Donia's warehouse

The woman had inherited a small estate near the London borough of Ealing. Hidden in plain sight, the warehouse had a sign for a now liquefied muggle company, appearing in use by the muggles and wizards alike with the many frequenters of the back rooms.

Refurbished rooms offered people escaping the law a brief respite from the wizarding world, which had been part of the requirements of Donia's contract to Lukas. Amaya was currently the most common visitor, although her presence could not be linked to Donia since the girl was so flighty. However, Donia's quarters were near the entrance and carefully loaded with detection and notice-me-not charms. Should an unwanted visitor show, she could use these spells to detect a disturbance and apparate before she was found. Little of her possessions could be linked to her, with only the most basic and minimal of furniture and tools on display.

She had brought Topher directly to her section of the warehouse, deciding not to tell him exactly where they were. Now hissing in pain, she attempted to lift her wand to her wound, feebly casting a healing charm but struggling.

"If you ever need to leave, i'll send a patronus to guide you back. It's the safest way. But that's not important right now, I'd love your help with healing my wound." Donia knew it wasn't immediate, but healing it now would spare her any complications should they inevitably run into more trouble.

After getting his bearings he turned to Donia, "Alright let's take a look here..." He started to use a simple healing spell, nothing that would earn him a job in Mungos but serviceable for most injuries. He combined the spell with adding good luck to the wound in the hopes of making it heal more effectively.

"Guessing those guys weren't fans of yours?" He mused, trying to lighten the mood.

"thank you." She offered him a sincere smile as she let her guard down for a precious few minutes. Being here meant she felt almost entirely safe, even if she just had been victim to a rogue attack from her allies.

unless they really do know I've converted. No, impossible...




"I'm guessing they know about my defection from the Death Eaters already. They're such a small group now that nothing goes unnoticed. It also means I don't have any friends now, except for you and May." It was a truth that was almost hard to handle for her, since she would never count Lukas as a friend in any aspect, even if he did help her.

"But I'm sure things will work out. I really don't want to go down their road again." Guilt crossed her expression, watching her wound heal with an abnormal speed. "Not ever."

"Yeah I don't know much about them, except they're a serious pain in the ass." Topher bluntly exclaimed. 

"When Joachim and I used to commit crimes together, it was only burglary or pickpocketing, nothing that would seriously hurt anyone else."

He shook his head as though the mere thought of them would draw them closer like a creature from the darkest abyss, "Them though, they're monsters in every sense of the word..."

"I can't disagree with you on that one." Her wound was far less painful, and she cast a quick cleansing charm on her bloodied hands. 

"I was never really like the other Death Eaters, i was far too quiet and reserved. I never liked the thought of seriously hurting people." Donia spoke from her heart, considering she had always been an anomalie in the movement that had been tolerated for her intelligence and getting the results regardless of her method.

"But it's a horrible cycle, as you might know. Once you get pulled in it's hard to escape. Hell, you've just seen it." She exhaled as she considered her situation. She had always known she was trapped, but she had accepted it and decorated her prison rather than rotting in it. 

"They shouldn't find us here though, at least not for know. The people who wander around the back are loyal to me and the shelter i offer, as long as you don't ask them questions." She said in warning.

Topher couldn't help but chuckle briefly and softly in amusement. There was a certain irony to be appreciated in this moment.

"Throwing back in with people who don't want to be found. Life's got a weird way of coming back around doesn't it?" The nostalgia laced itself in his words. 

"So how did they rope you in? Don't answer if you don't want to..."

She chuckled, trying to disguise her grimace under hollow laughter. "Born into it. My father was a Death Eater, and he was all I knew. When he took off I just took the reigns; I didn't know what else to do." Donia was aware that her situation had been forced, but she tried not to show her displeasure at that fact.

"The Death Eaters couldn't let me leave because I was too close to my father. I could spill all their secrets - like I plan to do now, if I can safely get to the Ministry or one of your friends without having the shit beaten into me."

She believed a pre-emptive strike would benefit her more than being caught; it would level the playing field.

"How 'bout you? If you've got money it seems odd you would be drawn into crime."

"Well, you may have been born into your role, but I was forced into mine..." He admitted with a hint of sorrow.

"Probably can't tell now, but I used to not have any grasp over my abilities. And..." He gave a very sad smile, "and it was hurting my family..." Dad namely...

"Wasn't a gradual thing either. One day I'm some normal rich kid, next BAM!" He clapped his hands with a lament filled expression, "suddenly I make everything  go wrong at whatever I looked at! Kind of a jarring transition, you know?"

"So to keep from causing too much damage I kept moving, never planted roots or the like. Tried not to make friends, but that one really didn't pan out.." He mused to lighten the mode, "too damn friendly I guess..."

"I think people can be friends even if they come from the direst and dangerous of circumstances." She offered with a light smile. "Running away from your problems wasn't going to fix them, so it's probably a good thing you picked up some friends along the way."

Donia found it deeply ironic that she also appeared to be running from her problems, but when the time came she would tackle her issues head on, with no remorse or shyness.

"Dwelling on what happened before won't make it change, so looking forward is the best you could've done." she also noted, thinking about her own horror stories. Her smile converted into a frown. "Hell, the things the Death Eaters tried to make me do... I refused, but i could only refuse because of my father's position; he thought i was a failure."

He offered a small chuckle, "If you think running from your problems doesn't fix anything, our present situation would like to have a word with you."

He cleared his throat before thinking aloud, "So that's your plan huh? Rat out all of them to the Minsitry? If so I think I know a real solid person in there. Granted we haven't exactly 'met' 'met'," He told her in air quotes, "But from the view times I saw her in court I'm pretty sure she's a straight arrow."

"Cayden." She offered as an answer, knowing the woman's just and fair intentions. If Donia were to betray her, it could possibly ruin the senior auror's career. She didn't want that, not by a long shot....

"My plan was to secure my own safety somehow, maybe not by ratting out my old allies. Doing so could put me in further danger, for they would know I was the very person who surrendered the information. I can't confess names, or much at all. But I can ensure my loyalty." Donia had a plan, but it was risky. She was certain she could control the situation, however.

"I don't want to be an enemy to both sides, i need all the help I can get." She admitted. 

"Do you know much about Cayden?"

"Well, very firm, kinda a momma hen type. But overall, honest.." Topher shrugged. TO date he didn't think he had any true conversations with the auror but his impressions of people weren't usually wrong.

Donia nodded; the woman seemed perfect to approach. If she was likely to stick to the rules, then Donia would have no trouble getting on her good side. After all, as long as she wasn't threatened with her life, she could always make something work.

"I am tempted to summon her here. A letter will be intercepted, and me walking into the Ministry when people are clearly after me is a death wish. I don't know what else to do..."

"Well you're safe here right? I could always go.." Topher offered casually, as though it were as menial a task as getting milk.

Not considering the idea that she could actually rely on others, she nodded, accepting in that instant. "Yes, that would be great. I would guess the Ministry will be on high alert for people like me or who may be working for me though..." Donia wondered what the plan would be.

"Well honestly, I'm pretty sure my help has been so small that I doubt I'm even known in the Ministry."

The battle of Hogwarts was a historic event, one that would be remembered for ages. But it was highly doubtful his contributions of simply showering good luck safely from a distance would even make the footnotes of a history book.

Topher didn't mind though. Maybe it was a held back trait to avoid attention or just pleasure he made sure at least a couple people didn't die, but he was pleased with his role. Let Potter and them take the headlines, that wasn't his style.

"Are you sure you want to come out of anonymity for me then?" Donia was reasonable, and knew better than to try and force someone into doing what she desperately needed. "If it goes wrong, this is all they will know of you. Hell, we might be fugitives before the end of the week. I doubt it, but its possible." She noted, concern in her usually dull tone.

"Not like I haven't been there before." Topher shrugged carelessly, "Besides I got some friends now who can help sort things out even if it did come to that..."

"okay, then i deeply appreciate it." Her smile grew warm, like the sun peeking over the horizon after years of frost and barren ice. Donia was surprised that the boy had offered so much help to her, truly touched somewhere in the murky depths of her heart. It was only a pang, but a pang of gratitude nethertheless.

"Will you come back here when you return?"

"You bet!" He gave her a thumbs up, with a boyish smile that had more often than not lead to the swoons of more than a few women. "Wish me luck... so to speak..." He exited the warehouse and hoped to God he knew what he was doing.

But his typical MO was 'winging it' and he was still alive so... may as well wing it.

When the boy left, a smile graced her features. However it was a brief one, and she went to summon Lukas through one of the criminals in her warehouse. This was the only favour she ever asked of them, and she needed desperately to stay a step ahead of the Desouzas, and the Strayer she knew would be following her.

"Y'know, your blood is really-" He began, running a sharp tongue across his stained lips and pulling them into a grin at her "-It's really weird, for human blood." The girl scoffed, carefully dabbing at her wrist wound as she cleaned it. "It's so sour."

Donia's blue eyes focused on the sated kitsune. "Tell me, does Crouch know about my plans? He's awfully... short sighted. Everyone here is." Her comments were idle, but the demand in her tone insisted an answer from the fox spirit.

"Nope, he doesn't. Although I might go and tell him right now." He murmured, considering it. If he were to inform Crouch, the doubt would eat away at him, but it would also create far more fun for him to relish in.
"He's my ally though, I wouldn't want to piss him off."

"You're not the one pissing him off, I am." She pointed out rather coldly, annoyance thinly veiled in her tone. She depended on Lukas bringing Crouch into the fray; if she were to contact him she would rouse the suspicions of her new friends. 

Lukas murmured in agreement, eyes trailing on the girl's pale skin, considering her. "Alright, but you're playing with fire. Games like this should be left to us kitsunes." 

"I didn't ask for your opinion." Donia spoke flatly, considering her next move. She honestly didn't know how the encounter would turn out, but she could always run if needed, her escape plan already set in advance. 

With the kitsune shrugging at her, he decided to write a letter to Crouch, detailing all the events up until this point. He also noted that as he considered himself a neutral party, Lukas was telling him out of their shared desire to cause chaos, and that he truly believed Donia had defected. To what extent he did not know, however.

"I think I'll hang here for a while. You got a nice atmosphere for me - It's full of paranoia, mistrust and rage. It's a perfect cocktail." He mused, a pleasured look crossing his features.

Donia simply rolled her eyes, practicing some questionable curses as she waited for news.