Order of the Hidden Dragon

Harry had no problem with them taking Sophia with them. He also made Hermione send out a warning to every Magical Authority in Europe, warning that they were on the hunt for a dangerous criminal and that it was possible that a group of British Aurors might pop up in their jurisdiction without warning. Mentioning that the criminal had a captive Auror opened most doors. No one liked it when one of their own got hurt.

When Albus went to the Base to find Sophia, he found her almost ready to go.

"I expected that you would ask that next," she said. "It's easier this way, I don't have to find a clever way to tell you where he's gone next. Do you have any idea how he knows you're there?"

"No." Albus replied. "That is one thing we need to find out."

"Maybe he knows a spell that notifies him if anyone magical is nearby?"

"Or he has a foe-glass. Or a Sneakoscope. It's not really important, we need to be quick enough that he won't have time to run. Or at least, not have time to take Yang with him."

"Would you stop searching for him, if he left Yang behind?"

"Not completely. But we would stop searching as frantically as we do now." Albus quickly relayed what they had found at the other locations the day before.

"He left behind all the other beasts, that he might get money for and took only Yang?"

"We don't know if he left everything," Albus said. "But most of them, yes."

"Did they all have the same type of chain?"

"Yes. Rose has been working on how to remove them all night."

"Is she not coming with us then?"

"She is."

Sophia stopped asking questions then, as they met up with the rest of the group. Most of the others eyed Sophia with curiosity but no one wasted time asking why she was there.

***

Their hunt led them all over Europe. Sometimes they saw little hints he left behind. Other times it was just empty. Sophia had never Apparated so many times in a row, it was exhausting. But she didn't want to complain. After the tenth location that yielded nothing, in the Italian Alps, Rose called a halt.

"We can't go on without a break. Let's go to that restaurant for lunch." Sophia was glad she hadn't been the one to ask for a break, but she saw that none of the others looked as exhausted as she felt.

Scorpius ate quickly, then left to go check out the area. Even though they knew the Knocker wasn't here anymore, it would be good to know if he had picked this place for a reason. None of the others said anything, so Sophia assumed it was a normal thing.

The food was delicious, but Sophia barely tasted it. She was too worried about what they could do next. And how they would be able to find the Knocker without him knowing they were coming. Did he know they were tracing his computer? If so, why did he keep bringing it with him? Did he just want to play with them, as Scorpius had suggested?

"Maybe it is better if we let him think he's lost us at last," Albus said reluctantly as they gathered to decide what to do next. "Whatever method he uses to see us coming, he's probably checking it constantly now. There's no use chasing after him like this."

"I agree, though I hate that we have to leave Yang with him even longer," Rose sighed. "We need a new way to approach this. Maybe he will let down his guard again if we let him be. Sophia, where is he now?"

Sophia started the search again, and the result was unexpected.

"He's back in Marquise," she said. "Almost exactly the same place you found him. Or at least the computer is."

"I suspect he has laid a trap there waiting for us to find him again," Albus said. "We need to regroup."

"Let's go back to England then," one of the other Aurors said. "I suspect Potter's waiting for a report."

Albus sighed but agreed. Sophia hadn't thought about what she would do when it was time to return. But before she had time to suggest that she could get back on her own, Rose had taken her arm, as she had every time they had Apparated that day, and they were back at the Ministry. Where Harry Potter ran towards them the moment they appeared.

"Did you get him?"

"No," Albus said with gritted teeth. "We chased him all over Europe, but it's pointless. He seems to know we are there the moment we arrive and move on as soon as we get there. We need a new tactic."

"Where is he now?"

"Almost back where we started. In a warehouse area in Marquise, France. We didn't go there."

Harry nodded. "Let him think he's lost us. Do you think he knows how we track him?"

"I have no idea. Why wouldn't he just leave the computer behind then, and lose us for real?"

Harry sighed. "Why not just leave Yang behind, and hope we would stop looking? I have given up trying to understand the man's motivations and how his mind works."

He then looked over at Sophia. She had tried to slowly inch her way out of sight but stopped dead the moment he looked at her. He didn't seem angry, this time.

"Thank you," he said to her astonishment. "I know you didn't have to help us, and we certainly have given you ample reason to refuse, but I am grateful for your help. I have made sure that your efforts have been recorded, and you will receive payment for the day's work. It is thanks to you that we even have the faintest idea of where to start looking."

Sophia didn't know what to say to that. She hadn't expected to be paid, but it was nice to hear that she would be.

"Th-thank you. I wanted to help because it is the right thing to do. I don't want a man like that to get away either." She didn't want to say that they should contact her again if they needed more help, but she didn't know what else to say either. Luckily, Rose stepped in.

"Here, let me get started on the expense report with you," she said and walked them out of the corridor. Sophia breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed.

"Thank you," she said. Rose smiled.

"I think that's our line. Don't worry, he won't take it personally. He is unfortunately used to people getting speechless in front of him, though I imagine your reaction was from more than awe."

Sophia just shook her head. The awe of meeting the most famous person in the Wizarding World hadn't even registered.

"Anyway, just sign here and then you can leave if you want. Or you can wait here until Albus comes back, though that can take a while."

Sophia saw the piece of parchment Rose had handed her and was amazed at the total sum of Galleons she had noted. She hadn't even thought about how much her services would cost.

"Are you sure that's the right amount?" she asked, unsure how to phrase it.

"What, is it too little? That is what we usually give independent contractors that we hire for potentially dangerous jobs. The fact that nothing dangerous ended up happening doesn't mean you aren't entitled to hazard pay." Rose smiled at her, probably knowing that that wasn't what Sophia worried about. She didn't see the point of arguing, so she signed the paper and gave it back. As tempting as it was waiting for Albus to come back, that risked meeting Harry Potter again as well. She should probably get out of here while she had the chance.

A quick look out of the door said the coast was clear. Albus and the other Aurors were still giving Harry a verbal summary of the day's events. She was able to get out of the Auror department without being spotted. As she came out of the elevator into the Atrium though, she almost collided with the other person that she had feared to meet. The Minister for Magic.

"Sophia Buller," Hermione said, with an unreadable expression on her face. "I was hoping to catch you before you left. Do you have time for a chat?"

Sophia didn't have a good excuse to say no, though she wanted to say it anyway. What did the Minister for Magic want with her?