Aionios

Chapter 1

1993
The Ministry of Magic
Great Britain

The Ministry was bustling with witches and wizards, all frantically running about the place. A group of Aurors were hastily walking towards the Floo Networks while a woman sporting a red cloak was running with mountains of files balanced on her hand. Two men in black cloaks ran soaking wet towards the bathroom.

In the middle of all that chaos, a dark man wearing an interestingly-designed cloak walks obediently and calmly beside the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. And the man was no other than the great Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

The Minister, unlike Kingsley, was walking in such a bothered manner. Once they reached his office, Cornelius Fudge took no time to slump on the chair behind his desk stacked with mountains of paperwork. The exhaustion and aggravation was evident on the Minister's face and tensed muscles. Truly, Fudge was a pitiful sight.

Kingsley watches as Fudge exasperatedly buries his face in the palm of his hands.

"It's been months! Months, Kingsley, and even the best Aurors haven't found a single trace of him!", Fudge says, almost inaudible as his voice got slightly muffled by his hand.

Kingsley sighs. Yes, it has been months since Sirius Black escaped Azkaban and not even the most brilliant Aurors have a single clue where he might be. Kingsley could tell that this was causing such distress to the Minister, and he knew he had to make a suggestion to at least ease Fudge's extreme aggravation.

"Minister?", Kingsley calls, making Fudge snap his head up to look at his most-trusted Auror.

"Yes? Have you thought of something, Kingsley?", Fudge asks hopefully, eyes widening with expectation.

Kingsley nods and steps a little closer until he was directly in front of the Minister with only the desk separating them.

"One of the Elite Eight has seen Sirius Black", Kingsley says calmly, not at all bothered by the information which seemed like an extremely big deal for Cornelius, who abruptly stands from his seat with his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"B-but... How?... I mean... When exactly did this happen? Tell me everything, Kingsley! All the details now, don't be shy!", Fudge urges, sitting back down a little straighter on his seat as he awaits more information.

Kingsley clears his throat in preparation for the explanation he was about to give. At least he had managed to calm the Minister's nerves somehow.

"Elite Number One said that she saw Sirius Black near Whiltown while she was surveying the area. However, she didn't engage the target since the case of Sirius Black wasn't assigned to the Elite Eight, and she didn't want to cause any dispute with the other Aurors. But she informed me immediately of her sighting and she estimates that Black is still in Whiltown, taking sanctuary", Kingsley says, trying his best not to sound smug since it was his student that caught sight of Sirius Black before anyone else.

Fudge could do nothing but gape once more at Kingsley. Months and months of searching and his best Aurors were once again easily defeated by one of the Elite Eight. And by none other than Elite Number One, again!

"Elite Number One... That's... That's her, right?", Fudge asks, knowing that Kingsley knew what he meant with his question.