Chapter 489 - Proposition Ⅱ

Returning from making a shady sale, Mundungus Fletcher had happened to overhear the last part of the goblin's conversation. Licking his lips, the half-blood's eyes fill with greed over such a tasty bit of news. For a moment, he considers telling Professor Dumbledore, before dismissing the idea. T'was not anything related to the order, and besides there were others that would pay far more.

Mundungus Fletcher rubs his patchy face filled with five o'clock shadow. His eyes are bloodshot baggy brown, his long, scraggly ginger hair could use a real wash. Flicking some dandruff from his hair, he bites his lip pensively. The Auror's would call his bluff and would not give him a single dime. But Sanderson, on the other hand, would pay a pretty money for this kind of information. The Potentate liked to know everything that was going on in his territory.

Having made his mind up, Mundungus scurries away with his remaining ill-gotten goods and makes his way down to the Monarch Pub. Nervously fidgeting, he halts at the door, before hastily moving to the side as three wizards are roughly out from inside the pub and onto the rough cobblestone pavement.

The cool voice of the bartender can be heard from the open door. "You and your men forget yourself, Erie," Bertram said. "And unlike Sanderson, I shan't be pardoning either of you. You are hereby banned from London."

"Ya can't do this!" Roared a figure with a crooked nose, a hard-lined face, and thatch like hair. "Mark my words, bartender, you'll regret this! Sanderson needs us!"

A snort can be heard from inside as Bertram coldly replies, "A small time money launderer will not be sorely missed by Sanderson and considering your plans, he would have not been so merciful as I. And I can assure you that I regret nothing. Now, depart from the premise, gentlemen, I will not ask a second time." And with a loud slam the pub door shuts in front of Erie's crooked nose.

Filled with rage, and anger, Erie spits on the ground. "You'll regret this, mark my words, bartender," Erie hissed as he climbed to his feet and shoved Mundungus aside. Following close behind him are his two aides, One-eyed Joey, and Sweet-Tooth known for his yellow rotting teeth.

The three wizards quickly vanish as Mundungus seriously contemplates whether to enter or not, before finally gaining the courage to do so. The smoke-filled pub is full as usual as the sound of chatter and laughter is heard. None of the patrons pay the small time criminal any attention except for three individuals: the bartender, Bertram, and the two bouncers, Floyd and Hyde.

Trying not to shrivel beneath the gaze of the three wizards, Mundungus makes his way to the bar, but not before glancing towards the back booth with a frown. It was empty. Where was Sanderson?

Feeling as though he had made a grave mistake, Mundungus is about to turn around and leave, when he feels two large bulky figures at his back. He did not know how two such large men were able to move so quickly and silently, but they were at his back. "What are you doing here, Mundungus?" The brawny wizard with a large forehead, Hyde dangerously growled.

"You know that you aren't welcome here even if the boss forgave your debts," Floyd murmured with his beady eyes dangerously glinting eyes.

Trying to quickly salvage the situation, Mundungus holds up his arms in peace and babbles, "I just heard something that Sanderson might like to know."

The bartender, Bertram had remained silent the entire time as he polished the pub glasses by hand as usual with a cloth. His hands pause in mid-action as he slowly raises his gaze in curiosity and warning. "And what exactly would that be?" Bertram asked in his usual cool voice.

Licking his lips, Mundungus greedily holds up his hands and makes a motion of rubbing a coin between his thumb and forefingers. Hyde and Floyd growl threateningly causing Mundungus to shrivel back, but still shriek, "It's important, Sanderson would want to know!"

"Quiet, you fool," Bertram snapped as Mundungus fell silent and he glanced pointedly at Hyde and Floyd.

The pub had grown temporarily silent at Mundungus's words, but a mere scowl from Hyde and Floyd the patrons quickly go back to what they were doing. Standing threateningly in front, the two wizards stand between Mundungus and the crowd, and block their view of the situation. If anyone wanted to come closer to overhear, they would have to go through Hyde and Floyd first.

Rubbing his hands greedily together, Mundungus sneaks a peek at the bartender, before glancing around and leaning over the bar. "I overheard the goblins talking about something," Mundungus dropped a tidbit of information.

"What goblins do have nothing to do with the boss unless they are using other routes," Bertram retorted with an annoyed expression.

"Wait!" Mundungus hastily said in panic. If Sanderson did not buy his information, then who would?! And he would not see a single knut from the Auror's!

Seeing that the bartender had yet to completely turn away, Mundungus says, "I saw the head of them goblins brotherhood and one of his lackeys. They had come out of the Silver Chalice; they had met with some pureblood. They wanted the pureblood to off the goblin king and start some sort of war."

Bertram's eyes glitter with unusual interest, before that emotion swiftly vanishes. "That is merely just rumors," Bertram casually answered causing the expression of hope to die down on Mundungus's face.

"But I suppose, it was something," Bertram said before tossing a single silver sickle at the petty thief.

"That's it?" Mundungus murmured in disbelief, but his hand instantly wrapped itself around the coin.

Bertram flashes the petty thief a warning glance, before Mundungus quickly tucks his coin on his person. Glancing around in curiosity, Mundungus leans over across the bar and asks in a low voice, "So, where's Sanderson?"

"Away on business," Bertram coolly replied as he returned to polishing his glass mugs with a cloth.

Seeing that the bartender was not going to speak to him anymore, Mundungus wipes his nose clean with his filthy, but tobacco smelling sleeve. "Er, I'd like a mug of beer," he naively asked as he settled down on a bar stool for a drink.

Bertram pauses and glances coldly at the petty thief. "You have long ago outstayed your welcome, Mundungus, get out," Bertram ordered, before dismissively turning away and returning to his previous actions.

Mundungus is about to protest when he feels the two violent presences behind him. "Alright, I'm leaving!" Mundungus hurriedly squeaked, before scampering away with his tail tucked between his legs.

Hyde and Floyd watch the petty thief flee out the door as Floyd flashes the bartender a glance. "And what did Mundungus want?" Floyd pointedly asked.

"It was nothing just rumors," Bertram dismissively replied without glancing up.

Floyd narrows his beady little eyes, while Hyde shrugs his large bulky shoulders and says in satisfaction, "Good riddance, I say. Mundungus is nothing but a waste of space."

Bertram nods his head in agreement, but Floyd does not leave the subject alone. "The boss said that Hyde and I were to know as well. He didn't want any accidents, he said, before he left."

A trace of annoyance flashes through Bertram's eyes, but vanishes by the time he glances up to meet the beady eyed gaze of Floyd. "Very well," Bertram nonchalantly answered. "Mundungus just came to report that he overheard rumors of the goblins meeting with some wizards regarding the Goblin King. And that is all, just simply rumors. Mundungus didn't even get the name of just who they were meeting with!"

"See, it's nothing, Floyd," Hyde said in a reassuring fashion, before moving away towards an unruly patron.

Floyd however did not look convinced as he followed his brother. It was not that he did not trust Bertram, the bartender had always been the second in command of the boss for as long as he could remember. But there had always been something off about the bartender that just had always rubbed him the wrong way.

The boss had said that it was because Bertram had been a contractor for hire before but had been forced to retire due to some unpleasant business associated with the Prince's. And whatever that had occurred had something to do with the younger female Prince, Georgine Prince. But seeing as the witch was still alive, it could only have been the older Prince, who saved and protected his younger sister.

And yet, Floyd could still recall the conversation that ensured between the old Prince and Bertram. From the sound of it, it had been much more than that. Even more so, it had only been the boss, who had saved Bertram in exchange for a favor owed.

A loud crack causes Floyd to glance up and see his brother, Hyde holding up a struggling figure, being thrown out of the pub to the jeers of the rest of the patrons. Hyde with a smug, violent expression stomps back in satisfaction as Floyd nods his head back in approval at his brother's decisive actions.

The pub atmosphere returns to its previous state as Floyd furrows his brows in deep thought. Personally, he thought that the boss trusted Bertram far too much. In the days, since the boss had been gone, it had not passed Floyd that Bertram seemed to be consolidating his power. The very act of allowing Erie and his men was such a subtle action. Any other would have said such a gesture was extremely merciful, but not in their line of business. Actions like that were the kind that destroyed an entire organization, and got one killed. Such loose ends were better off being trimmed then allowed to fray because fray they would.

It also indicated one other thing, and that was that Bertram was tired of being second-in-command and wished to occupy an even higher seat. And Floyd was many things, but blind was not one of them. He only knew too well as his father had been a small-time dealer that had been killed by his right hand. And the spoils went to the victor including their father's ill-gotten fortune.

And so, only a day after their father's funeral, their mother, and he and his brother had been thrown onto the streets to survive. Their mother had wasted away and died not long after leaving the two boys to fend themselves. And successfully fend for themselves, they did.

It was not until the boss took pity on them and offered them a job. Ever since, then Floyd and Hyde had been his loyal dogs. They would die for him and just as easily kill for him.

Flashing Bertram at the bar a quick glance, Floyd turns away and stares at the ground to hide his menacing glare. He and Hyde would protect the boss and that even included from himself. He and his brother would see to it, but the question was how?