CARNIVAL du MYSTIQUE
A Harry Potter UNIVERSE/ Sasporilla Bucket Fan Fiction
by Darren Kelly
Chapter 18
Sasporilla wished she could have spent more time with Karry and her precious god son. A short afternoon visit in Hogsmeade simply wasn't long enough. Unfortunately, Sassy had responsibilities back at the Carnival du Mystique. Wands to repair, polish and maintain. People who depended on her services and skills. Some returning every week, others never needing them again. The last stop on Sasporilla's carnival tour was where she had joined, Piccadilly Circus.
Sasporilla Bucket yawned as she sipped a cup of strong coffee. The hot liquid trying to take the chill out of cool morning air. Sassy joined the others at the early morning meeting. Alana and Agnes were already there by the time Sasporilla wandered over.
"Good morning sleepy head." Agnes said.
"Good morning ladies." Sasporilla yawned.
"Good morning Ms.Bucket." The Great Rudolfo, Alana's cousin Lester smiled.
"Can ya believe Lester the lazy lump made it out a bed fer a morning meeting?" Alana laughed.
"It's truly a magical moment!" Sassy smiled.
"Good morning everyone!" Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "First off I'd like to ask for a volunteer to run the Bubble World Booth. It seems our dear Mrs.Dumbleshire is incapable of running her booth at this time."
A murmur went through the crowd of carnies. Everyone knew just why Mrs.Dumbleshire was unable to perform her duties. The drink was always going to come between her and her responsibilities.
"I would of course be more than happy to look after the Bubble World Booth." The Great Rudolfo offered. "At least until it's time for me to perform!"
"I could always look after the booth." Sasporilla offered. "I've done it before."
"Perhaps Ms.Bucket could Spell me off at show time?" The great Rudolfo asked. "Get it? Spell me off? I love magical humor!"
"That's my cousin Lester everyone." Alana clapped. "The Great Rudolfo, not just an amazing magician but a great comedian! Look out Tommy Teirnan and Giggles the Goblin, you've got stiff competition here!"
"Well if that is good with you Ms.Bucket?"; Mr.Beauxchamps asked as Sassy nodded politely. "Then Lest... um... The Great Rudolfo will take over duties at the Bubble World Booth until six p.m., when Ms. Bucket will take over. Ah yes that reminds me, being this is Ms.Bucket’s last weekend with us as she goes of to the University of Avalon next week, please see to it you get your wands serviced by her before she leaves!"
Mr.Beauxchamps continued on with the meeting taking little notice of Lester slipping away through the crowd.
"Cold morning." Agnes said snuggling up beside Sasporilla.
"Indeed it is." Sassy said. "Think the day will heat up soon enough."
"Things are going to be do different around here after tomorrow." Alana said. "With you leaving and all I mean."
"Awww you're sweet." Sasporilla said putting her arms around both her friends, being careful not to spill what coffee she had left. "I'll miss the pair of you, but think of the great things to come, ya?"
Sasporilla had many visitors to her wand booth that morning. She had made only a couple of friends in the Carnival du Mystique, but it seemed she had gained a certain amount of respect amongst the carnies. Some for her loyalty to the Carnival.
Some for her willingness to help out and work hard like everyone else. Mostly it was for her skills at wand repair and maintenance. What ever the reason people found themselves stopping by for one last wand cleaning, tune up or just to out right say their good-byes.
A few of the older ladies brought cookies they'd made. Invites to tea 'Before you leave dear' came in droves and of course a couple of job offers from a few booths who felt they would be better off keeping Sasporilla Bucket in the carnival than allowing her to get away.
The best part of sitting out at her booth all day greeting people was that Sasporilla watched The Great Rudolfo open and close the Bubble World booth no less than two dozen times. Sassy saw all of his comings and goings throughout the day. The most curious of these times were those where he closed up the booth from the inside, leaving just a sign saying 'BACK IN 5' hanging outside. Usually it was more like fifteen to twenty minutes before he unlocked and reopened the booth. No one really seemed to notice or care. No one except the one poor mother he kept waiting with a very anxious four year girl who was eager to get to the bubbles.
"Pinky Bubbles?" The girl asked.
"No dear." The mother said sadly. "It doesn't look like the young lady with pink hair is here today."
"No my dear." The great Rudolfo smiled to the young lady. "But I assure you, that you shall have as much fun bubble casting with the booth in my care."
"I WANT PINKY BUBBLES!!!!" The little girl demanded.
"And you shall have her!" Sasporilla said appearing at the side of the booth. "Hello Layla!"
"Pinky Bubbles!" Layla smiled and ran over to hug the pink haired witch.
"You might as well head off now Rudolfo." Sassy smiled. "I've got you from here."
"Thank you Ms.Bucket." The muggle magician said with a flourish. "I shan’t forget your generosity, nor your wondrous sense of timing. I bid you adieu."
Lester was away to get ready for his show. Layla was so excited to get to her bubbles that she was already selecting her wand from the rack.
"Here is the ticket." Lindsey, the child’s mother, Lindsey smiled. Interrupting Sasporilla watching Lester as he disappeared off into the carnival crowd.
"Yes of course." Sassy smiled taking the ticket. "You will be my last customer of the day. I'm so happy it's you Layla as you've been my favourite all summer."
"Why are you closing the bubble booth so early?" Lindsey asked.
"Afraid we have found a fox sneaking into our hen house that must me sorted out." Sasporilla said with a small smile touching her finger to the side of her nose.
Lindsey understood. The carnival had a problem with one of its own and they had to sort them out.
"I know it's not my place," Lindsey asked, "but is there anything I can do to help?"
Sasporilla bent down to the floor and uncovered the hatch. "MULTASCOMA" the pink haired witch cast, sealing the hatch with more than a dozen magical padlocks.
“It Wouldn’t be fair to put you or your child in harms way.” Sasporilla insisted shaking her head.
“I can drop Layla off with her Dad.” Lindsey smiled. “And be back in a flash.”
“What area of magic are you best trained in?” Sasporilla asked.
“Well I was never that good at anything anyone considered all that useful.” Lindsey said a bit embarrassed leaning in to whisper to Sasporilla.
“Perfect!” Sasporilla Smiled . "I might have an Idea."
************************
It was five minutes to show time. Alana stood in the back with her cart dressed in costume awaiting the always just on time Great Rudolfo. The young magicians assistant checked on the mirrored bowl illusion and Jumbo inside.
"Are you doing ok my darling?" Alana smiled at the tiny elephant giving her a rub behind the ears. "It's just about time."
The music swelled and the clowns came rushing past. It was time.
"Where the hell is he?" Alana said.
A puff of smoke appeared in the center ring. The lights went black. An unfamiliar click and hum quietly filled the air as coloured light swirled around the tent.
"Witches and wizards." A disembodied voice said. "Ladies and gentlemen, and all of you here today. I am... The GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The magician appeared, as if out of thin air, in the center of the ring.
Alana pushed the cart out waving and smiling cursing him under her breath. "Lester what are you playing at?"
"You've come to see a show." The Great Rudolfo only smiled and looked out at his crowd. "To ponder how a muggle could do magic as proficiently as one of you? Or even better???"
The crowd was starting to gasp. Some were confused and others were becoming offended. Alana was becoming very uncomfortable standing out there.
"I'm sure you are growing tired of my words." The Great Rudolfo chuckled. "As am I of your entire stinking wizarding world! Entertaining you like a trained monkey day in, day out. A servant. A jester here for your amusement!"
"Lester!" Alana growled. "Please stop."
"Well I am not amused!!!" The Great Rudolfo yelled!
All went black.
********************************
The investigators had gone over every inch of Gringotts for months. Every time an alarm went off they'd search for the reasons it went off but never found one. The niffler litter hypothesis was looking more and more credible every day.
The goblins had looked in on so many vaults and saw nothing missing. Why would anyone break into a vault and take nothing. The alarms of many vaults containing muggle paper money, that was used by people who needed to shop between the muggle and wizarding worlds, had been set off. Stacks of paper bills sat there untouched. The Goblins were at a loss as to why. Even nifflers wouldn't be attracted to paper money.
Aurors had started to show a lot more apathy when the alarms sounded recently. There was obviously something wrong with the alarm magic or something trivial was happening but they were obviously were wasting their time at Gringotts. Every one of them believed that except one.
Nick Owlmore was at Gringotts. He had been playing cribbage in security office with Gringotts Goblin Security Chief Grangknott.
"Fifteen - two, fifteen - four, fifteen - six, fifteen - eight," Grangknott smiled, "and twelve is twenty and the jack for one is twenty-one and I win!"
"Again?" Nick laughed. "You've got to be cheating!"
"If I were an auror wouldn't know it." The security officer laughed.
"You miserable little goblin bugger." Nick laughed. "Another game?"
"I think I have time to beat you again before we make another sweep." Grangknott said.
He was wrong. The alarms sounded. Nick and Grangknott weren't far from the source of the alarm.
Vault number 3769
Of all the vaults that had alarms set off, this one had never had its set off before. Though every vault around it, all smaller vaults with little inside, had theirs set off, sometimes more than once.
"You were right." Grangknott said to Nick as the goblin opened the vault. "But I don't know why anyone would want to steal this?"
Inside the vault sat stacks and stacks of muggle paper money. Standing behind was a man with dark hair, dressed in a tuxedo and top hat.
"Freeze!" Nick Owlmore said pointing his wand at the man. "You're under arrest."
"Under arrest." The man said. "You pathetic fools. Your 'MAGIC' has no effect on the likes of me."
Nick Owlmore cast a full petrifaction and binding spell on the theif but it had no effect. The spell had no effect. Nick took a step forward to enter the vault.
"No!" Grangknott grabbed Nicks arm pointing at glowing red gems in the walls. "The Verillium gems are activated. If you enter you will be vaporized. It's an anti theft measure."
"You see?" The thief laughed. "You're feeble wizard minds and magical abilities are nothing compared to that of the GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The stacks of paper money flared with flame and were gone in a flash. Leaving only a silvery puddle on the floor. Alarms started to go off in vaults all through Gringotts.
"The show has begun." Nick said. "She was right. Follow me."
***********************************
While every auror in the UK was descended upon London, no really noticed a rusty old green Lada motoring its way out of the city. Just another old beater of a car driven by a unremarkable muggle down the A3 towards Portsmouth. A light summer rain fell as classic rock crackled on the old car radio.
Lester sang along with 'Riders on the Storm' as he reveled in his in own brilliance. The perfect crime and it had all been done over months and months. The money was long gone now, safely stored in a safe secret spot. Right in plain site. The ministry would be looking all over The Great Rudolfo.
They would be lead to the Carnival du Mystique. They would find those who helped him like Merlauxn Beauxchamps and Lloyd the arcade operator. Of course evidence he left would incriminate his cousin Alana. That would tie up a lot of auror resources as he quietly slipped away.
Lester O'Dorful no longer existed. As of today he was Johnathen Kenneith Rowling the third, of the Yorkshire Rowling’s. He'd spent months and no small amount of money setting up his new muggle identity. With muggle documents to prove who he was, some of the money stored safely in muggle banks in off shore accounts and properties bought to live out his life in comfort and freedom.
The careful, crafty thief had even taken advantage of his family ties to the magical community. His properties had been cloaked in spells to hide them from the aurors search. He would be rich and free.
Lester pulled into Portsmouth around dusk. Much to his surprise the gates of the Cubic storage facility were locked. Usually the place stayed open until about ten but there were always acceptions. Lester pulled out his pass card and slid it through the security reader. The little light blinked red. He tried it again, and again with frustratingly similar results. Lester pushed the call button on the security box. It took a moment before a very bothered voice came over the intercom.
"What do you want?" The voice a very displeased lady guard asked.
"My access card doesn't seem to work." Lester said trying to keep his temper. "I've a unit inside I must get to and..."
"Gates broke." The lady guards voice said. "Can't you read the bloody sign?"
Lester looked around but saw no sign. His patience was wearing thin.
"I'm afraid there isn't any sign." Lester said tersely.
"What!" The guard yelled in the intercom.
It was only a matter of seconds before a dark haired woman, in a slightly to big yellow uniform came walking out.
"Well this is just bloody wonderful!" Lindsay said doing her best Portsmouth impression. "I just put a new sign out not twenty bloody minutes ago! Bloody kids! It's that little Layla an' her gang o' degenerates again you mark my words! If I get my 'ands on'em I'll...."
"I'm sorry to be rude but I am in a bit of a hurry." Lester poured on the charm. "And I know and lovely lady like yourself must understand my need to get to my unit?"
"Of course sir!" Lindsay said pulling her keys from her belt and turning to open the pedestrian gate. "I do apologize. I lost my head. I'll get you in, in a jiffy."
"No." Lester smiled. "I need to drive in."
"Sorry sir." Lindsay smiled. "Gates busted. You'll need to walk in from here love!"
Lester cursed under his breath, carrying a large duffel bag the whole way down to building two. He turned the corner following the numbers towards unit eighteen. A gang of children played hopscotch in front of his unit. Number eighteen.
"Hey you kids." Lester said. "Bugger off. That's my unit. I need on there."
"Oh yeah?" A roughian about nine stopped and walked over to him. "We're playin' here. You bugger off."
"Look kids." Lester said. "I've had a pretty good day up till now. So you bunch go away and give me a break and I'll go easy on ya."
"Maybe you pay us to go away." The child thug smiled. "OR we don't go so easy on you?"
"Why you little..." Lester growled as the young tough kicked him in the shin as the others knocked him to the ground, grabbed his duffel bag and ran off laughing.
Lester tried to catch up with them but children were to fast and knew the area too well. The magician limped his way back to storage building two, unit eighteen.
Lester reached around under the back of his jacket and small pulled out a pair of bolt cutters.
"That Bucket girl may have gotten her hands on my key." Lester said. "but that's what I get for letting Lloyd talking me into hiding it in the arcade prize boxes."
Lester placed the lock into the bolt cutter and squeezed. It's steel shaft split like butter and fell with a clank to the pavement below. He rolled up the door to reveal a Nineteen fifty-eight Rolls Royce Silver Cloud sitting under a clear tarpaulin, next to a wardrobe.
Lester stepped inside and rolled the door closed. He flipped on a light switch to illuminate the storage unit.
"Everything ran perfectly." Lester laughed. "One quick change of clothes and Lester O'Dorful disappears forever! Just have to drive the car out of the city dressed like a chauffeur. No one will notice. No one will care. No one notices the muggles. Muggles with power don't question rich muggles or those who work for them. A flawless plan."
Lester opened the wardrobe as a wand pushed forward and lodged itself in his left nostril.
"I wouldn't say FLAWLESS Lester." Sasporilla Bucket smiled.
Lester slowly raised his hands in surrender. "How did you find me?"
"Unlike the others," Sasporilla said carefully said stepping forward out of the wardrobe, "I recognized the storage unit key for what it was the day I pulled it from the prize box."
"How could you?" Lester asked. "Your a witch who grew up in a magic town, not a muggle?"
"Yes." Sasporilla said. "One so poor we spent most of our time shopping amongst muggles. You see things. Hear things. Learn things about muggles that way. You see, we're really no different."
"We are so very different." Lester scoffed. "You think your kind are do superior to mine. Well I've news for you, you're not. We are the superior beings! We are the smarter! The greater skilled! Why I robbed your billions from Gringotts and they couldn't catch me. They had no clue. They were looking for a litter of stray Niffler pups!"
"I caught you." Sasporilla grinned. "I figured you out. Figured out it was you who was posing as Mrs.Dumbleshires secret Admirer. Sending her a case of wine to keep her just drunk enough that you could have access to her Bubble World booth in the towns where the hatch still connected to the tunnels you needed. Tunnels you discovered that lead behind the walls of Gringotts vaults. Walls that, in their hubris, the Goblins believed no muggle would ever breach. You probably found a missing brick, a niffler hole! You just couldn't resist. You knew you couldn't enter the vault, but you didn't have to! Just use some reaching device. As long as it was muggle design and NOT magical. You could cover your tracks by leaving mirror illusions behind. Goblins, aurors, ministry officials, vault owners all saw full vaults. When they were empty. If they tried to touch their money 'POOF'! The mirror bowl illusion went up in flames, leaving only a silver puddle."
"You did figure it out didn’t you?" Lester hissed. "Clever, meddling woman."
"Do you think I did it alone?" Sasporilla sneered as Alana stepped out from behind the wardrobe.
"Hello cousin." Alana scowled her cousin angrily. "I can't believe I gave you the benefit of the doubt when everyone else said you were just a gobshyte."
"I'm never meant to disappoint you Alana." Lester said. "I would have sent for you after the heat died down."
"What makes you think I'd want any part of your dirty money?" Alana yelled.
"Don't be that way." Lester tried his most charming of smiles. "We are family after all. Didn't I look after you this far?"
"Don't you even!" Alana yelled. "I do most of the work around the place. I look after everything but the show. Especially you."
"And you've done a lovely job." Lester said placing his hand on the wall.
Neither of them had seen the crafty devil slip back but he was now standing close enough to the far wall to touch it.
"Not another step Lester." Sasporilla insisted.
"Of course not." The poor muggle smiled. "Lester O'Dorful is no match witches such as you."
In a flash of light and puffs of smoke the light of the storage unit shattered and the room went black. The door rolled up and the dim purple twilight flooded in from outside. Lights began to strobe all around. The great Rudolfo in full costume appeared outside.
"And you two witches are no match for THE GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The smoke burned bitter and acrid in the nose and throat. It stung the eyes of Sasporilla and Alana causing their eyes to tear and blur. The dark form of the Great Rudolfo made a sudden lunge out the door. Spells fired and rebounded off storage units as the girls coughed and choked. Trying their best to keep up with the dark form as it disappeared around the far corner of building two.
"All to easy." Lester said stepping from a hidden compartment he'd built into the wall. "Plan B."
Lester stepped behind the wardrobe. He stood against the wall and pushed open a secret door into a passage heading down into the storage facilities long term parking garage. A fine enough place for any common vehicle. That was just what he needed and just what he left here. A simple small nondescript blue compact car.
Lester had left it unlocked. After all, locks finely kept out honest people. He reached up and pulled the keys from the sun visor and slipped them into the ignition. The car kicked and sputtered a bit but finally, after some encouragement and harsh language, came to life.
Lester drove the car quickly through the dimly lit garage, up the ramp and out the southern exit. He was away before the two witches had realized he'd given them the slip.
Lester drove as far as the docks and pulled up by an international freighter. He slipped a knit cap on his head and pulled a duffel bag from the cars boot and slipped it over his shoulder. He proceeded up to a rough looking middle-aged man with a clip board.
"You Christoff?" The man asked.
"Da." Lester said. "Chreestoff Leevoneschekov"
"Yer late." The man growled. "You almost missed the ship. Yer fined a days pay. Get on board."
Lester nodded. His knowledge of Russian consisted of Da, Dosvidania, and Vodka. Just enough to get him on board. The only Russian on who did understand English but spoke none of it. A great cover.
It was hours after they were out to sea Lester decided to step out onto deck and look out across the open ocean as they steamed off towards the Caribbean in the moonlit summer night. A small yellow bird fluttered down to land on the rail next to him.
"You're a long way from shore song bird." Lester said quietly, not daring let any of the crew hear him speak English.
The little yellow songbird tipped its head and pleasantly chirped its song so sweet.
"Your stuck here now I'm afraid." Lester said. "You can make a new home in the tropics with me! Someone would likely want to put you in a cage, like me. I'll let you in on a secret though. I'm smarter than them. They'll never catch me. I took Billions from their biggest wizarding bank over a few years. Slowly, patiently. Paid off a few people here or there to look the other way. Like that idiot Lloyd at the arcade. Paid him to use the prize box. He assured me no one would ever win the loot I stashed in that machine, some of it the most priceless of what I stole! And the key to my unit! The first of maze of units that make up my stashes and caches! Anyone with half a brain can figure out where the next one is and where all the money is."
The songbird sang and sang it's beautiful song.
"I just wish that idiot nephew of Beauxchamps had finished the job." Lester growled. "It took a lot to hypnotize him. To brake his will and get him fully under my control and bend him fully to my will. If he had killed the Bucket girl, I wouldn't be here now. Talking to a bird."
"It's ok." The little yellow songbird said smiling as the scene around Lester changed and he found himself paralyzed standing next to the pretty young security guard Lindsey dressed in yellow, her wand pointed at his temple. A crowd of aurors, his Cousin Alana and Sasporilla Bucket standing close by. "You'll be a jail bird soon enough."
************************************
Nick Owlmore placed Lester in stupify shackles. No less than three aurors guarded him. Not since Grindlewald had a prisoner garnered such vigilance. His muggle trickery was something the wizarding community simply didn't understand.
Nick walked over to Lindsey, the young witch in yellow who had volunteered to help. "I wanted to thank you for your assistance."
"Oh it was no trouble." Lindsey smiled brightly. "I've always been rather good with TRUTH CHARMS."
"Lord help your little one if she ever tries to put one over on mum, ay?" Nick smiled.
"Indeed!" Lindsey smiled."
"Perhaps you could find a spot for her in the aurors office?" Sasporilla asked. "After the little ones old enough for school and such of course."
"I could ask." Nick smiled, put a bit on the spot. "If you're interested."
"Well," Lindsey smiled devilishly, "I have always fantasized of working for the ministry."
Sasporilla wished she could have spent more time with Karry and her precious god son. A short afternoon visit in Hogsmeade simply wasn't long enough. Unfortunately, Sassy had responsibilities back at the Carnival du Mystique. Wands to repair, polish and maintain. People who depended on her services and skills. Some returning every week, others never needing them again. The last stop on Sasporilla's carnival tour was where she had joined, Piccadilly Circus.
Sasporilla Bucket yawned as she sipped a cup of strong coffee. The hot liquid trying to take the chill out of cool morning air. Sassy joined the others at the early morning meeting. Alana and Agnes were already there by the time Sasporilla wandered over.
"Good morning sleepy head." Agnes said.
"Good morning ladies." Sasporilla yawned.
"Good morning Ms.Bucket." The Great Rudolfo, Alana's cousin Lester smiled.
"Can ya believe Lester the lazy lump made it out a bed fer a morning meeting?" Alana laughed.
"It's truly a magical moment!" Sassy smiled.
"Good morning everyone!" Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "First off I'd like to ask for a volunteer to run the Bubble World Booth. It seems our dear Mrs.Dumbleshire is incapable of running her booth at this time."
A murmur went through the crowd of carnies. Everyone knew just why Mrs.Dumbleshire was unable to perform her duties. The drink was always going to come between her and her responsibilities.
"I would of course be more than happy to look after the Bubble World Booth." The Great Rudolfo offered. "At least until it's time for me to perform!"
"I could always look after the booth." Sasporilla offered. "I've done it before."
"Perhaps Ms.Bucket could Spell me off at show time?" The great Rudolfo asked. "Get it? Spell me off? I love magical humor!"
"That's my cousin Lester everyone." Alana clapped. "The Great Rudolfo, not just an amazing magician but a great comedian! Look out Tommy Teirnan and Giggles the Goblin, you've got stiff competition here!"
"Well if that is good with you Ms.Bucket?"; Mr.Beauxchamps asked as Sassy nodded politely. "Then Lest... um... The Great Rudolfo will take over duties at the Bubble World Booth until six p.m., when Ms. Bucket will take over. Ah yes that reminds me, being this is Ms.Bucket’s last weekend with us as she goes of to the University of Avalon next week, please see to it you get your wands serviced by her before she leaves!"
Mr.Beauxchamps continued on with the meeting taking little notice of Lester slipping away through the crowd.
"Cold morning." Agnes said snuggling up beside Sasporilla.
"Indeed it is." Sassy said. "Think the day will heat up soon enough."
"Things are going to be do different around here after tomorrow." Alana said. "With you leaving and all I mean."
"Awww you're sweet." Sasporilla said putting her arms around both her friends, being careful not to spill what coffee she had left. "I'll miss the pair of you, but think of the great things to come, ya?"
Sasporilla had many visitors to her wand booth that morning. She had made only a couple of friends in the Carnival du Mystique, but it seemed she had gained a certain amount of respect amongst the carnies. Some for her loyalty to the Carnival.
Some for her willingness to help out and work hard like everyone else. Mostly it was for her skills at wand repair and maintenance. What ever the reason people found themselves stopping by for one last wand cleaning, tune up or just to out right say their good-byes.
A few of the older ladies brought cookies they'd made. Invites to tea 'Before you leave dear' came in droves and of course a couple of job offers from a few booths who felt they would be better off keeping Sasporilla Bucket in the carnival than allowing her to get away.
The best part of sitting out at her booth all day greeting people was that Sasporilla watched The Great Rudolfo open and close the Bubble World booth no less than two dozen times. Sassy saw all of his comings and goings throughout the day. The most curious of these times were those where he closed up the booth from the inside, leaving just a sign saying 'BACK IN 5' hanging outside. Usually it was more like fifteen to twenty minutes before he unlocked and reopened the booth. No one really seemed to notice or care. No one except the one poor mother he kept waiting with a very anxious four year girl who was eager to get to the bubbles.
"Pinky Bubbles?" The girl asked.
"No dear." The mother said sadly. "It doesn't look like the young lady with pink hair is here today."
"No my dear." The great Rudolfo smiled to the young lady. "But I assure you, that you shall have as much fun bubble casting with the booth in my care."
"I WANT PINKY BUBBLES!!!!" The little girl demanded.
"And you shall have her!" Sasporilla said appearing at the side of the booth. "Hello Layla!"
"Pinky Bubbles!" Layla smiled and ran over to hug the pink haired witch.
"You might as well head off now Rudolfo." Sassy smiled. "I've got you from here."
"Thank you Ms.Bucket." The muggle magician said with a flourish. "I shan’t forget your generosity, nor your wondrous sense of timing. I bid you adieu."
Lester was away to get ready for his show. Layla was so excited to get to her bubbles that she was already selecting her wand from the rack.
"Here is the ticket." Lindsey, the child’s mother, Lindsey smiled. Interrupting Sasporilla watching Lester as he disappeared off into the carnival crowd.
"Yes of course." Sassy smiled taking the ticket. "You will be my last customer of the day. I'm so happy it's you Layla as you've been my favourite all summer."
"Why are you closing the bubble booth so early?" Lindsey asked.
"Afraid we have found a fox sneaking into our hen house that must me sorted out." Sasporilla said with a small smile touching her finger to the side of her nose.
Lindsey understood. The carnival had a problem with one of its own and they had to sort them out.
"I know it's not my place," Lindsey asked, "but is there anything I can do to help?"
Sasporilla bent down to the floor and uncovered the hatch. "MULTASCOMA" the pink haired witch cast, sealing the hatch with more than a dozen magical padlocks.
“It Wouldn’t be fair to put you or your child in harms way.” Sasporilla insisted shaking her head.
“I can drop Layla off with her Dad.” Lindsey smiled. “And be back in a flash.”
“What area of magic are you best trained in?” Sasporilla asked.
“Well I was never that good at anything anyone considered all that useful.” Lindsey said a bit embarrassed leaning in to whisper to Sasporilla.
“Perfect!” Sasporilla Smiled . "I might have an Idea."
************************
It was five minutes to show time. Alana stood in the back with her cart dressed in costume awaiting the always just on time Great Rudolfo. The young magicians assistant checked on the mirrored bowl illusion and Jumbo inside.
"Are you doing ok my darling?" Alana smiled at the tiny elephant giving her a rub behind the ears. "It's just about time."
The music swelled and the clowns came rushing past. It was time.
"Where the hell is he?" Alana said.
A puff of smoke appeared in the center ring. The lights went black. An unfamiliar click and hum quietly filled the air as coloured light swirled around the tent.
"Witches and wizards." A disembodied voice said. "Ladies and gentlemen, and all of you here today. I am... The GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The magician appeared, as if out of thin air, in the center of the ring.
Alana pushed the cart out waving and smiling cursing him under her breath. "Lester what are you playing at?"
"You've come to see a show." The Great Rudolfo only smiled and looked out at his crowd. "To ponder how a muggle could do magic as proficiently as one of you? Or even better???"
The crowd was starting to gasp. Some were confused and others were becoming offended. Alana was becoming very uncomfortable standing out there.
"I'm sure you are growing tired of my words." The Great Rudolfo chuckled. "As am I of your entire stinking wizarding world! Entertaining you like a trained monkey day in, day out. A servant. A jester here for your amusement!"
"Lester!" Alana growled. "Please stop."
"Well I am not amused!!!" The Great Rudolfo yelled!
All went black.
********************************
The investigators had gone over every inch of Gringotts for months. Every time an alarm went off they'd search for the reasons it went off but never found one. The niffler litter hypothesis was looking more and more credible every day.
The goblins had looked in on so many vaults and saw nothing missing. Why would anyone break into a vault and take nothing. The alarms of many vaults containing muggle paper money, that was used by people who needed to shop between the muggle and wizarding worlds, had been set off. Stacks of paper bills sat there untouched. The Goblins were at a loss as to why. Even nifflers wouldn't be attracted to paper money.
Aurors had started to show a lot more apathy when the alarms sounded recently. There was obviously something wrong with the alarm magic or something trivial was happening but they were obviously were wasting their time at Gringotts. Every one of them believed that except one.
Nick Owlmore was at Gringotts. He had been playing cribbage in security office with Gringotts Goblin Security Chief Grangknott.
"Fifteen - two, fifteen - four, fifteen - six, fifteen - eight," Grangknott smiled, "and twelve is twenty and the jack for one is twenty-one and I win!"
"Again?" Nick laughed. "You've got to be cheating!"
"If I were an auror wouldn't know it." The security officer laughed.
"You miserable little goblin bugger." Nick laughed. "Another game?"
"I think I have time to beat you again before we make another sweep." Grangknott said.
He was wrong. The alarms sounded. Nick and Grangknott weren't far from the source of the alarm.
Vault number 3769
Of all the vaults that had alarms set off, this one had never had its set off before. Though every vault around it, all smaller vaults with little inside, had theirs set off, sometimes more than once.
"You were right." Grangknott said to Nick as the goblin opened the vault. "But I don't know why anyone would want to steal this?"
Inside the vault sat stacks and stacks of muggle paper money. Standing behind was a man with dark hair, dressed in a tuxedo and top hat.
"Freeze!" Nick Owlmore said pointing his wand at the man. "You're under arrest."
"Under arrest." The man said. "You pathetic fools. Your 'MAGIC' has no effect on the likes of me."
Nick Owlmore cast a full petrifaction and binding spell on the theif but it had no effect. The spell had no effect. Nick took a step forward to enter the vault.
"No!" Grangknott grabbed Nicks arm pointing at glowing red gems in the walls. "The Verillium gems are activated. If you enter you will be vaporized. It's an anti theft measure."
"You see?" The thief laughed. "You're feeble wizard minds and magical abilities are nothing compared to that of the GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The stacks of paper money flared with flame and were gone in a flash. Leaving only a silvery puddle on the floor. Alarms started to go off in vaults all through Gringotts.
"The show has begun." Nick said. "She was right. Follow me."
***********************************
While every auror in the UK was descended upon London, no really noticed a rusty old green Lada motoring its way out of the city. Just another old beater of a car driven by a unremarkable muggle down the A3 towards Portsmouth. A light summer rain fell as classic rock crackled on the old car radio.
Lester sang along with 'Riders on the Storm' as he reveled in his in own brilliance. The perfect crime and it had all been done over months and months. The money was long gone now, safely stored in a safe secret spot. Right in plain site. The ministry would be looking all over The Great Rudolfo.
They would be lead to the Carnival du Mystique. They would find those who helped him like Merlauxn Beauxchamps and Lloyd the arcade operator. Of course evidence he left would incriminate his cousin Alana. That would tie up a lot of auror resources as he quietly slipped away.
Lester O'Dorful no longer existed. As of today he was Johnathen Kenneith Rowling the third, of the Yorkshire Rowling’s. He'd spent months and no small amount of money setting up his new muggle identity. With muggle documents to prove who he was, some of the money stored safely in muggle banks in off shore accounts and properties bought to live out his life in comfort and freedom.
The careful, crafty thief had even taken advantage of his family ties to the magical community. His properties had been cloaked in spells to hide them from the aurors search. He would be rich and free.
Lester pulled into Portsmouth around dusk. Much to his surprise the gates of the Cubic storage facility were locked. Usually the place stayed open until about ten but there were always acceptions. Lester pulled out his pass card and slid it through the security reader. The little light blinked red. He tried it again, and again with frustratingly similar results. Lester pushed the call button on the security box. It took a moment before a very bothered voice came over the intercom.
"What do you want?" The voice a very displeased lady guard asked.
"My access card doesn't seem to work." Lester said trying to keep his temper. "I've a unit inside I must get to and..."
"Gates broke." The lady guards voice said. "Can't you read the bloody sign?"
Lester looked around but saw no sign. His patience was wearing thin.
"I'm afraid there isn't any sign." Lester said tersely.
"What!" The guard yelled in the intercom.
It was only a matter of seconds before a dark haired woman, in a slightly to big yellow uniform came walking out.
"Well this is just bloody wonderful!" Lindsay said doing her best Portsmouth impression. "I just put a new sign out not twenty bloody minutes ago! Bloody kids! It's that little Layla an' her gang o' degenerates again you mark my words! If I get my 'ands on'em I'll...."
"I'm sorry to be rude but I am in a bit of a hurry." Lester poured on the charm. "And I know and lovely lady like yourself must understand my need to get to my unit?"
"Of course sir!" Lindsay said pulling her keys from her belt and turning to open the pedestrian gate. "I do apologize. I lost my head. I'll get you in, in a jiffy."
"No." Lester smiled. "I need to drive in."
"Sorry sir." Lindsay smiled. "Gates busted. You'll need to walk in from here love!"
Lester cursed under his breath, carrying a large duffel bag the whole way down to building two. He turned the corner following the numbers towards unit eighteen. A gang of children played hopscotch in front of his unit. Number eighteen.
"Hey you kids." Lester said. "Bugger off. That's my unit. I need on there."
"Oh yeah?" A roughian about nine stopped and walked over to him. "We're playin' here. You bugger off."
"Look kids." Lester said. "I've had a pretty good day up till now. So you bunch go away and give me a break and I'll go easy on ya."
"Maybe you pay us to go away." The child thug smiled. "OR we don't go so easy on you?"
"Why you little..." Lester growled as the young tough kicked him in the shin as the others knocked him to the ground, grabbed his duffel bag and ran off laughing.
Lester tried to catch up with them but children were to fast and knew the area too well. The magician limped his way back to storage building two, unit eighteen.
Lester reached around under the back of his jacket and small pulled out a pair of bolt cutters.
"That Bucket girl may have gotten her hands on my key." Lester said. "but that's what I get for letting Lloyd talking me into hiding it in the arcade prize boxes."
Lester placed the lock into the bolt cutter and squeezed. It's steel shaft split like butter and fell with a clank to the pavement below. He rolled up the door to reveal a Nineteen fifty-eight Rolls Royce Silver Cloud sitting under a clear tarpaulin, next to a wardrobe.
Lester stepped inside and rolled the door closed. He flipped on a light switch to illuminate the storage unit.
"Everything ran perfectly." Lester laughed. "One quick change of clothes and Lester O'Dorful disappears forever! Just have to drive the car out of the city dressed like a chauffeur. No one will notice. No one will care. No one notices the muggles. Muggles with power don't question rich muggles or those who work for them. A flawless plan."
Lester opened the wardrobe as a wand pushed forward and lodged itself in his left nostril.
"I wouldn't say FLAWLESS Lester." Sasporilla Bucket smiled.
Lester slowly raised his hands in surrender. "How did you find me?"
"Unlike the others," Sasporilla said carefully said stepping forward out of the wardrobe, "I recognized the storage unit key for what it was the day I pulled it from the prize box."
"How could you?" Lester asked. "Your a witch who grew up in a magic town, not a muggle?"
"Yes." Sasporilla said. "One so poor we spent most of our time shopping amongst muggles. You see things. Hear things. Learn things about muggles that way. You see, we're really no different."
"We are so very different." Lester scoffed. "You think your kind are do superior to mine. Well I've news for you, you're not. We are the superior beings! We are the smarter! The greater skilled! Why I robbed your billions from Gringotts and they couldn't catch me. They had no clue. They were looking for a litter of stray Niffler pups!"
"I caught you." Sasporilla grinned. "I figured you out. Figured out it was you who was posing as Mrs.Dumbleshires secret Admirer. Sending her a case of wine to keep her just drunk enough that you could have access to her Bubble World booth in the towns where the hatch still connected to the tunnels you needed. Tunnels you discovered that lead behind the walls of Gringotts vaults. Walls that, in their hubris, the Goblins believed no muggle would ever breach. You probably found a missing brick, a niffler hole! You just couldn't resist. You knew you couldn't enter the vault, but you didn't have to! Just use some reaching device. As long as it was muggle design and NOT magical. You could cover your tracks by leaving mirror illusions behind. Goblins, aurors, ministry officials, vault owners all saw full vaults. When they were empty. If they tried to touch their money 'POOF'! The mirror bowl illusion went up in flames, leaving only a silver puddle."
"You did figure it out didn’t you?" Lester hissed. "Clever, meddling woman."
"Do you think I did it alone?" Sasporilla sneered as Alana stepped out from behind the wardrobe.
"Hello cousin." Alana scowled her cousin angrily. "I can't believe I gave you the benefit of the doubt when everyone else said you were just a gobshyte."
"I'm never meant to disappoint you Alana." Lester said. "I would have sent for you after the heat died down."
"What makes you think I'd want any part of your dirty money?" Alana yelled.
"Don't be that way." Lester tried his most charming of smiles. "We are family after all. Didn't I look after you this far?"
"Don't you even!" Alana yelled. "I do most of the work around the place. I look after everything but the show. Especially you."
"And you've done a lovely job." Lester said placing his hand on the wall.
Neither of them had seen the crafty devil slip back but he was now standing close enough to the far wall to touch it.
"Not another step Lester." Sasporilla insisted.
"Of course not." The poor muggle smiled. "Lester O'Dorful is no match witches such as you."
In a flash of light and puffs of smoke the light of the storage unit shattered and the room went black. The door rolled up and the dim purple twilight flooded in from outside. Lights began to strobe all around. The great Rudolfo in full costume appeared outside.
"And you two witches are no match for THE GREAT RUDOLFO!"
The smoke burned bitter and acrid in the nose and throat. It stung the eyes of Sasporilla and Alana causing their eyes to tear and blur. The dark form of the Great Rudolfo made a sudden lunge out the door. Spells fired and rebounded off storage units as the girls coughed and choked. Trying their best to keep up with the dark form as it disappeared around the far corner of building two.
"All to easy." Lester said stepping from a hidden compartment he'd built into the wall. "Plan B."
Lester stepped behind the wardrobe. He stood against the wall and pushed open a secret door into a passage heading down into the storage facilities long term parking garage. A fine enough place for any common vehicle. That was just what he needed and just what he left here. A simple small nondescript blue compact car.
Lester had left it unlocked. After all, locks finely kept out honest people. He reached up and pulled the keys from the sun visor and slipped them into the ignition. The car kicked and sputtered a bit but finally, after some encouragement and harsh language, came to life.
Lester drove the car quickly through the dimly lit garage, up the ramp and out the southern exit. He was away before the two witches had realized he'd given them the slip.
Lester drove as far as the docks and pulled up by an international freighter. He slipped a knit cap on his head and pulled a duffel bag from the cars boot and slipped it over his shoulder. He proceeded up to a rough looking middle-aged man with a clip board.
"You Christoff?" The man asked.
"Da." Lester said. "Chreestoff Leevoneschekov"
"Yer late." The man growled. "You almost missed the ship. Yer fined a days pay. Get on board."
Lester nodded. His knowledge of Russian consisted of Da, Dosvidania, and Vodka. Just enough to get him on board. The only Russian on who did understand English but spoke none of it. A great cover.
It was hours after they were out to sea Lester decided to step out onto deck and look out across the open ocean as they steamed off towards the Caribbean in the moonlit summer night. A small yellow bird fluttered down to land on the rail next to him.
"You're a long way from shore song bird." Lester said quietly, not daring let any of the crew hear him speak English.
The little yellow songbird tipped its head and pleasantly chirped its song so sweet.
"Your stuck here now I'm afraid." Lester said. "You can make a new home in the tropics with me! Someone would likely want to put you in a cage, like me. I'll let you in on a secret though. I'm smarter than them. They'll never catch me. I took Billions from their biggest wizarding bank over a few years. Slowly, patiently. Paid off a few people here or there to look the other way. Like that idiot Lloyd at the arcade. Paid him to use the prize box. He assured me no one would ever win the loot I stashed in that machine, some of it the most priceless of what I stole! And the key to my unit! The first of maze of units that make up my stashes and caches! Anyone with half a brain can figure out where the next one is and where all the money is."
The songbird sang and sang it's beautiful song.
"I just wish that idiot nephew of Beauxchamps had finished the job." Lester growled. "It took a lot to hypnotize him. To brake his will and get him fully under my control and bend him fully to my will. If he had killed the Bucket girl, I wouldn't be here now. Talking to a bird."
"It's ok." The little yellow songbird said smiling as the scene around Lester changed and he found himself paralyzed standing next to the pretty young security guard Lindsey dressed in yellow, her wand pointed at his temple. A crowd of aurors, his Cousin Alana and Sasporilla Bucket standing close by. "You'll be a jail bird soon enough."
************************************
Nick Owlmore placed Lester in stupify shackles. No less than three aurors guarded him. Not since Grindlewald had a prisoner garnered such vigilance. His muggle trickery was something the wizarding community simply didn't understand.
Nick walked over to Lindsey, the young witch in yellow who had volunteered to help. "I wanted to thank you for your assistance."
"Oh it was no trouble." Lindsey smiled brightly. "I've always been rather good with TRUTH CHARMS."
"Lord help your little one if she ever tries to put one over on mum, ay?" Nick smiled.
"Indeed!" Lindsey smiled."
"Perhaps you could find a spot for her in the aurors office?" Sasporilla asked. "After the little ones old enough for school and such of course."
"I could ask." Nick smiled, put a bit on the spot. "If you're interested."
"Well," Lindsey smiled devilishly, "I have always fantasized of working for the ministry."
PLEASE REMEMBER
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )