Teresa Marjory Spinks (feelup) wrote in cuaditchic, @ 2020-08-28 22:03:00 |
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“Nervous?” Uncle Lawrence asked as they sat in their muggle lookout vehicle. To be entirely honest eighteen-year-old Teresa Spinks had never felt her heart pound as hard as it was in that moment. They were sitting outside of Roland Zabini’s home in Italy. A man known for his connections with questionable clientele and a large collection of highly desired magical artifacts. They’d been hired to recollect a family heirloom for an unnamed client who claimed Zabini had stolen it during a gala event in Paris For Teresa the backstory was all very elaborate and more information than she needed. It was her third job with the family. The previous two had been simple pick-pockets while at The Hotel lobby. This… this was more involved than anything she thought she’d allow herself to get into. She’d always told herself she wasn’t going to follow in the family business. But… if she wanted to continue to lie in London she was going to need supplemental income. Barbacking and being a hostess wasn’t exactly lucrative. “I’m… alright,” Teresa nodded. “Not what I asked,” Lawrence Spinks smirked at her. “Are you nervous?” Teresa swallowed and finally looked at her uncle to nod. He nodded back and reached into his pocket for a piece of gum. “Chew on that,” he informed handing her the packet. “What is it?” “Courage,” Lawrence grinned as he folded a piece into his mouth and chewed. Teresa didn’t hesitate to do as he suggested. In normal circumstances, she would have been suspicion that the gum was laced with some sort of potion. Today it didn't matter. If she was going to pick the enchanted lock they suspected was inside that house... she needed all the courage she could get. “You want me to kill him?” Uncle Lawrence asked as he leaned into the doorway of her kitchen. “No,” Teresa snickered as she handed him his requested glass of scotch. “Thank you though - for being willing.” “I could at least rough him up a bit?” Lawrence offered with a shrug pausing to sip his drink. “I mean, Beck, Fred, and I would be more than happy to have a lil’ hunt.” “Don’t,” Teresa’s tone wasn’t as playful as the first time. Having had this conversation with Uncle Becket and Aunt Winifred already. “Cael made his choice and I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing it’s fucked with my head.” “Mmmm…” Uncle Lawrence tilted his head side to side, “ See I was going to offer to beat him for all the shite he put you through before that stupid fucking post-it... but... if you’re not into it--” “I’m not-” Teresa pushed as she shrugged and grabbed the bowl of potatoes to take back out to the dinner table. “And if I find out any of you confronted him I’ll fuck you all up so just… let’s bury it and move on.” “Bury it? Or bury him?” Uncle Lawrence offered with a teasing chuckle. “Stop it,” Teresa nervously chuckled as they rejoined the family who was loudly arguing about who was going to win the quidditch league that season. “I need your help,” Teresa lowered her voice despite the fact that she had cast a silencing charm throughout her flat and they were in fact alone. “Anything,” Lawrence Spinks leaned forward in his spot on the couch. His glass of scotch in hand ‘I need to get access to some muggle property that can be erased off the map,” Teresa explained. “Why” Lawrence looked suspicious. “I’m helping someone,” Teresa swallowed nervously. “Do I know this someone?” he asked. Teresa shook her head. Lawrence watched her for a long beat, but the two held eye contact as if exchanging words in silence. “How off the map?” “Untraceable by anyone,” Teresa answered. “I need safe houses to help get people out of the country who are being--” Lawrence held up his hand and shook his head. “I don’t need to know what they did or why you’re helping them. Just… how many houses and how soon?” “Four for now,” Teresa said. “Maybe more later. But with four we can move people across country safely.” Lawrence nodded. “I’ll need a week to get two.” “Don’t kill anyone for them,” Teresa clarified. “A house in an empty field or in a national park. They have to be temporary.” “I know” Lawrence smirked as he leaned back into the couch. “Not my first smuggling gig, luv.” Teresa chuckled in relief as she sipped her wine, "Thank you." "Of course." “This is for you,” Teresa handed her uncle a fat white muggle style envelope. Lawrence’s brow pinched and he wasn’t certain what to expect. Teresa, however, was fighting back a grin as she watched him open it. The long stare at the large collection of £100 notes was telling and she was certain his brain stopped working for a moment. “What’s this for?” he asked finally looking up at her. “Your help… last year,” Teresa explained. “Some of the muggleborns we assisted weren’t exactly poor and came back with thank you’s. This one is from someone who stayed in one of the safehouses for awhile. Who saw a lot of the operation.” “There’s at least five-thousand-pounds in here,” he glanced up. “More like ten,” Teresa smirked. Lawrence chuckled and looked back down at the cash. “You alright?” Teresa asked as she sat down with lawyer Ellis Clearwater across from her Uncle Lawrence. He was still dressed in his civilian clothing of leather jacket and blue jeans. This observation told her that he had been held in a holding cell for the last few days. That likely meant they had nothing on him. “Ready to go home,” Lawrence answered looking to the lawyer to start the speel. “What are they trying to charge me with anyway?” “According to the report when you were arrested by muggle police for shooting off fireworks in a park,” the lawyer read from the report. “Yeah,” Lawrence nodded. “At the same time, there was a magical reading in the muggle park so they are attempting to charge you with using magic in front of muggles and breaching various secrecy laws.” Lawrence rolled his eyes. ‘I used my wand to light the fireworks” “That’s all,” Teresa asked with a raised brow. Lawrence tilted his head side to side, “I might have also jinxed one of the muggle officers.” “Uncle Lawrence,” Teresa sighed. “It’s alright, he likely thought his fat ass tripped,” the man shrugged. “It wasn’t anything dastardly that would leave a mark.” “Well, what now?” Teresa looked to the lawyer. Ellis Clearwater took in a breath and went onto explain, “I don’t think this report is really why you’re here or why they’ve been holding you.” “What do you mean?” Lawrence asked. “I have a connection in the DMLE who says they’re looking to place you at the scene of a robbery in Bejing last month,” the lawyer explained. “Is there anything I should know?” “Yeah,” Lawrence nodded. “It’s fucking bullshit, I was in California last month. Haven’t been in Bejing in .. two years.” “Are you sure?” the older man asked. “Are you fucking serious?” Teresa and Lawrence both asked simultaneously. “Even if I was lying to you,” Lawrence leaned into the table. “Do you really think I’d tell you what was going on in a holding cell at the Ministry? They’re probably listening to us right now. Not that I have anything to hide - I wasn’t in Beijing last month!!” “Thanks for picking me up,” Lawrence mumbled as they rose up to the surface of the Ministry offices in the lift. “Of course,” Teresa offered. “I’ll come to get you anytime you need, you know that. Sorry, the lawyer couldn't get you out sooner. They're playing dirty this go.” “I’ll pay you back," he offered. “Not necessary” the young woman waved her hand as the lift rose into the phonebooth on the corner. As she stepped out and he followed she asked. “Were you really in California?” Lawrence chuckled, “Let's just say I wasn't in a watered-down China town.” Teresa smirked and rolled her eyes. “You need to be more careful for a while. The trial next month is definitely aiming to get you on that stupid breach of international secrecy law for that fireworks stunt but they’re obviously sniffing around.” “I know,” Lawrence sighed. “Good thing those fireworks got rid of the evidence, huh?” “I don’t even want to know,” Teresa chuckled. “Just… take some legit jobs for a while, yeah? Or a stay-cation while you’re out on bail?” “I could do with a break,” Uncle Lawrence thought allowed as they made their way to an alleyway to apparate to Teresa’s parent’s house where Lawrence would be staying for a while. |