Gideon Drake and the Fire Within (Harry Potter Sequel/Spinoff)

Chapter Two: The Weaving

The rest of Jonathan Grimsby's weekend was spent alternating between playing with his son and going over his case files. He had done a lot of research since the incident but now that there had been a judgment, he thought it best to go over the information pertinent to the next steps.

If Grimsby had to oversee the sentencing, he would memorise the procedure and ensure it was carried out above board. After all, it hadn't been used in over a century, so no living witch or wizard had performed it. Grimsby made a mental note that if this became a problem, there might be grounds for an appeal.

When Monday arrived, Grimsby reluctantly got ready for work and bade his wife and son goodbye. He left via the front door in lieu of the fireplace. Inside the front porch, still safe from prying eyes but outside of the house's security spell, he turned on the spot and Apparated to one of the many designated safe zones in London. This one was an alleyway unnoticed by Muggles, adorned with rather smelly rubbish bins.

He crossed the road at the end of the alley and stopped at a nearby newsstand to review the Muggle newspaper headlines. They too had revealed the list of victims but had reported the cause of the incident as a gas explosion, as Grimsby had predicted. In addition, the Muggles would be holding a vigil for the victims that evening. He made a mental note to attend, feeling that he owed Ms Drake that much.

Britain's largest wizarding hospital was disguised as a condemned, red-bricked department store called Purge & Dowse Ltd. Grimsby arrived and quietly gave his name to the worst-dressed mannequin behind the dirty display window. Then, when it waved a finger, he walked straight through the glass to find himself in St Mungo's busy reception.

The bored-looking Welcome Witch surveyed him from a desk beyond the seated waiting area and seemed to perk up. Grimsby made his way towards her, careful to avoid staring at some of the stranger afflictions that had befallen the occupants of the seats, and careful to avoid a large purple puddle, the origins of which he did not care to learn.

'Can I be of assistance?' the witch asked in a come-hither voice.

'I hope so,' he replied. He used his wand to project his magical ID, a glowing Ministry of Magic logo with an image of his face and name, and announced himself, 'I'm here on official Ministry business, Jonathan Grimsby, Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I believe you're expecting me?'

'Mr Grimsby?' called a voice from behind him. A short but stern-looking woman with cropped, grey hair quickly approached the reception desk. Her lime-green Healer's robes flowed behind her while a pair of gold-rimmed glasses swung rapidly from her neck on a matching chain.

The Welcome Witch returned to her seat looking quite perturbed. The Healer offered Grimsby a handshake and greeting, 'Welcome, I'm Senior Healer Dandridge. If you would follow me, please.'

He strode after the Healer, into the lift across the hall. Grimsby had vaguely wondered what floor they would be heading to. He was surprised when the Healer pointed her wand, rather than a finger, to the control panel, and a hidden button marked "B" appeared, which she then pushed. "B" apparently stood for "Basement", as the lift started moving downward.

The Healer noticed his mild surprise and informed him, 'The restricted floor. It's a secure area for managing and treating difficult or dangerous cases such as untamed magical creatures, and criminals. It also houses the Ritual Spell Theatre.'

Her explanation made some sense, but it also irked Grimsby. A baby, in the basement, with the criminals, he thought to himself in disbelief before remembering why that was.

As they exited the lift, he noticed that the basement looked just like what he remembered of the other floors of the hospital, except it was devoid of people and the walls were clear of any notices or posters. There was also an ominous-looking corridor to the left with a heavy set of double doors and a guard.