The Watchers

The pink flame image of Ava Nightingale's image in the fireplace stared at James intently silently listening quietly as James repeated to her the events of the day and case. She had a stoic expression of patience on her face the whole time and didn't interject a word when he began until he finished his tale.

"She's lying." Ava said pointedly.

James nodded his head. "I know but how is that possible? I can you change your own the past?"

Ava shook her head. "It isn't possible. You didn't look into her past. She used a form of Legilimens to manipulate your thoughts and vision about her memory of the past. She has some skill and power that withstanding without a wand and proper teaching from an expert she was able to hold the vision together and you have a more formal proper education then her."

James nodded. "So I wasn't seeing into her past but a projection or imagination of it?"

Ava shook her head. "Half of the vision was her past the other half was fiction. The times your felt a shift in the world was when she was adding in details that weren't correspondence of her real past."

James sat back in his seat rubbing his head. He looked at Angus who was seated beside him taking notes. "Dad. Does Mr. Walker have a daughter?" He asked.

A slow smile spread on Ava's lips. "That is an excellent question. Angus!"

Angus nodded. "Yep. He has a daughter or at least the last time it was reported legally in his family household account. A question that still remains is whether we're working murder case or the family is being forced to cover up something much bigger going on."

"Damn. I didn't think of that." James said gritting his teeth. "This is like a spider web of mysteries."

"Maybe so." Angus said. "But, for now let's just focus on one thing at a time and sort through the mess as best as we can."

James stared at him and then looked back at Ava. "Mother. How can navigate through this mess? The robber is out there he can sense every time I try to see into his past and he attempts to use on legilimens me."

Ava stared at him. "You know the answer. You'll have to complete training with your father. But there is something else troubling you what is it?"

James sighed. "There's so much I don't know. What is the difference between the magi and the western wizards? Why was it important that she lie to me and get me to believe Relic is the bad guy and hide her daughter from happened in the past?"

Ava shook her head. "You'll possible find that out or maybe not. It's still information you can work with. You have to figure out what is true. Take the memory apart. What are your impressions about Archer Walker?"

James frowned. "Mr. Walker has problems with finances he has taken loans from Relic or other people before to keep his family fed or alive. Their land rich but money poor."

Ava nodded. "What were your impressions about the Staff?"

James closed his eyes. He saw the image of the Staff in his mind from the memory that River Song had given him. The image of the grandfather holding the Staff as it stood up. It was made of gray white wood with grooves on it and spotted with dark gray and white circles. He studied it closely examining it and feeling echoes of the power in the core brushing over him and the value of conveyed to me.

"The Staff is their most valuable asset. The Staff is very old. Hmm. I think it could be valued at a hundred grand Dragots. The staff has been handed down by one generation to the next for several centuries dating back to when the western wizards came to the new world. and made it their home and established themselves here. It's a Relic of ancient history. Relic. Hmm." James said and opened his eyes.

Ava stared at him smiling. "Conclusion."

James frowned. "Dad do you know if there is a man named Relic that is a leader of the Walker tribe?"

Angus took a piece of paper from the inside of his jacket pocket and looked at it. "Relic Page. He was the tribal leader of the Walkers and surrounding families. He disappeared a couple a weeks ago before the theft. Interesting. No reports on his where he is staying currently."

James heard the flat tone in his voice. "He might be dead. No way of knowing. There is only one person in the Walker house that would know. She's only one that saw both events and the one person that is mysteriously being kept away from being questioned."

Angus nodded. "Yes. The grand daughter. Talking with her would clear up a lot of this mess. Her name is Hannah.?"

James frowned. "Hannah. I doubt that even that is her real name. You sure about that bro?"

Angus snorted in laughter. "Good point. But, yes I know for a fact that is the girl's name son."

"What is the real chance we'll really get to talk to her, Dad? The Walkers seem pretty tightly closed fisted around all their damn secrets. Why were they so afraid of you?"

Angus sobered up quickly a sardonic smile formed on his lips. "My representation proceeds itself son but besides that when they see me they don't see a friend or brother they see a western wizard or their guilty of something."

"They are guilty of something. Why are you working this case Angus?" Ava said plainly.

Angus leaned forward in his seat and cupped both his hands together. "Someone hired a dark wizard to break into a safe to obtain a highly ancient magical valuable item. The thief was a powerful wizard and possible Death Dealer. That same thief was able to attacked a young girl and my son. I know my duty. You know why I'm in this case."

"Good. Remember that. The Staff whatever it is can be hunted for by the Aurors. But before that you need to help James along in his mental training or get in a specialist to assist him and understand the way his mind thinks."

"Besides, Dad and you I trust headmaster Professor Longbottom to help me with Legilimens bringing up a mental wall strong enough in my mind. Mom that asshole invaded my mind." He said rubbed his head began to pound.

Ava stared at James. "Are you talking about my new fiancée? Your father knows about him. We have a on and how relationship. Your father is understanding to about my romantic relationship." She said smoothly.

"Yeah. I know about him. Great man. I like him a lot. I'm fine with them having a relationship. Your mother is free to see whoever she like." Angus said just as smoothly in a convincing voice.

James smiled as the tension in his head faded. He looked at Angus and froze. Angus' eyes glowed with a blazing light of flames as he smiled at James rubbed James' shoulder.

"Your looking tired son. I think you should rest a bit. I promise that when you wake up you won't be having any headaches again for a while." He said in a calm echoing voice.

"Have a pleasant sleep dear. I'll talk to you later." Ava said as her image in the flames faded away.

James nodded as he felt a heavy tiredness on his shoulders. He closed his eyes as he fell into Angus' arms into a dreamless darkness.