In the Auror Headquarters ruled the usual happy pre-Christmas mood. Everyone looked forward to the annual Christmas banquet and the upcoming Christmas break. Except for the emergency crew (with usually unmarried employees), the 'dark wizard catchers' received each year for the period from 23. December to 02. January Christmas holiday.
Gawain Robards, the head of the Auror office since 12 years, stood with folded arms on the back in front of a beautiful picture. He sighed wearily and thought with horror of the upcoming conversation.
A knock already announced the arrival of the member of his staff.
"Come in!" he said without turning around.
"Sir, you wanted to see me?"
Robards turned to the newcomer and pointed silently to the chair at his desk and whirled back to the picture. After a while he heard the young Auror moved nervously in the chair: "Sir?!
"Have you heard of the 'Robinson case'?", he asked bluntly.
„Yes, the daughter of a minister was kidnapped by Death Eaters".
„Emily Robinson, yes! This afternoon she was freed!"
"I hope, she is well, Sir?
Robards laughed bitterly: "Yes, Emily Robinson is well, at this point, the mission successfully"
He turned again to the Auror and pointing to an on his desk lying paper: "But read yourself"
The Auror glanced at the paper,
Mission: Robinson secret level: 3
Team: Alpha
Date: 03.12.2008
Confused from this information, he asked: "I thought Auror Petersen of 'Delta-Team' should lead the mission?"
"He is ill – with the flu – and will be out for some time. Due to the tight time frame a replacement team had to take the task."
With a hand motion he asked the Auror to continue with the paper, while he walked around the desk, to take a bottle of firewhiskey out of a drawer.
Name Position Status
Ronald B. Weasley Teamleader missing
June McNeal scout clear
Terry Bailey hunter clear
Henry Clarence catcher missing
Patrik W. Smith catcher injured, grade 2
Rebecca Johnson distracter clear
Harry looked horrified at Robards, who held out a glass of firewhiskey to him, which he with trembling hands accepted.
"Ron is missing?", Harry gulped.
Sadly nodded Robards: "He and also Henry Clarence".
Hermione yawned behind her hand. "Tired?" Said her father-in-law, who went up to her in the elevator, sympathetic. "Hugo has a cold and the preschool is closed - because of dragon pox - therefore, Rose is bored, the dog had to do his business at about 2.00 o'clock in the night, I could not sleep, since my husband has currently a terrible cough - also the usual Weasley-winter-madness ", joked she.
"Oh, how are the boys?"
"Hugo's fever has dropped and Ron goes after work to a healer, he needs a Cough Potion."
"Hermione, you know, if it gets too boring for Rosie, bring her into the burrow. Viktoria spending the week there - they can both hold another tea party."
"Thank you. I will definitely come back to your offer. Today my mother is baking cookies with her. Oh, my floor, I'll see you tomorrow, bye Arthur!"
Chuckling, she passed two young women, who was talking at length about the latest fashion trend, and thought of her new dress she bought for the banquet: "Oh yeah, I'm curious what will my husband say to the sexy outfit" Elated, she went in the direction of her offices.
Her secretary Margret looked up gratefully, as Hermione put her a cup of tea on the desk: "One tea with a lot, a lot of honey for my hard-working staff".
„Oh, the good stuff", grinned Margret, "Oh, Hermione, Auror Potter is waiting in your office."
"I hope, he need not gift tips for his wife!" Laughing, she opened the door to her office:
"Honestly, Harry, after so many years you must.." Hermione stopped her flow of words: "What is wrong?"
Harry was pale, his eyes red-rimmed and in his right fist he held a piece of crumpled paper: "Hermione, I… I…", he pressed the piece of paper in her hands, "please read".
Hermione looked from the paper in her hand to Harry. "What is this?"
„Read", croaked Harry.
Hermione turned white. „No, tell me!", she demanded with trembling voice, "It's Ron, am I right" She closed her eyes and swallow repeatedly. "Is he d…dead?"
"Oh God, no, he is not dead, but he is missing!" Harry walked over to Hermione, to hug her, but she went several steps back.
"Missing? I don't understand, he just wanted to finish his paperwork! It must be a mistake!" Harry looked at her and sighed": "I wish it would be a mistake, I would do anything to make it were so, but he is really missing!" "I don't understand", repeated his sister-in-law, "I don't understand". Harry took her firmly into his arms and whispered in her ear: "We'll find him, I promise!"
Hermione broke away from his embrace and looked unemotional through Harry. "We need to inform the family".
Harry ran a hand through his hair, "Robards has already informed Kingsley and Percy ...", Harry takes a deep breath, "and Percy will take care of the family".
„That's good" nodded Hermione, "that's good". She wrapped her arms around her body as if she wanted to warm up. "What happens now ", she demanded to know.
"Robards will talk to Ron's team to find out what happened. Then he will surely put together a search party". – "I'll go too!"
"No way, Hermione, Ron will never forgive me, think of your children, please", pleaded Harry.
An icy looks from Hermione silenced Harry.
In the 2nd Stock of Auror Headquarters, where a somber mood has replaced the happy mood from the morning, Robards had already set up an operations center. On a board hung a map, right next to the photos of Ron and Henry. It seemed as if all members of the staff were present in the room. When Hermione and Harry entered the room, the areas immediately interrupted their conversation.
Hermione looked at the floor, to avoid the pitying glances.
Fortunately the arrival of Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic, distracted the wizards. "So, what happened", he demanded to know bluntly. Robards nodded to June McNeal, who cleared her throat: "At 11.00 o'clock this morning, we were informed by the Boss", she blushed, "I mean, of our team leaders, Captain Ronald Weasley, that we will set out on a liberation mission at 12.00 o'clock. Since it was not our case, he used the remaining hour to acquaint us with the facts. At the Portkey awaited us surprisingly Madam Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation and the secretary from Minister Robinson. Madam Edgecombe demanded that the secretary accompany us as an observer." –
"Madam Edgecombe is good friend with the wife of the Minister Robinson", interrupted Robards, then he nodded to Auror McNeal, to continue.
- "Captain Weasley vehemently rejected this, so she threatened us to withdraw the approval of the Portkey. Because of the schedule, we were forced to comply with her ' request'. We landed about 3 Miles from the house, where according to our informers, Emily Robinson was imprisoned. At about one hour later we - Auror Henry Clarence, Auror Patrik W. Smith and I - were able to get silently into the house. Approx. 15 minutes later we found Emily. We switched her guards off with a sleeping spell. At 15.30 o'clock we arrived with Emily at the Portkey. Somehow Auror Clarence was lost. Captain Weasley wanted to go look for him, but the secretary refused to wait. Captain Weasley said, the secretary is right, since the rescue of Emily was the first of the mission priority, and told us to use the Key without him."
"At about 15.45 o'clock the rest of the team arrived with Emily", Robards took the conversation over. "The Search party was sent out at 16.00 o'clock and came twenty minutes later unsuccessful back." He looked at his wrist watch, "Now we have 16.46 o'clock, the next search party starts at 17.00 clock – and in order not to attract attention 5 Miles away from last Portkey".
Kingsley nodded conformable and then went to Harry and Hermione. "We'll find him", he said encouragingly, "if not today, then tomorrow!"
Hermione turned to Harry: "Can I call my mother somewhere undisturbed, she's with the kids, and, and….", Harry looked at Auror McNeal, who understood instantly: "I'll take you to our locker room, there is currently no one!"
In the locker room Hermione took her cell phone and dialed her mother. "Hello, this is Rosie, who's Is speaking" – "Rose, what are you doing with grandmas phone?!". Rosie immediately dropped the phone and called after her grandmother "Nana, Mummy is on the phone!"
Hermione heard her mother coming down the stairs. "Rosie, you can not go to the phone! - Hello, Hermione, sorry, I have given Hugo just the Medicine, and the little rascal Rosie…." Jean Granger gasped completely out of breath.
"Mum is okay! I just wanted to say that it is premature to come home. Could you still watch on Rose and Hugo?"
"Sure! Hermione, what's up?" Jean noticed something was not right.
"Later, Mum, I have now to hang up. Please tell Rosie and Hugo that I love them very much." Before Jean was able to reply, Hermione had already pressed the out-button. When she looked up, she realized in horror that she was standing directly in front of the cabinet of her husband.
Hermione took a deep breath, before she carefully stroked his name on the door sign 'Ronald B. Weasley, team leader'. Surprised the cabinet was open, as she opened the door, she was faced with bags of candy, a knitted cap of Molly and his Sportswear. Also, he had pasted a picture painted by Rosie at the inner door of his cabinet.
Hermione sadly looked at the the picture, above was written 'for daddy'. Rosie had immortalized the whole family (and the dog) in the picture.
"Hermione, are you coming? The search party is right back", called Auror McNeal of the door to the locker room. Hermione gently closed the cabinet and followed her.
In the operations center was an excitement. A desperate Harry stood next to Kingsley and Robards, which looked incredulous.
"What's wrong", Hermione shouted. Harry looked at her sadly: "We had to stop the search, the whole area was full of Death Eaters, apparently they are also on the lookout for the two!"
"Now what: do you want both to leave there - alone? This is insane!", yelled Hermione.
"Of course not, what are you thinking of us", Harry shouted back.
Kingsley raised his hands: "Please calm down!" Then he turned to Hermione: "Of course, we will not give up. Tomorrow morning we will begin the search again!"
"The Minister is right, everyone goes home. Tomorrow morning at 06.00 o'clock we meet again", Robards adopted his staff.
"I am sorry, Hermione, I'm at the end of my nerves. Come, I'm taking you home," said Harry. "I can go alone!", snapped Hermione. – "I know, that I can go alone, but I want to check that you arrive safely!" Harry said pleading . – Hermione sighed: "I'm sorry too!"
Jean Granger came worried running from the kitchen, as Hermione and Harry stepped out of the Floo. "Where are the children", immediately asked Hermione. "Rosie is in her room and Hugo is sleeping. But now tell me, what's going on", demanded her mum. Hermione walked silently upstairs.
Questioningly Mrs. Granger looked at Harry. "Ron is missing" – "Oh no," Mrs. Granger struck horrified her hand to the mouth.
Before Hermione opened the door to her daughter's room, she put on a fake smile. "Hello my little rascal!" "Mummy!", beamed Rose and ran happily to her mother, who knelt down and opened her arms for a hug. She squeezed her daughter and asked: "How was your day with Nana?"
"We have baked cookies, played cards, I could watch a movie, and you know what" - she asked her mother excitedly - No, I don't know what!" smiled Hermione – "Nana brought me a new book, with Dinosa…., Din r!" – "Really?" - Rose nodded happily.
"And YOU know what, you make yourself ready for bed, while I see after your brother, and then you show me the new book".
Jean Granger listened up, but from there was nothing to hear. Sighing, she went into the kitchen to put on a teapot. She could still do not believe, that Ron, who was like a son to her, was missing.
After an hour, she went anxious up, to check on her daughter. Both kids slept soundly, therefore, she turned to the master bedroom. Carefully, she knocked on the door, but when she got no answer, she opened the door. Her daughter was curled up in a ball on the bed, her body shaking with sobs, in her hands clenched a yellow T-shirt. Jean sat down at the edge of the bed and stroked her daughters hair, while she talking soothing to her: "Ssssh, everything will be okay, I promise, sssh, Ron is strong, he comes back to you, sshh…" Only in the early morning hours Hermione fell into a fitful sleep.