Deep in the bowels of London, down a dark street where the sun never seemed to shine. This was a place where the scum of society dwelled, thieves, killers, hit-men, organized crime members, fences, prostitutes, all of them at the least passed through here. And on this street, there was a bar.
Nobody was quite sure who actually owned it, and it had been open only for a short time, a handful of months at most, and defiantly less than a year, but in that short time it had not only become a hotspot for the various criminals of the area, but it had also become the most peaceful place for two reasons, and those two reasons were the young couple who ran the bar.
The woman seemed older, but only by a couple years, maybe thirty at the oldest, with dark hair and eyes with a tan, slender build, but her strength belied her thin body, as those who had tried to hit on her could attest. Some even said it was like she had extra arms to hit with. That wasn�t her real weapon, though, because while she was strong, her true powers lie in her mind. It seemed like anything that happened within the boundaries of the bar, and even some areas outside, was known to her. Whatever deeds people bragged, whatever secrets were whispered, whatever was written and passed, even if she was nowhere nearby, all of it was known to her. The information she�d had not only kept people n their best behavior, but information also got many customers to come in just for the chance to grease some out of her hands.
The man was, at most, a couple years younger, with black, shaggy hair and green eyes. He didn�t talk much, mostly because he didn�t need to, because he was strong. Most of the local piss-ants were scared stiff just by his glare, a lot even fainted just by locking eyes with him. But what really scared people was when he actually had to fight, when he seemed as fast as lightning and as strong as a Greek legend, to a point where many of his opponents where beaten unconscious before they even knew he�d moved. Some said he�d bent and broken blades with his bare hands. Some even said they�d seen him dodge and catch bullets like some sort of super hero.
In less than two weeks of opening, the pair, and by extension their bar, had become off limits to anyone who wanted to not end up in the hospital or the morgue. It actually became popular as a neutral ground, and was in surprisingly good and clean condition for the area, despite the fact that the couple seemed to be the only workers aside from the occasional live band.
And it was in front of this bar that a group of people now stood. Some were dressed normally and others looked like they grabbed a bunch of brightly colored clothes at random from the bargain bin, a couple even seemed to be wearing clothes that looked straight out of the thirties. But all of them looked in no way like they should be on that street. How they had gotten there without catching attention was anyone�s guess.
�Albus,� a normally dressed redhead whispered to an old man in an equally old brown business suit, �Are you sure he�s here? I mean,� she looked around, �The spell didn�t work the first few times, and to lead us here it might have been wrong.�
�It is puzzling, Lily,� Albus responded, �But the spell cast used your and James� blood, so it would lead us to any who shared the blood of you both. I do not know why it didn�t lead us to him before, but this is our only lead.� As Albus lead the group into the bar, unable to shake the feeling he was being watched.
Inside it was quiet, with only a woman in jeans and a tank top, polishing the bar. Despite the location of the bar, it was in incredibly good condition, waxed wood floors, completely undamaged tables, good lighting, but still dim enough to appease the drinking crowd.
�We�re closed,� the woman said, not even looking up from the bar, �I�m sorry but aren�t open on Sundays.�
�Beg your pardon, miss, but we simply came to find someone,� Albus began, before the woman looked up and locked eyes with him.
She put down the rag and leaned against the counter behind her, a slight, mysterious smile on her face, �Oh, and who, pray tell, would be so important as to bring the great Albus Dumbledore to my bar?� The man looked stymied as she continued, �And Lily and James Potter, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, you even brought some of you Order minions,� The woman�s smile never faded as she spoke, �It�s a veritable �who�s who� of Tom Riddles target list.� The moment that name was spoken, the group went for their pockets, but it was too late as a number of wand flew through the air, seemingly without a single spell cast, and into the woman�s hand, �I must ask you follow the same rules as all our patrons, no weapons in the bar.� She turned her back, opening a locked drawer to stow the wands.
Dumbledore, along with all others present, was stunned. This woman not only knew them, but had disarmed them without even trying, and it almost looked like she�d done it without magic. That stuck in his head, she had disarmed him, and she had taken the Elder Wand. This unknown woman was now the master of the most powerful wand ever made.
�I wouldn�t do that, Mr. Moody,� the woman said, her back still to them as she locked the drawer, �I left your spare wand because you, alone, can�t beat me, and I would rather not add a broken spine to your already extensive list of injuries in battle.� She turned back to the group, �Oh, forgive my manners, I am Robin, Robin Nico, one of the owners of this establishment.�
Dumbledore Finally recovered his voice from the surprise, �I apologize, Miss Nico, we didn�t know this was a witch owned business.�
To that, Robin gave a small chuckle, �I am many things, Mr. Dumbledore, but a witch is not one of them.�
A spell, surprisingly cast by an antsy Snape, suddenly barreled towards Robin, only to be intercepted by a tumbler in mid air, stopping the spell and shattering the glass, Robin didn�t even blink during the exchange.
�I�d ask that you not do that again, Mr. Snape, it�s difficult to replace a tumbler on a Sunday. And I notice you still haven�t answered my question, who exactly are you looking for?�
�Please,� Lily stepped forward, looking desperate, �We�re looking for my lost son, Harry.�
Robin�s smile finally left, replaced with a blank, neutral expression, �Ah, yes, the young lost Potter, Harry, the same one you tended to neglect after his brother survived the killing curse, who at the age of three was sent to live with you sister because you worried he�d get jealous of the special treatment his brother got, or was it because there was nothing Harry could do to add to your families growing notoriety?�
James stepped up to defend his wife, �We loved Harry and we�re trying to find him. We want to make it up to him, to show him we�re sorry.�
�Really, Mr. Potter, so it has nothing at all to do with a little prophecy that you�ve found applies to him and not his brother?� She was greeted with surprised expressions, �If you loved him, Mr. Potter, then where you when he uncle first struck him? If you loved him, Mrs. Potter, then where were you when your sister degraded him, telling him his mother was a whore who didn�t want him? When did you even notice he was missing? Because, from what I�ve found, the search didn�t start until roughly September 13, 1991, about 6 years after he disappeared from the cupboard that was him home. So, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter, which is it, truthfully? Do you really want your son back? Or do you want the sacrificial lamb for your prophesy?�
�That�s enough!� Sirius yelled, �Do you know where Harry is, bitch or-ACK�
Sirius suddenly fell to his knees, like a great weight was on him, on his spirit. He fared better than those near him, though, as Mudungus Fletcher, Elphias Dodge and Dedalus Diggle, all fell in a dead faint, mouths foaming.
�I�d suggest you not insult my girl again,� a gruff voice sounded from the door to the back room, where stood a man about Robin�s age, dressed in long pants and a t-shirt bearing a cartoonish skull and bones wearing a straw hat. His face was obscured by his long bangs as well as the large crate on his shoulder. �I�ve beaten men near to death for less.�
He stepped past the order members, with Moody and Snape trying in vain to revive the fallen. The man sat the crate on the floor in front of the bar, before facing them and leaning back on the bar, his face still darkened by his hair, �So, Robin-chan,� the man began, already starting to confuse some of the order, �who are these oddballs?�
Robin�s smile returned, �They�re some wizards and they�re looking for someone.�
�Please, sir,� Lily cut in, �We�re trying to find my son, a blood tracing spell said he is here. He has black hair and green eyes, he�s almost sixteen and his name�s Harry.�
The man stared at her for a moment, and then looked at Robin, who oddly nodded, and then back to the order before he burst out laughing.
�Lady, you�ve found him,� The man bellowed as he laughed. He lifted his bangs, revealing a noticeable scar on his brow, �I�m Suigyoku Hari, the Shinigami Hisui, the Jade Death-god, and formerly known as Harry Potter.�