Welcome to Until The End. We are a moderate Harry Potter role-playing site set in the Marauder's Era. Our plot is generally derived from details in the book, but as an AU site we do take liberties most anywhere we like. Those who died in the books can have a second chance at living, and those who lived are always at risk.
Tom Marvolo Riddle has long since disappeared and in his stead Lord Voldemort has risen, bringing a small army with him. The Ministry of Magic has thus far ignored the growing menace that is the Death Eaters and Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to defend the wizarding community from an evil he knows is building. War is coming. Pick a side!
School's Out For Summer
The Hogwart's Express has pulled up to the station in King's Cross station and the summer holidays have officially begun. What mischeif will you get into in the warm summer sun?
*Coming Soon* - Summer Solstice Carnival
Travel by portkey to the biggest summer celebration in wizard society - The Summer Solstice Carnival! There will be food, games, prizes, fun and more!
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
O
ut of the frying pan and into the fire. The expression had a new meaning for Christine as the most exciting and terrifying day of her life took another unexpected turn.
Sitting in the cold holding cell, hands gripping the metal seat beneath her she chewed on her lip and contemplated the events that led to her arrest. She was a Godric forasaken idiot of epic proportions. She should have just come clean to the beautiful Auror who had taken her statement earlier in the day. She should have had enough sense to know when she was out of her league. She definitely shouldn't have secretly sought out the man that sold her and attempted to confront him alone.
What was wrong with her?
True, being locked in a holding cell in a foreign country wasn't as bad as being sold as a sex slave in a foreign country, but it was far from the adventure she had been anticipating. This day made the rest of her adventures seem rather sedate in comparison.
Taking a deep but shaky breath she ran her fingers through her hair and impatiently stood up once again coming to the bars that separated her from freedom. "Don't I get a phone call or something?" she asked with more frustration than was sensible, she repeated the question in Masri, then finally in Saidi Arabic, but she could have been speaking gibberish for all the attention they paid her. With a huff of annoyance she sat back down and curled her knees up to her chest. It was going to be a long night.
Even if it had been protocol to allow an Egyptian citizen a phone call to legal aid, Christine wasn't a citizen. She could speak the language beautifully, but she was still a foreigner with no verifiable identification on her person. The only hint of identity laid with a detective's card, and he was the one who would be called to come and sort this mess out.
It wouldn't be a pleasant phone call to receive at three in the morning.
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 19, 2019 20:28:19 GMT -8
It was early, or very late depending on how you looked at it, but either way Dorian was not expecting to be summoned to the Egyptian MLE office at three o’clock in the morning. Expected or not, he rushed to get dressed and headed out as swiftly as he could, expecting to be met with a dossier containing Ramses latest whereabouts or perhaps they had apprehended one of his men and needed help getting him to talk. Aside from the lines under his eyes which could be attributed either to a lack of sleep or the stress he’d been under since his first night in Egypt had been foiled in the nightclub, Dorian looked as put together as ever as he walked into the MLE office and spoke with the secretary. She wasn’t sure what he was asking about – they hadn’t brought in anyone associated with Ramses’ gang – but she would bring over someone who could better help him.
Times like these, Dorian wished he was more fluent in Arabic. He knew enough to get by and to understand what people were saying to him, but he couldn’t shake the confusion that had passed him off between three different people before someone finally was able to explain why he’d been called in. It wasn’t Ramses. It was the dancer from the nightclub, though Dorian didn’t put it together until Agent Fakhoury brought him to the cells and he saw the woman sitting there in front of him. “Fath alkhaliyat, min fadalik. 'Awad altahaduth maeaha.” Fakhoury nodded in understanding and opened the cell, allowing Dorian to step inside with the prisoner. “Well then,” he said to the witch, his hands sliding into his trouser pockets casually as he stood in front of her. “You’ve had a quite a night, I hear.” There was no amusement in his voice but he was not angry. Perplexed was the more appropriate term.
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
S
he heard him before she saw him. The sound of his voice was so distinct it caused a ripple of nerves to unfurl and her chest to tighten in anticipation or possibly fear.
As he approached and entered the cell she almost hugged him. Almost. Shock prevented her from moving at first, and by the time it had passed the situation sobered her relief. She could examine her chaotic emotions later, as well as why his presence gave her such a deep feeling of comfort, but now wasn't the time.
Hearing the unspoken confusion in his statement sobered her as well and a sense of shame washed over her. She wasn't sure why she cared what the beautiful auror thought of her, but some place deep inside felt rotten for being so damned careless and frankly stupid.
She took a deep breath, "I am so sorry agent Humbert...I didn't know they'd call you. They weren't letting me call anyone. But I swear I didn't break into the house - the door was open when I got there. I called out, knocked even, but no one answered. I thought I heard something so I barely touched the door and it swung in. It was turned out when I got there. I didn't steal anything for heaven's sake. I was trying to get my property back!"
Her words fell over themselves as she tried to explain in one breath why she had been arrested for breaking and entering.
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 20, 2019 8:20:11 GMT -8
She rambled her apologies at him, and a list of excuses why the charges against her were invalid. None of it explained the real question at hand. "What were you even doing there in the first place, Miss Mikaelson?"
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine licked her suddenly dry lips. Dorian's presence had a strange effect on her, he was handsome sure, but there was something else that compelled Christine to be honest with him. She trusted him, though she hardly knew him, it didn't make sense. Though she appeared unsettled, it was nothing close to the war raging inside her.
She sighed and took a seat again, "I haven't been entirely honest with you." she confessed with a rueful look.
Looking at him while she was confessing her dishonesty made her feel uncomfortable so she averted her gaze before continuing.
"I was following Jabare Seddik…if that's his real name I don't know, but…I'm pretty sure he's the man who sold me." she flinched knowing that while she hadn't lied to Dorian during her brief interview earlier that day, she hadn't been entirely forthcoming either. She didn't know anything about Ramses, so she couldn't answer any questions about him, but she didn't mention Jabare at all or how she had come to dance for the establishment in the first place. Belatedly she realized how selfish her actions had been. She should have told Dorian earlier - it was a lead he could have explored, but she had been too concerned about herself and keeping her true identity a secret. She still wasn't ready to tell him everything, but she wanted to be honest with him about anything that could help his investigation.
"I came to Egypt to explore the Ain Ghazal, you know they had that new discovery last year when they were expanding the road to connect Amman and Zarqa, but usually excavation can take years to cut through government oversight and-" she glanced upward peeking at him from beneath her lashes. If she had to guess, he had no desire to hear about the jurisdiction issues related to archeological digs. Her lips pressed together, she was rambling.
Giving him a tight lipped smile she tried again.
"I came to explore. I didn't go through the normal channels or getting papers in order, I…I knew the site was restricted. " she grimaced confessing further about her intent to go around the law.
"I put out a few feelers in the less than reputable Egyptian community about my interest and …a few days later someone contacted me. Said he had access to the site and could get me on location for a price." clenching her jaw she admitted with bitterness, "I believed him."
She shook her head, the rest was easy to admit, "We were to meet at a mosque a few miles away, and …he must have cursed me when I got there. One minute I was admiring the architecture and the next I was waking up at the club." "Stupid rookie tourist mistake if I ever made one…" she grumbled under her breath, she seemed more perturbed that she was stupid enough to be taken advantage of than she was by the actual betrayal and subsequent slavery. But the fact that this happened to other young women was all too sobering. Christine made an idiot mistake, but she survived relatively unscathed. To her it was an adventure gone awry, but to another girl it was life and death.
"After Agent Gamal took me to the hotel, I fell asleep - I'm not sure really for how long, but when I woke up I was starving. I went down stairs to order something and there he was. Jabare was in the Lobby…I think it was him." her brow furrowed with frustration as she couldn't be sure. " I called out, and he seemed just as surprised to see me but then he took off…I know it was stupid…and I don't really know what I was thinking but I just ran after him."
She explained chasing Jabare through the streets for a bit before he touched a portkey and disappeared. Caught up in the moment, she reached for the same portkey and was transported to an apartment building. During the transportation process she lost track of Jabare and with the adrenaline pumping through her veins didn't think about the late hour or the noise she had been making calling out for him. She wandered for a bit before coming across a slightly open door. She knocked and the door opened further, but no one answered. She would have left but a stash on a countertop that was visible from the doorway made her pause. She recognized the pile or some of the contents, and a rather distinct coat, as her belongings and entered the room fully. She had just gotten her hands on her things when the MLE arrived.
She grimaced again, defeat evident on her shoulders "Saying all of this out loud sounds...incredibly foolish." she shook her head again and clarified, "I…am incredibly foolish…"
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 24, 2019 14:30:18 GMT -8
A good interrogator was one who could make the perpetrator feel at ease, get them to open up in a way that they feel they have control of the room despite the officer being very much in charge. If you did well at your job, you would likely manage to get the perp talking, almost monologuing, completely spilling their story all the while thinking it was their idea. Christine needed no such strategy put upon her. At least not this time around. At their first encounter, Dorian had assumed she was hiding something unrelated to the man he was after. It appeared he’d been correct and what was more, the tale of how Christine came to be a dancer at the night club was just as Dorian had feared. Among other things, Ramses dealt in sex trafficking and Dorian had a hunch Christine was not dancing of her own volition, but without her making a report and without Dorian having witnessed anything substantial, there was little he could do at the time. Now, on the other hand, he had a complaint reported and a name to boot.
“Incredibly foolish,” he said rather flatly, his eyes looking nowhere but her own. He turned and gestured for the officer to open the cell door for him. “Make yourself comfortable, Miss Mikaelson. It might be a while.” Dorian left the room to speak with the local officials about Christine and tale she had told him.
It was nearly five in the morning when he returned, Christine’s belongings from the apartment tucked into a bag held in his left hand. Agent Fakhoury again unlocked the door to Christine’s cell but this time Dorian did not step inside. “Alright, Miss Mikaelson. Come with me.” He would be escorting her to her hotel directly, giving clear instructions for her to stay put, and then setting himself up in the lobby of her hotel so as to keep an eye out for anymore of Ramses colleagues who might come looking for her.
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine was far from feeling at ease around Dorian, but he didn't have to work to get her to open up either. It was instinctual for her to tell him the truth, or as much of it as she could without revealing who she was, and clearly Christine didn't fight her instincts otherwise she wouldn't be in her current situation.
His affirmation of her foolishness sent a chill down her spine and his subsequent departure made her feel like even more of an idiot.
She had plenty of time to contemplate her foolishness, both in her actions and spilling the truth so easily, but was genuinely surprised when he appeared again. She was half asleep leaning against the wall with her knees tucked beneath her. Telling her wild tale and Dorian's flat answer had sapped the energy from her. One minute she was making arrangements to return to her Uncle's ship, the next she was ready to follow the handsome auror anywhere he went.
Wiping the slight bit of drool from her mouth as she got to her feet and tried to be presentable she shook from her surprise, "Where are we going?" she asked before she could stop herself. She seemed to realize that it didn't matter, anywhere with Dorian was better than being alone in the cell.
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 24, 2019 15:13:03 GMT -8
Curled into a sort of ball, asleep in the cell all alone, Christine looked fragile for the first time. Granted, Dorian hardly knew the woman and had only spoken with her twice, but on their first meeting she seemed so full of adrenaline and self-assuredness that she was anything but fragile. When they'd spoken a few hours ago she seemed more hurried but still quite certain of herself, even if she was sitting in a jail cell in a country that was not her home, in the middle of the night. "You tell me," he replied, passing over her bag of belongings. "Where are you staying?"
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine didn't meet his eyes, but took the bag from him and examined it's contents. She looked at him then, honestly surprised and very pleased to have her things back, "Where I'm um..." she repeated not sure she was hearing correctly, "You mean that's it? I'm just free to go?"
A bullet dodged, all thanks to the man whose investigation she had unintentionally bungled and intentionally delayed. Well her intent hadn't been to delay his investigation, but her selfishness had cost him time and a lead. If it had been her uncles they would have made sure she stayed a few nights in jail - which would have only been the beginning of her incarceration once her father got his hands on her.
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 24, 2019 19:43:29 GMT -8
'Free to go' was an overstatement but essentially that was what he was telling her. "More or less," he began. "The Egyptian Ministry isn't generally in the habit of letting trespassers walk free but as you've supplied us with useful information... Consider it a plea bargain." He had tried to work with the officers involved on her breaking and entering case but eventually he had to go above their heads to the head of the department. He had, in fact, offered the information on Ramses' associate as part of an immunity plea for Christine. He had no need to stick his professional neck out for a woman he'd just met, but her story was so common, if he could help even one witch out of this nightmare, he'd be glad for it.
He asked again where she was staying and escorted her back to her hotel room.
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine was quick, but the combination of Dorian's strange effect on her and the fact that he had somehow pulled the strings for her release put her in a slight stupor.
"I…I don't know what to - Oh! My hotel. Yes. I'm um…at the Malachite…Sorry I just…" she bit her lip to prevent more words tumbling haphazardly out of her mouth.
Seeming to pull herself together she straightened and gave him a curt nod of sincerity, "Thank you..." she cleared her throat, choking down the emotion and fatigue flooding through her now that she could relax, "…for helping me."
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 24, 2019 21:18:11 GMT -8
The Malachite was a rather posh hotel, not the sort of place he would have expected of a woman in Christine's predicament, but then trafficking victims came from all backgrounds. Clearly her impulsivity made her more of a target, despite the funds she may have had access to. Perhaps ransom was a part of the plot that hadn't yet had the chance to come to fruition. Whatever the case, Dorian had a location and orders to keep an eye out for anything suspicious he could link back to Ramses.
When they reached the atrium, Dorian stopped and turned toward Christine. "Do you mind?" he asked, ensuring she was comfortable with his touching her so that they could use side-along apparation. He didn't distrust her ability to apparate on her own, however if she was to be released from jail without facing any charges for her crimes, it would be foolish of anyone to allow her to travel on her word alone. She'd already proven that she couldn't be trusted to stay in her hotel for the night.
Placing his hand squarely on her back, low enough to avoid any undergarments she might be wearing but high enough that there was no mistake about his respectfulness, the pair apparated just outside the luxury hotel. They walked side by side as to not draw the attention of the few people awake at this early hour, though Dorian allowed her to take the lead as he didn't know her room number of which floor she was on. When they reached her room, he waited for her to unlock the door before he spoke. "I'll be in the lobby should you need anything, but you have my card as well." He gave her a stern look. "Use it should you see anything or anyone you wish to traipse after. I cannot guarantee you the same leniency a second time around."
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
T
here were still some signs of confidence and certainty in Christine's movements, but her fatigue shattered the illusion. She was exhausted.
"No, that's fine." she said shaking her head. She didn't mind side-along apparation, except for the faintest increase in her heart rate as his hand settled on her back.
It wasn't the first time she had ever apparated, but with Dorian's touch she had forgot to prepare her body for the sensations of apparation and became slightly ill. After a few deep breaths the sensation passed and she was able to lead him, though she was mostly silent and pliant to his will.
His voice shook her out of her thoughts and his words caught up with her, "You're staying here?" she asked confused. She nodded a moment afterward as understanding dawned. "Of course you're staying here." she shook her head slightly, but there was no bitterness in her tone.
She opened the door to her room and stepped inside then turned to face him, "Thank you again."
She had so much to be grateful for and against all odds Dorian had been her savior twice. Thank you wasn't sufficient, but she didn't have the words. She turned to go inside and sort through her thoughts when the words came and she turned back.
"I...I'm sorry Agent Humbert." she waited for his attention before continuing, "I was more than foolish." she confessed.
"I was selfish. I put myself, my pride, and my privacy ahead of your case. That won't happen again." If she had been honest about Jabare from the beginning Dorian may have had a lead. He may have been able to get information from Jabare that would have led to Ramses. There was more at stake than Christine's punishment for this latest fiasco, there were lives on the line. She was ashamed of her actions, but strong in her conviction to aid the investigation however she could - though mostly she was concerned with not hindering the investigation further.
Post by Dorian Michael Humbert on Jul 24, 2019 22:58:36 GMT -8
Dorian didn't like the implication that she was somehow responsible for cock up at the club the night previous. She was a victim in all of this, and while this morning's adventure was a tad more her responsibility, she was still a victim in that event as well. Dorian pursed his lips, his jaw tightening as he considered her words. "Good night, Miss Mikaelson." He should have comforted her, corrected her, said something other than what he had, but it was done and he was walking away, back to the lifts to find a place in the lobby to hunker down for the rest of the morning. He was completely knackered but there was no rest in sight.