(Forest) For the Ministry

[Markus Ramsay Everritt]

Markus stood on the edge of the forest looking into the darkening depths with eyes as cold as ice. Somewhere in there was his quarry, a person who he had been told to search out, a miscreant using magic improperly. Why did they always have to go into the forest? He thought as placed his hands in the pockets of his black, knee length coat. The wind bristled along and whipped up his hair, now having grown slightly darker over the past six months and not slicked back anymore.

The chill of the night was enough to make him long for the winters in his family home, the chill of the mansion nothing compared to what he felt now. Over the past few months he had been sent of useless missions, darkness under his eyes even after a weeks rest. He was constantly weary and longed to be free of the burden he wore, but his brother had sent him to the Ministry, all simply to look after a girl?

It did not matter to Markus much now, as he sighed and stepped into the unforgiving darkness of the forest. Low hanging trees made it difficult for him to walk comfortably, his back always groaning as he had to bend down to avoid being whacked in the face. He walked several miles before entering a clearing and grimaced. He didn't like the feel of the air where he was.

He looked about him as he entered the clearing, his hand slowly reaching for his wand. He gripped the cold wood firmly and heard the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. He studied his surroundings and sneered, the clearing was a perfect circle, not a single tree out of line nor a single branch out of the way. It was then he heard the footfall behind him, crunching into the ground deliberately hard and felt the tip of a wand touch the nip of his neck, digging in slightly.

[Chloe Hargreaves]

Naturally Chloe was sick of patrolling, sick to the back teeth of it, yet it was a necessary evil. It also gave her plenty of opportunity to think, to ponder upon the whereabouts of not just the Rogue Wizards but the Red Rose League too, for Magical Law Enforcement was assigned the task of bringing both groups under heel, to arrest any members with any force considered necessary. They had to be crushed it was said.

So being a dutiful servant of the Ministry Chloe was one of the many to enforce the laws, she had thought it not her place to ask questions, now she was just beginning to wonder. Ministry officials themselves were meant to patrol in threes, enough to tackle most situations it was thought, but Chloe was alone, she was no mere lackey for the Ministry, not hired muscle but a trained lawkeeper.

Now she stole off further into the forest, alone. She picked her way carefully through the undergrowth, stopping every now and then to listen, hearing a faint sound she stole off towards it. Catching up quickly she peered about seeing a young man, little more than a boy really, stood in plain sight in a small clearing. Moving steathily she darted out behind her footfalls light he heard not her coming until too late. Wand out it now pressed against his neck and she watched with a small smile upon her face as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"Always watch your rear, weren't you taught that?" She whispered into his ear. "No don't turn around," she said softly. "What are you doing in here?" She asked not certain that he was in fact a Ministry official. She was really teaching him a lesson though, as she was pretty positive he had been recruited relatively recently, she could almost recognise him too. But she saw many faces and the ones foremost in her mind were those she needed to bring to justice.

[Markus Ramsay Everritt]

Markus felt the pressure and heard the voice, his eyes widening as he recognised her voice. He growled at her, though did as he was told. She humiliated him. He felt his cheeks burn deeply as he closed his eyes and answered her.

'I was taught nothing by the tutors at the Ministry.' Markus said spitefully. 'They only tossed me into this random department because it needed filling, like many others.' He remained still but moved his hand slowly towards his own wand, hoping it would go unnoticed. He summoned all the willpower he could and closed his eyes, bringing his wand to his hand. He opened his eyes and smiled.

'I'm here because your Law Enforcement officials are too hair brained to go after Addis themselves.' He said, speaking the truth and giving out his opinion. 'They're afraid of the "Ghost That Walks", that one of your personal men handed it off to me and being in a inferior department I have to do as I am told. So I came in here alone, in order to find him under the order I was given and under the hope being his cousin would let me live long enough to kill him.'

He smiled and turned his head slightly, soon looking at her from the corner of his eye.

[Chloe Hargreaves]

Finding the young man's attitude quite refreshing, compared to the grouchy men she had to lead, or the smarmy men who set her orders; Chloe smiled. She liked his plucky spirit and attitude, so long as he didn't overstep the mark and get too big for his boots.

"Taught nothing? Really? I find that so surprising with the incredibly effiective and long-winded process that is training to join the Ministry." The sarcasm in her voice was strong and as plain as day. The way people were plucked randomly off the streets to fight for the Ministry's cause was ridiculous, she believed one trained official was worth ten untrained, but her superiors plainly thought sheer force of numbers would win the day; only time would tell.

She admired him for having the gall to say that, but then he did the inevitable; he overstepped the mark, he laugh dried up and her wand dug deeper into his neck. "Get your facts right boy Magical Law Enforcement officials don't assign tasks, it's people higher up." She remarked somewhat snootily. "High command saw it fit to deliver the charge to you, we've our hands more than filled with bringing both members of the Red Rose League and Rogue Wizards to justice, and we've been successful." She spoke with a hint of pride, it had taken a while but they were making breakthroughs.

"So you're his cousin and you're going to kill him? I find that hard to believe, you don't seem so cold hearted." She laughed lightly now relinquishing the pressure of her wand and stepping back. She was still poised though, always ready.

"So you'll kill first and ask questions later then? He may have vital information, bringing him alive would suit us far better, only it'd be far more difficult, I can imagine him fighting like a rabid wolf." She smiled, she knew a bit about that man, he was fast becoming infamous and she'd taken special interest in his case and capture, to an extent.

[Markus Ramsay Everritt]

Markus' smile faded when the witch applied more pressure to the back of his neck, the jolt nearly causing him to lose his wand. He quickly cast a spell and gripped the wand more firmly.

He laughed at her joke that Addis would fight like a rabid wolf. 'He's more cunning than that,' He said to her, then with a crack of his neck he turned to her and slid his wand up his sleave. 'He wouldn't fight like a rabid wolf, if the rumours are true then you'll have more of a fight on your hands.' Markus knew Addis had joined the Rogues, giving them information that they needed.

'If you're so confident then why haven't any of your men captured him? Or have your men come up more dead than useful?' He said, amusing himself. He knew he was talking to a superior, but he truly didn't care whether the school or the Ministry fell as long as he was alive in the end, all else didn't matter. 'To answer you, I can be cold hearted enough to kill though I have not been given the chance before now, possibly because the Magical Law Enforcement have finally had their first success... ever, though only a minor one at that.'

Markus knew the reports were true, several Rogues had been caught and he knew where they were stationed. He had to find Addis to tell them where they were, but why should he now? His cousin had never told him he was alive and he was to trust him now? Markus smiled, he would deliver his cousin to this woman before him now.

'If you wish to have Addis alive, then I shall be the bait.' He explained, bowing his head in respect for the woman, his allegiences now changing.