New Allies & Enemies [1]

Next day, while Marquas was deep in his potion experiments, a shimmering message materialized, circled his head twice, and hovered before him. Dumbledore's handwriting was visible on one wing: Urgent matter requires immediate attention. My office.

"Duty calls," Marquas sighed, plucking the memo from the air.

What he found upon entering Dumbledore's office, he was greeted by the sight of Minerva McGonagall and Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument with the Headmaster.

" absolutely unacceptable security risk," Moody was growling, his magical eye swiveling to fix on Marquas the moment he entered. "And here's the risk himself. Convenient timing, Snape."

"Always a pleasure, Alastor," Marquas replied dryly. "I see your paranoia remains in excellent health."

"Not paranoia when they're really out to get you," Moody retorted, his scarred face twisting into something between a grimace and a smirk.

"Gentlemen, please," Dumbledore intervened, gesturing Marquas toward an empty chair. "Severus, thank you for coming so quickly. We have a situation that requires your particular expertise."

McGonagall's expression was uncharacteristically troubled. "Albus has shared certain... developments regarding You-Know-Who's methods of ensuring immortality."

Ah, Marquas thought. The Horcrux discussion has expanded to include others in the Order. Interesting timing.

"Specifically," Moody interjected, "that you're supposedly hunting these soul containers while simultaneously attending Death Eater tea parties. Forgive me if I find that arrangement a tad suspicious."

"Your suspicion is noted," Marquas replied evenly. "Though I'm curious why this particular aspect of my role has suddenly become a topic of concern, given that I've been functioning as a double agent for some time."

"Because," McGonagall explained, her Scottish brogue more pronounced than usual, a tell that she was under stress, "according to Albus, the next phase of this Horcrux hunt involves breaking into Gringotts. Specifically, the Lestrange vault."

That explained the urgency. Dumbledore had apparently decided to bring additional Order members into the Horcrux operation, specifically for the Gringotts mission, which admittedly would benefit from more support than just himself and Regulus.

"That's one way of putting it," Moody snorted. "Another would be that you now have witnesses who might notice if you're actually retrieving these Horcruxes for Voldemort rather than destroying them."

"Alastor!" McGonagall exclaimed, looking scandalized.

"It's a fair concern," Marquas said, surprising them all with his calm acceptance of the accusation. "From a strategic perspective, having multiple participants provides accountability in both directions, I can verify your actions aren't compromising my cover, you can verify my loyalty to the objective. Mutual insurance, if you will."

Moody studied him with both eyes now, his magical eye surprisingly still. "That's... not the defensive response I expected."

"Contrary to popular belief, I do understand the concept of trust-building in high-risk operations," Marquas replied. "And breaking into Gringotts to steal from Bellatrix Lestrange's vault certainly qualifies as high-risk."

"Well then," Dumbledore interjected with evident satisfaction, "it seems we're in agreement about expanding our operational team for this particular mission. Excellent."

Marquas had several reservations about this development, particularly regarding Regulus's continued anonymity, but those would need to be addressed privately with Dumbledore. For now, establishing a working relationship with McGonagall and Moody took priority.

"I assume you've been briefed on the overall objective?" he asked, turning to McGonagall.

"Hufflepuff's cup," she confirmed. "Transformed into a... container for a soul fragment through murder and dark magic. Albus explained the basic concept, though I confess the details exceed even my considerable tolerance for magical abomination."

"A reasonable summary," Marquas nodded. "The cup is almost certainly in the Lestrange vault, based on intelligence from multiple sources. However, retrieving it presents exceptional challenges, even by the standards of our usual impossible tasks."

Over the next hour, they discussed the practical aspects of the Gringotts operation: security measures, approach strategies, contingency plans, and escape routes. Moody, despite his suspicion of Marquas personally, proved invaluable in identifying potential weaknesses in their initial plan, while McGonagall's expertise in transfiguration opened new possibilities for disguise and transportation.

Notably absent from the discussion was any mention of their goblin contact or Regulus's involvement, Dumbledore had apparently maintained those particular secrets, at least for now. Instead, they focused on how to leverage the expanded team's capabilities within the accelerated timeline.

"Tomorrow night," Moody confirmed as they finalized the plan. "Full moon provides additional cover for certain aspects, and the goblin shift change at midnight creates our opportunity window."

"Assuming your intelligence is accurate," he added, fixing Marquas with a pointed stare.

"It is," Marquas assured him. "Though I should note that this timeline acceleration comes with additional risks. The original plan allowed for more thorough preparation."

"Wars are rarely won by those who wait for perfect conditions," McGonagall observed with surprising pragmatism. "Sometimes one must simply act with the resources available."

As the meeting concluded, Dumbledore held Marquas back while McGonagall and Moody departed to make their own preparations. Once they were alone, Marquas raised the obvious question.

"Regulus?"

"Will remain our confidential asset," Dumbledore assured him. "I've adjusted the operational details to incorporate our new colleagues without exposing his involvement. He will function as our advance intelligence and emergency extraction option, but not participate in the main vault team."

"A reasonable compromise," Marquas acknowledged. "Though Moody's suspicion presents potential complications."

"Alastor suspects everyone," Dumbledore chuckled. "Including me, on occasion. It's his nature. But beneath the paranoia lies one of our most capable operators. His involvement significantly improves our chances of success."

Marquas nodded, conceding the point. "And my treatment for your hand? Any changes to report?"

Dumbledore extended the blackened appendage for inspection. "The pain has reduced considerably, and the spread appears halted, just as you predicted. Most encouraging."

Examination confirmed this assessment, the curse remained contained within the stasis field, and the restorative elements were beginning to establish the permanent barrier that would isolate it indefinitely. Not a complete cure, but a vast improvement over the death sentence it had represented in the original timeline.

"Continue the supplementary potion regimen as prescribed," Marquas instructed. "And minimal magical use through that hand for at least another week. The containment is stable but still establishing its permanent structure."

"I shall exercise appropriate caution," Dumbledore promised, though something in his tone suggested he defined "appropriate caution" rather differently than most would.

As Marquas finally returned to his quarters that evening, he found a message waiting from Regulus through their secure communication channel:

Goblin confirms security upgrade scheduled for two days hence. Tomorrow night represents a good opportunity before new measures implemented. Proceed as planned?

Proceed with adjustments, Marquas replied. Additional Order personnel now involved, McGonagall and Moody. Your role adjusted to remote support. Details at usual meeting point, one hour.

He needed to update Regulus immediately about the expanded operation, then finalize his own preparations, all while maintaining his teaching schedule and Death Eater cover.

"Sleep is for the weak," he muttered, downing a Pepper-Up Potion from his personal stores. "Or for people who don't have to prevent a magical apocalypse while grading essays."

••••

The morning of Operation Gringotts Heist (as Regulus had insisted on calling it, despite Marquas's objections to naming covert missions like Muggle action films) dawned cold and clear, with no outward indication that by nightfall, they would be attempting one of the most audacious thefts in wizarding history.

Marquas taught his scheduled classes with mechanical efficiency, his mind primarily occupied with final operational details. His students noticed the distraction, several exchanging confused glances when he assigned homework on a topic they'd covered the previous week, and a particularly brave Gryffindor actually pointing out the error.

"It appears," Marquas acknowledged stiffly, "that I'm operating on insufficient caffeine today. The correct assignment is twelve inches on nonverbal defensive countermeasures, not shield charm variations."

"Are you feeling alright, Professor?" the Gryffindor girl, McKinnon, he realized, likely related to the family they'd helped evacuate months earlier, asked with what appeared to be genuine concern.

"Perfectly fine, Miss McKinnon," he replied, hiding his surprise at the question. "Though I appreciate your concern for my cognitive functions. "

The collective gasp that greeted this unprecedented award of points to Gryffindor in a non-emergency situation nearly made him smirk. His reputation as a Slytherin partisan remained intact despite his efforts at fairness, making such moments of acknowledged merit particularly shocking to his students.

The afternoon brought a required appearance at a staff meeting where Marquas maintained the appearance of normal engagement while mentally rehearsing vault security countermeasures. When Flitwick directly asked his opinion on the proposed adjustment to OWL practical examinations, he was forced to improvise based on context clues alone.

"While I see merit in Filius's suggestion," he managed smoothly, "I would caution that additional practical components require additional supervision resources, which are already stretched thin during examination periods."

It was apparently a reasonable enough response, as discussion continued without anyone noting his mental absence. Minerva McGonagall, however, shot him a knowing look, she, at least, recognized his distraction for what it was: preparation for their evening operation.

When the meeting finally concluded, Dumbledore casually mentioned, "Severus, a moment regarding that special project we discussed yesterday?"

The other professors filed out, leaving them alone in the staff room.

"All preparations are complete," Dumbledore informed him quietly. "Minerva and Alastor will meet you at the designated location at eleven. The... other participant... has confirmed all intelligence remains current."

"Good," Marquas nodded. "I've made arrangements to explain my absence should any... previous associates... attempt to contact me this evening."

"Excellent foresight," Dumbledore approved. "Though I trust this operation will conclude quickly enough to avoid complications on that front."

A nice way of saying 'don't get caught or killed,' Marquas thought wryly. Always appreciate the optimism, Albus.

The hours until departure passed with excruciating slowness. Marquas used the time to prepare specialized potions they might need for the operation: Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder (his improved version that allowed the user to see through the darkness), a modified Disillusionment solution that worked on objects as well as people, and several emergency medical preparations should things go catastrophically wrong.

At precisely 10:30 PM, he left his quarters under the pretense of scheduled patrol duty, carried a Disillusioned bag of equipment to the edge of Hogwarts grounds, and Apparated to their meeting point, an abandoned warehouse in magical London, securely warded and untraceable.

McGonagall and Moody were already there, as was Regulus, though he remained Disillusioned in a corner, observable only through the specialized detection charm Marquas had established for this purpose. They would maintain the fiction that their intelligence came from "an anonymous source" rather than revealing Regulus's survival and involvement.

"Right on time," Moody growled approvingly. "At least your punctuality isn't in question, whatever else might be."

"Your continued suspicion is noted and ignored," Marquas replied dryly, unpacking his equipment. "Shall we proceed with final preparations?"

These included McGonagall's transfiguration of their appearances, subtle changes that wouldn't trigger Gringotts' anti-Polyjuice measures but would prevent casual identification. Moody applied additional enchantments to their clothing that would partially disrupt magical detection systems, while Marquas distributed his specialized potions with instructions for each.

"The goblin contact will meet us at the employee entrance," he explained, careful not to reference Nagrok by name. "We'll have approximately twenty minutes to reach the vault, retrieve the item, and begin extraction before security patrols change rotation."

"And if we encounter resistance?" McGonagall asked practically.

"Nonlethal neutralization only," Marquas emphasized. "This operation is theft, not assault. Our objective is to enter and exit without alerting the broader bank security system."

"Or triggering the bloody dragon," Moody added grimly.

"Precisely," Marquas nodded. "Though contingencies exist should that occur."

What he didn't mention was that their primary contingency, Regulus with a specialized extraction portkey, wasn't officially part of the plan known to McGonagall and Moody. Some secrets remained necessary, even among allies.

At 11:45, they moved to their final position near the employee entrance of Gringotts, Disillusioned and silent. As promised, Nagrok appeared precisely at midnight, ostensibly taking a scheduled break but actually creating their access window.

"Credentials and intent?" the goblin asked quietly, appearing to address the empty air where they stood.

"Prince, McGonagall, Moody," Marquas replied, using their agreed-upon code names. "Retrieval operation as arranged."

Nagrok nodded once, then tapped a specific pattern on the unmarked stone beside the employee door. "Security rotation commences in three minutes. You have the token?"

Marquas produced the small metal disc Nagrok had provided during their previous meeting—a goblin-made security override that would temporarily suppress certain detection wards within the bank.

"Activate it only when you reach the main vault corridor," Nagrok instructed. "Effects last fifteen minutes maximum. Beyond that, standard security resumes regardless of your position."

With that ominous reminder, he opened the door and gestured them inside, his expression betraying nothing as they slipped past him, still Disillusioned.

The back corridors of Gringotts were markedly different from the opulent public halls, utilitarian stone passages lit by magical lamps that cast just enough light for navigation without eliminating shadows that might conceal movement. They followed the memorized route toward the deep vault access, moving silently and remaining close to the walls.

Their first challenge came at the cart transfer station, where a goblin security officer sat monitoring a complex array of magical instruments that presumably tracked activity throughout the vault network. According to their intelligence, this station was never left unattended, requiring a distraction rather than simple avoidance.

McGonagall implemented their solution with impressive precision. From their concealed position, she transfigured a small stone into a mechanical beetle that scuttled across the far side of the chamber, creating just enough noise to draw the guard's attention. As he investigated, they slipped past to the unattended cart dock where Moody quickly disabled the tracking charms on a maintenance cart.

The descent into the depths of Gringotts was both faster and more unsettling than Marquas had anticipated. The cart moved with near-silent efficiency, plunging them into ever-deeper levels where the air grew colder and the magical ambiance more oppressive. Ancient security enchantments brushed against them like cobwebs, sensing their presence but not yet triggering alerts thanks to Nagrok's token.

"Approaching target level," Moody murmured, his magical eye rotating in continuous surveillance. "Waterfall ahead, Thief's Downfall. Countermeasures ready."

The Thief's Downfall, one of Gringotts' most effective security measures, washed away all magical concealment and enchantment. Their plan for this obstacle was perhaps their most audacious: rather than trying to bypass it, they would simply pass through it, allowing their disguises to be stripped, and then immediately reapply them on the other side before detection systems could process the brief exposure.