Temptation

Lachlan was leaving Hogwarts grounds just he hhe heard several young voices shout her name. Well, not exactly her name, but a pretty close description of her yelled in a high-pitched voice worked nicely in lieu of \"Agent Lachlan\".

\"Hey auror lady with the purple and green hair! Hello! You! We need your help!\" Lachlan spun around, annoyed. Leave it to some random Hufflepuffs to entreat her aid when tg tog to get away from Slytherin bullies. She had much better things to do with her time than rescue a couple of kids from their tormenters. Yes, much better things to do whose names included both \"Sirius\" and \"Black\". She longed to return to her cabin and subsequently Sirius. Of course, she knew that the smart thing to do was to clear things up with the case before starting to get involved but it was hard to tell her heart that. She was bordering on obsession when it came to that man.

Resigned to at least telling the children she couldn\'t help, Lachlan spun around. She was shocked to be face-to-face with the legendary Harry Pottero, to, the Boy who Lived himself was asking her for help. This could prove interesting. At least this gave her the opportunity to question the Weasley boy about the break-in earlier. She had to prove to herself that Black wasn\'t a dangerous criminal. Lachlan knew she\'d never be able to reconcile falling head over heels with a man who would threaten children in order to achieve his goals in addition to murder. She had to clear Sirius or she\'d go insane and be shipped off to St. Mungo\'s for the rest of her life.

\"Harry Potter and Mr. Weasley I see. I assume your other friend is Hermione Granger?\" All three teenagers nodded simultaneously. \"I\'m Tara Lachlan and I\'m working on the Black case. I could use your help.\" Harry looked at Ron and Hermione befturnturning his gaze back to Lachlan and stating his purpose in flagging her down outside the gates.

\"Is it true that you are the strongest auror ever employed by the Ministry? My Dad\'s told me about you before.\" Hermione swiftly elbowed Ron andselysely told him that if that were the case then she, Lachlan, would have already caught the infamous Black. If she only knew…

\"I\'m good at what I do, but by no means am I the best auror at the Ministry. The only reason I\'m so \'famous,\' is because I\'m a metamorphmagus, not because I\'m bloody spectacular.\" Lachlan smiled disarmingly at the three teenagers. Her sister would have seen right through this charade, but without the added benefits of divinatory powerse the three were in the dark about how nervous the auror was.

\"It doesn\'t matter how talented you are at your job. What matters right now is whether or not you will help us find Black. He murdered my parents!\" Ha's e's eyes flashed as his temper grew. Something about the way the auror was so relaxed about Black\'s escape angered him. This man had brutally murdered his father\'s friend in addition to twelve unsuspecting Muggles. He deserved to be punished, not investigated!

\"If the three of you can sneak away, I\'m going to the Three Broomsticks. I\'d like to talk to Mr. Weasley, if I could?\" Lachlan tried to maintain an aura of professionalism but nothing could hide the glint of mischief in her eyes. She knew as well as they did: all Hogwarts students knew how to sneak out of school if they hadn\'t learned anything else.

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AN--Sorry so short!