Simple Afternoon at the Cauldron (OPEN)

Caedus felt a bit like a plebeian as he munched on a strip of fried fish. One Butterbeer along with a fish and chips meal. But that's certainly his own train of thought running through his head at the moment since there was hardly anything that he could be doing at the moment. So far, he had been moving about the country, wandering like a man without a purpose that was trying to find something to do. Well, something that didn't involve being his own accountant and keeping track on the income to avoid taxation. Yep, book balancing was boring enough along with keeping an eye on the stocks in the Muggle market.

'Does magical Britain have a public library by chance?' Caedus thought to himself as he continued to consume his meal slowly in peace.

Gene entered the place, with his phone at his ear.

"Yes! Yes... I want the eighth division in place to repel the bandits." Gene said loudly, and he bumped into a man who was enjoying his fish.

"Yes. You will be executed if the orders aren't carried out in an hour." Gene hung up and gave a twitch of annoyance.

"Sorry. Hard to get people who listen nowadays." He told the man apologetically.

Caedus was just about to take a fried potato wedge when he felt someone bump into him along with seeing the person chattering on a cell phone. The mention of eighth division getting in position to repel bandits along with a threat of execution perked his interest in what that was all about.

"No harm done." Caedus replied while feigning ignorance to the content of whatever that man's conversation on the phone was about. "Being in command of others sounds like it's not all cracked up as thought to be."

Gene sat down beside the man and sighed.

"Its hard to teach at Hogwarts and command an army at Siberia in the same time. Name's Gene Christopher Downie. Commander of the Siberian Peacekeepers and History of Magic teacher." He extended his hand.

A professor and military commander combination was somewhat of an interesting combination even if the stress is present. At least Caedus was thinking that after hearing it from the man himself.

"Indeed." Caedus spoke before shaking the man's hand and then letting go once the formalities were done. "The name's Caedus Magnus."

Gene sat down opposite him, and shook his head.

"God... Bandits trying to wrestle in on local villages. It is irritating." Gene muttered and got himself a Butterbeer.

Sipping his beverage, Caedus noted Gene's comment before setting the tankard down.

"One gang of them or several gangs altogether?" Caedus inquired before adding. "It certainly sounds irritating if the military has to come in and do a job that a civilian militia can't handle well."

Gene heard his comment and gagged a little.

"No... I keep a private army in service of the Russian government. I'm in charge there. They're more of... Several gangs but they can't do much against all the armour I'm putting in." Gene shrugged, looking at his phone now and then.

Edit- Collin is another account of mine. Posted wrongly Sorry. Just take it as Gene's posting.

Caedus raised an eyebrow. That's certainly quite an interesting bit.

"Ah. Well, hopefully, eradicating the unsavory weeds from the garden doesn't get too difficult." Caedus remarked before munching on another piece of fried fish. "Although things can get complicated if they have the capability of hiring mercenaries or end up calling up on favors from the Russian underworld."

Gene listened intently and nodded.

"True. But the underworld is on my payroll. And I am known to crush unrest relentlessly. Besides I do them a favour now and then." Gene ordered his fish and chips.

"Alas, what can brigands with rifles do against tanks and artilleries?"

"Fleeing would be my guess." Caedus remarked. At the same time, however, he knew that ingenuity can go a long way in being a difference maker. Still, now would be a time to change gears.

"So History of Magic, eh? I heard rumors that an actual ghost taught the class long ago. Any fact regarding that?" Caedus inquired.

Gene sighed whEn his phone did not get a response.

"Actually, yes. But now, he is resting or hibernating. I'm going to take over for A long long time." Gene whistled.

"I guess the days of ghosts being employed without the need to give them a salary has its limits." Caedus remarked before sipping his Butterbeer. "A long long time you say? I can certainly imagine some kids talking later about History of Magic being like boot camp if you drilled them as rigorously as you do with your troops and subordinates."

"HEY! I RESENT THAT!" Gene protested.

"I treat my students like friends. You should call History of Magic a vacation." Gene nodded vigorously, and speared his fish that had just arrived when his phone rang.

"Ya? Ya? Ya. Perfect. Well done. Check whether the villagers are well and reinstate all stolen property, and compensate whatever lost. Also starts any rebuilding of destroyed property." Gene nodded and hung up.

"Bandits. Completely crushed. Surrounded and combed at by long-ranged artillery."

Caedus raised an eyebrow. That sounded rather easy if Gene's army had managed to eradicate the targets with artillery. Whether the bandits were just random thugs or part of an organized syndicate, however, remained a mystery and might determine on whether or not any future skirmishes were to break out down the road.

"Well done." Caedus remarked before consuming a few of the fries that remained on his plate. "Just out of curiosity, were they just Muggle bandits with black market guns? Any chance that there might have been magic-users in their ranks?"

"They're muggle syndicates armed with state-of-the-art weaponry. But I did have magic folks storming in as well, they were actually easier to deal with. But the Aurors have to come in with their Oblivators and modify the memories of the muggles there." Gene shrugged.

"But I dare say magic users are easier to handle. I dare say."

"Indeed." Caedus remarked as he consumed the last battered fried fish on his plate before emptying his mug of Butterbeer. The food and drink sure hit the spot for now. And as for the bandits that Gene's army had smashed, it was now only for time to tell on how long it would be before some new force threatens the peace that follows.