contract would do. Ed had seen one of these contracts once before, when he purchased the wand from the man in China. That particular contract had been one enchanted several times, first with the magic imbued to the words and then to ensure that Ed could read what was written. His signing of this contract had been done with blood and he assumed that, in the interests of security, he would be likely signing it the same way.

Stepping up to the contract she had laid down on the table for him, Ed took a few moments to read through the wording. His eyes were drawn to particular bits regarding the type of work it would be, the dangers included in it, and then the pay portion. The only issue the young man could find with the contract was the missing portion for his name. He had to smile at the omission and could only assume it was for ease of processing in the event he had chosen to take Nessa's out that she had offered. Replacing his wand in his robes, Ed handled the quill and penned his name on the blank line where a name should be and then, without missing a beat, pricked his finger with the tip of the quill and pressed his thumb to the top right corner of the parchment, assuming it was his mark for signature there.

Edouard filed away the significance of the blood magic being used for this particular expedition. It was strange to be sure, but not unheard of for one of the families of clout to resort to these measures to protect their secrets. This night was proving to be more and more interesting as things continued on. Regardless of what they were looking for, the excitement of the contract made him inwardly giddy to say the least. While he felt this inside, he showed no emotion. He wanted to assure Nessa that he was just as serious to this task as she was.

As the dark wizard in front of her took the quill and began to sign the contract she watched his every move. Checking not only his facial expression but his body language for any sign that she had picked the wrong man. Ed, as usual, did not disappoint and quickly his name was signed in red on the parchment. She took the quill from him and quickly pushed it into the tip of her own finger before signing her name on the other corner of the parchment. As she finished the last bit of embellishment on the N of Regan the contract seemed to burst into life. The blood from the two names pooled at the corners and weaved their way down toward the sigil that was imprinted at the top of the contract. With fervor the red liquid began to mix, intertwining in an intricate pattern and glowing as the magic did its job. After it stopped moving and the glowing died down Nessa was confident the spell had worked, she never second guessed her magic.

"Now that that is settled, we can move on." She said as she swiftly rolled the parchment back up and moved to a cabinet in her office, she waved her wand, whispering an incantation at the sealed door and then pulled it open, revealing a handful of scrolls that looked just like this one. Edouard was the only wizard she had contracted for this particular job but he was far from the only one she had swear secrecy to her. She was a private person by nature and dealing in dark magic and illegal goods only strengthened that trait. After setting the scroll down she turned back toward her new partner and grabbed a large book on the way. Slamming the book down she waved her wand once more and the pages began to flip until they found their way to a page dedicated to the infamous Serkettra, magical scorpions no doubt named after the Ancient Egyptian goddess Serket."Are you familiar with Ancient Egyptian lore?" She asked as she turned the text so he could read it properly, she'd read the selection enough times to have it committed to memory anyway.

She barely gave him time to respond before the continued, but that was just her way. "I need to find and kill a Serkettra." She said, feeling some semblance of relief to finally be able to say it out loud. The act of poaching this particular magical creature was strictly forbidden and against the law but Nessa had no other options. She'd tried to get it through black market contracts but no one she knew could fill her order, which she was still sour about. What was the point of having shops if you had to go out and find your own supplies in the wild anyway. "It is a scorpion that resides in the burial tombs of Egypt. It is quite cunning, crazy fast, its sting is deadly, and its only about the size of your foot." She needed him to understand the complexity of their situation, if it was just about catching an insect she could owl just about anyone in her book but it wasn't just that. "Here's where it gets tricky. The scorpion is a magical beast with a fierce exoskeleton, it can resist all but the most powerful spells." From accounts she'd heard it was damn near impossible to catch alive, thus making the venom it produced so rare. "In order for it to be useful to me I will need it alive when we can it, and more importantly it can't of stung either of us or anything else. If it uses the venom in its tail before I have a chance to extract it the mission will be a failure." She took a moment to pause for a breath and let all of that information sink in, leaning against the work station behind her as she waited for Edouard to comment. Maybe he'd have a plan, she hoped.

As the witch next to him pricked her finger and signed the contract, he saw the magic of the contract begin at once. Ed had to admit, it was impressive and somewhat beautiful. At some point the wizard hoped that he too could learn the type of magic required to build something like this. The blood pooled and the entire parchment glowed momentarily before returning to the black and cream it had been moments before. The magic was done and the two of them were now partners. Ed was glad for the work, things had been slow. His work with the club and the national team helped, but the young man had still been struggling to keep his ledgers in the black. Red numbers were getting larger and more common as his continued estrangement with his former family.

When she placed the scroll of parchment back in the drawer, Ed noticed several other rolls. He couldn't help but be curious. Was he now part of a larger team that had also been recruited for this particular mission? Only time would tell, and it did no good to worry himself about such things when Nessa was not taking a moment's pause before moving on. The next words spoken were somewhat of a query. Nessa asked about his familiarity with Egypt. Having spent almost eight months in Egypt during his tour of the wizarding world, Ed was rather familiar with their culture, lore and somewhat with their language as well. While he had not grasped too much of the language, Ed felt this wouldn't be an issue as he was very skilled with translation charms and could easily communicate with anyone that needed to be poked or prodded on their trip. Ed flashed a rare, genuine smile. "Why yes, I am rather familiar with Egypt and its lore. I spent over half a year in the deserts of Egypt during the summer following my graduation from Beâuxbatons. Does our voyage have us travelling to the south?"

Had Ed not been leaning against one of the desks in the work space, he would likely have fallen over at the mention of the creature they were working to find. While he had never been very good with magical creatures, he knew the dangerous ones at the mention of their name. Serkettra were as dangerous as they came. He was unsurprised that they would be going after something like this. Nessa had told him up front that he was going to be part of a dangerous and highly illegal mission. As she explained the creature to him, Edouard actually laughed out loud. "Excuse me for that" the young man apologized, "I have come into contact with an Egyptian merchant who suffered the effects of a sting while trying to remove some items of value from one of the pyramids in the Al-Sharqiya desert. That being the case, how hard can it be to curse a scorpion flying at mach 2 with a carapace that could block more than half the spells I know?" Ed hoped his joke wouldn't cause any issues with Nessa believing his resolve or his dedication to the mission at hand.

Turning his attention back to the conversation at hand, Edouard began the task of planning their actions. Her continued explanations of the requirements and the difficulties brought several ideas to Ed's mind. Choosing to defer comment at this point, Edouard nodded after Nessa had finished listing her concerns and, with a very serious look assured her, "I believe I have something that may work, but I would rather ensure a few things before making any further comments." He hoped that would be enough to keep her from questioning him further on that front. In order to continue the diversion, Edouard changed the subject ever so slightly.

While the payment had not been directly addressed in the contract he signed or in Nessa's comments following, Edouard had been assured that he would be compensated fairly for the work he was about to do. That coupled with the bombshell Nessa had just dropped about the nature of their mission gave Ed a perfect segue into a new topic. Strengthening his resolve, Ed decided to breach the topic of financing the trip and his fees. "I do apologize for the change of pace, but when it comes to compensation for this particular trip? It will be quite dangerous as you have already outlined and I just want to be sure that there is sufficient funding available for our work as well as upon our return." Edouard was serious and hoping that Nessa wouldn't see this as an affront to her generosity or her choice to include him in her work.

Hearing that he had spent time in Egypt made her relax a little, but only just a little. She was very peculiar about tasks she laid out for herself so she wouldn't rest until the mission had been completed. It was comforting to know that he was serious about this and even that he had some experience in the region. She silently applauded her good choice in partners and listened to his next question. "Yes we will be travelling to Egypt." Thankfully witches and wizards didn't have to go through the grueling task of getting travel papers and securing transportation, they could just aparate wherever they liked. Nessa herself had never been to Egypt but she had been doing research for months now. She had even gone so far as to ask her cousin Etain veiled questions about the area and the elusive tomb protectors that served the ancient gods and goddesses. The Serkettra was not the only violent force they would have to worry about during their trip. The protectors would stop at nothing to keep prying hands and minds out of the sacred tombs and Nessa knew they were not a force to be ignored. They would have to cover their tracks very carefully if they were to succeed.

As the conversation continued to grew more and more confident in his resolve... that is until he laughed. Actually laughed. Her eye brows shot up in an offended manner and she cocked her head to the side, wondering how any of this was funny. She didn't handle humor well. At least he had the good sense to apologize quickly but Nessa wasn't exactly known for her forgiving nature. She crossed her arms across her chest for a moment, waiting to hear him out but doubt setting in. So it wasn't because he thought she was kidding, or because he wanted to back out, but merely because he'd heard of the creature before and some stories to go along with it. She supposed she could excuse his laughter, just this once, and slowly her arms fell back to her side. Her defensive posture didn't quite fade away but she wasn't glaring at him anymore so that was a step in the right direction. She was actually quite interested in the merchant he spoke of who was afflicted by the Serkettra, it would be fascinating to meet him, should they have the time. She'd been doing so much research in books about the creature but she hadn't really gotten any information from other sources. Not that she particularly trusted word of mouth sources. The way he joked about their task made her both a little more comfortable and slightly uneasy. He wasn't freaking out or running scared so that was definitely a good sign but he was also making fun, was he serious enough for this task. She had never known Edouard to be a lazy wizard or childlike, so she pushed those fears to the back of her mind.

Hearing that he had something that might work turned the corners of her lips up into a smile. This was what she had brought him in for, ingenuity and fresh eyes. She was eager to hear his plan but before that happened he changed the course of the conversation to payment. She couldn't blame him, not really. The contract had been vague for a reason and she hadn't exactly given him a real price before but now she supposed she could. After all he was going to be risking life and limb on this journey with her, the least she could do was assure him he'd be paid in full. "I have secured more than enough funds to complete this task. We have lodging already arranged in Egypt with some contacts, should we need to stay over night. I have also secured a means to transport the creature back into the country." She responded, choosing to comment on that side of the funding first. "As far as for your payment I am willing to pay you a total of 650 galleons, 200 now and the final 450 upon completion of the task." She thought that was more than enough for what was required of him, it wasn't her entire bank account but it wasn't nothing either. She continued quickly, not giving him the chance to change the subject again because she wanted to be back in control. "If that amount is suitable to you we can continue, if not... well breaking that contract will not be painless for you." It wasn't a threat, it was an actuality, but she in no way meant for it to sound mean or offensive. She was speaking the truth and she had little tact in situations like these.

"We'll need to procure a few items before we can move forward. I have listed them here." She pointed to a piece of parchment that was on the table since they had entered the room. Before he signed the contract the parchment would of seemed entirely blank but now there were words scratched in purple ink written on it. They would need some kind of device to catch the creature, since most spells wouldn't work. Some potions to aid them, possibly some ointments in case normal magic didn't heal them fast enough, and most importantly bug spray. "In addition to funds for this journey I have also brewed a set of Felix Felicis, which was not inexpensive." She didn't point the two vials out as she mentioned them out, knowing better than to show anyone where the expensive stuff was. "If all of this is to your satisfaction I propose we end this night, get some rest and start properly planning in the morning. I would like to be in Egypt by the end of the week as I am on a bit of a deadline." She waited for his reply, already ticking things off her mental check list. She'd wait for him to leave, grab a few books, lock the doors, and return to her apartment for more research before having a few glasses of her favorite Dragon Whiskey, and then the real work would begin.

[[out]]

Ed nodded when Nessa confirmed that they would be travelling to Egypt. He was glad to hear that he would be back in North Africa as he had enjoyed his previous trip during the wizarding tour. While that particular trip had been much more about enjoyment and tourism, he had taken in plenty of the culture and an appreciation of how to work in the scorching heat of the African sun. Most people who traveled would understand that the weather can have a huge effect on how you work in a particular area, but without being in Egypt, no one could be prepared for the effects of the heat that awaited them. That coupled with the dust, the sandstorms, and the language barrier should make an already dangerous mission even more exciting. It wasn't like they were going to need anything else to keep them on their toes chasing after a Serkettra.

Ed's laugh and subsequent joke seemed to have hit a sour note with his host. It didn't take much to notice the way that Nessa's mood had quickly changed from guarded optimism to near outright disgust. Her body language had become instantly more defensive, but as quickly as the change had come, it passed. Edouard breathed a quiet sigh of relief at her return to the normal, apprehensive posture that she had been in prior to his little outburst. Ed made a note to ensure that he avoided any kids of joking around before they had finished their mission, and even then he would have to be careful not to make a joke that was too out there, or he could be carrying his arm back as luggage on some vile Muggle boat.

As he mentioned that he had some potential solutions to their quest difficulties, Ed could have sworn he saw a smile, not that Nessa would ever admit that she herself. It was then that Nessa addressed his follow on question. She began to run him through the financing of the trip. Edouard wasn't overly worried about these particular details. He would certainly be able to find his way through lodging, transportation, and the like; what concerned him most was the idea of payment. Just as he thought of asking about it as a follow on to his follow on, Nessa quoted him a figure. ʛ650 would be quite the prize if they came back successful. Fighting back a smile at the mention of the money, Edouard turned his focus back to the conversation and assured Nessa, "I believe that sum will be quite fair"

After assuring her that the money was not an issue, Edouard turned his attention to the list she pointed out. It was rather basic supplies. It include many of the items he expected to see: several forms of magical protective items, a few potions, crates, food, rope. All rather standard items for a trip into one of the many tombs. Edouard had a few other items he would be sure to bring along with him, including a few items of clothing that had served him well on his last trip through the desert. Her next surprise was one that left Edouard quite literally speechless. Felix Felicis was one of the rarest potions in the magical world, and she had brewed a cauldron. That by itself made the trip worth it, although Edouard wasn't going to admit that he would have been willing to do it for a vial or two of that rather than that and the ʛ650. Once more, he nodded confirming that all this was certainly in order and Edouard followed Nessa's lead. Moving towards the door, he turned quickly on heel and smiled at Nessa. "Thank you Mademoiselle, I look forward to beginning our work." At that, Edouard stepped out of the room, heading for the inn he knew around the corner where he could stay for the next few days until they were ready to depart.