All Too Familiar a Place Who: Richard Summerby and whoever drops by Where: Richard's Clink St. flat When: early evening What: Musings, visitors Status: PG-13 for possible language, Incomplete
Watching the lights of London come on across the Thames. A half-empty bottle of beer sat on the floor next to him, warm, flat, ignored.
He'd been by what was left of the club, but his talents weren't in Search and Rescue, and the injured were removed from the wreckage by the time he'd been notified and apparated from his office. Then there'd been the trip to the morgue in one of the lowest levels of the Ministry to identify bodies. His father had met him there, the older man quiet and stunned, then they'd both gone to break the news to Richard's mother. Winthrop and Helen had already decided to close down their London house and after the funerals go back to the townhouse in Marseilles as they had during the war. Winthrop had looked at Richard and shook his head, knowing Richard would not be leaving with them.
When his mother had been sedated and put to bed, Richard went up into the attic of his family home and found a certain case he's stored there right after the war. It sat in the corner of his bedroom now, assorted muggle and wizarding weapons spilling out onto the floor along with weapons harnesses, extra wands he'd captured, and a few slightly damaged Death Eater robes and masks he'd picked up when the previous owner had ceased to need them. He'd got a little out of shape the past two years, he made mental notes about a practice schedule and weapons exercises.
Richard knew he'd have to eat eventually, but the numbness hadn't started to lift yet. He doubted the identification of the people responsible in the Prophet, but he'd post a sizable reward in a few days anyway. He'd sent off a few owls, made a few telephone calls, and sent a few emails. There were still those who had been members of the Resistance during the war. They would be looking, and then he would be hunting. He know if he relied on the DMLE to solve the crime, whoever it was would have most likely died of old age before they were apprehended. Richard had failed to protect someone again; this time his own family. He owed somebody a killing and intended to pay with interest.