EXIT

15. SEPIA BLACK

15. SEPIA BLACK

The Isle of Sheppey was an absolute flop — two werewolves and three Snatchers, all so drunk it wasn't even fun crashing their little party. We were back on the road within five minutes.

Now we're standing in front of the unremarkable semi-detached building in Swansea that was my next suggestion, working through a whole series of revelation spells to get an idea of the defensive measures in place.

"They've set up more wards than I expected," I murmur thoughtfully.

"They're prepared," replies the disillusioned Granger at my side. "Which means we might run into some of the more important arseholes here?"

I nod slowly.

In fact, given the circumstances, it's not unlikely that Greyback is here. He is no longer part of the Dark Lord's inner circle and lost his former status within the ranks of the Death Eaters years ago, but he is still a familiar face. He leads the werewolves who fight for the Dark Lord and is relatively successful on the battlefield. So yeah, maybe the increased security means he's here tonight.

"Let's get started then," Granger says firmly.

We systematically work side by side, taking turns at disarming the wards. After about ten minutes we reach the front door and I square my shoulders, bracing myself for the combat at hand.

Granger opens the door with a nonverbal Alohomora and we step into a dark hallway.

This hideout isn't as bare as the warehouse in Sheffield. It's just as dark, but full of nooks and crannies and completely furnished, so I hold out an arm to signal Granger to pause for a second. I mutter a Homenum Revelio that tells us there are currently four people in the house. And once again luck is on our side, because every single one of them is in the room at the end of the very hallway in which we are currently standing.

We tiptoe forward until we hear quiet voices through the dark wood of the room door. And I notice something else: Greyback's wolf stench. Just like in Sheffield, it's very present here and I can't help but hold my breath.

Granger brings her head closer to the door panel, then holds that position tensely for a moment. Thanks to her disillusionment, I can't see the expression spreading across her face, but the waves of discomfort radiating from her body tell me everything I need to know.

Greyback is here.

She taps my forearm whereupon I give a barely audible noise of agreement. Then we burst through the door with a Bombarda and, without much ado, hurl so many curses at the four wizards present that the whole room is thick with crackling magic in a matter of seconds.

Granger almost immediately fires a Killing Curse in the direction of a small, black-haired, hunchbacked Snatcher. When he hits the ground, the light has long since gone out of his eyes. I manage to disarm and stun one of the other men before being hit by a Finite. Now visible again, I quickly duck behind Granger's shield that she just summoned.

We don't benefit from the element of surprise for very long. Greyback and his only remaining partner, a dumb but agile Snatcher whose name I can't remember for the life of me, return fire no less vehemently. Granger is also hit by a Finite, mainly because her shield covers more of my body than her own. I'm just making a mental note to have a serious word with her about this later when Greyback's eyes widen in surprise.

"Well, well!" he roars. "Crucio! To what do we owe the honor? Impedimenta!"

Neither of us answers. Instead, we hurl curse after curse while the opposing spells slam into Granger's shield and the wall behind us.