Ron sat watching his son-in-law holding the little girl, she was sobbing in to Scorpius' shoulder and the sound was enough to bring tears in to the older auror's eyes.
Why the hell would two intelligent beings put a child through this?! He could feel the anger building as he surveyed what he supposed had once been a happy home. Not a thing looked out-of-place, in fact it looked picture perfect, ready for a spread in Witch Weekly.
It was a home that many witches and wizards envied and had been featured many times, from the first article about Tina Marie the teenage singing sensation then the engagement party celebrating her engagement to Benny Wood, England's rising star seeker, their wedding here on the spacious lawn, which he and Hermione had attended, guests of the grooms parents Oliver and Patty Wood to the smiling couple just after the birth of their daughter 4 years ago.
Lately the news coming from the home had not been as happy or worthy of admiration. Musical Tastes had changed, Tina had not been able to make the adjustment and whispers had started about late night binges and rumored affairs.
Benny's career had not gone well either the past two years. I powerfully hit bludger had broken his pelvis in the nationals, since then he did not fly as aggressively, in fact it was said he had lost his nerve.
The aurors had been called to this home before, complaints from the neighbors about loud fights and drunken brawls. Each adult fixated on their own disappointments and looking for ways to self medicate and escape the harsh reality of a life not going as either had planned.
It had never been this bad before. Oliver Wood and his wife had begun dropping by daily to check on the little family, especially to see if their granddaughter Mindy was well and taken care of. Ron knew his nephew, Al Potter, had been hired by Oliver and Patty to start proceedings to have custody of the 4-year-old awarded to them.
Now little Mindy sobbed into Scorpius' shoulder, Oliver had been taken to St. Mungo's in desperate shape from a stab wound his own son had inflicted. Tina was slumped in a chair on the patio her eyes vacantly staring, her voice stilled forever, blood covered the front of her two piece from the gaping hole in her throat.
Ron had sent his best tracking team to find Benny, the evidence branch of the magical Law was tending to the body and collecting evidence. Louis, his nephew, and an auror excellent at breaking bad news to victims families was on his way to Tina's Parents house and another trusted auror had gone to take Oliver's wife to wait at the hospital.
Sorting this out would take a while and in the mean time he had to face the press he knew would be waiting outside the wards the responding team had set up upon arrival. Scorpius would eventually take the little girl to St. Mungo's and skilled medi-witches and wizards would attempt to reverse the damage done to her from seeing her father kill her mother and possible kill her grandfather.
Ron ran a large weathered hand across his face, maybe Harry had it right retiring to teach at Hogwarts. Anyone watching the head Auror would have seen him sigh and square his shoulders as he walked over to the white-haired man holding the now quiet girl. "Malfoy do you think she is alright to taken to St. Mungo's now?" Professional, despite the sadness and anger he felt, only those who knew him well, like the son-in-law sitting before him, would be able to see the caring and weariness in his eyes.
"Yes sir, I promised Mindy here I would introduce her to some friends of ours."
Ron smiled at the little beauty peeking from the protective curve of the young aurors arms and chest. "Very good" then he added softly, "I'll let Rose know you will be late tonight, thank you son." Ron knew Scorpius would not leave his charge until she was well cared for and had someone who loved her there.
He watched Scorpius exit through the fireplace with Mindy in his arms, checked with the team collecting evidence and the newly arrived team from the morgue. Then, pulling himself upright he strode out the door and toward the waiting reporters.
"I will be making a short statement and will be taking no questions at this time. We are involved in an ongoing investigation and have very little information at this time. At approximately 3:45 pm today we received an emergency patroness concerning a possible homicide at 3500 golden grove..."
Rose turned off the cable-less set with a flick of her wand just as her Dad's press conference ended. What a mess. She was not surprised when, seconds later, her dad's Terrier bounded in to the room through a solid wall and in his voice said "Honey. Scorpius will be working late tonight and could you let Aunt Fleur Louis will not be by for dinner either. Thanks."
She sighed, sent a hastily scribbled note flying to the Cannon's press department, with a duplicate to James Potter, her cousin and boss then sticking her head into the fire in her office said clearly "Fleur Weasley's office, Vela Made"
"Aunt Fleur are you in?"
The large office chair turned and her still stunning aunt smiled her direction. "Vat do I owe the 'onner of a call from mon bella niece to?"
Rose smiled sadly at Fleur "I take it you have not had the wire-less or the Cable-less on, Dad just sent word Scorpius and Louis will be working late, all I know is what I've seen on CLSN, there are reports of a murder at Oliver Wood's son's home..."
When James and Rhonda, their head of PR strode in to her office she was back at her desk a large muggle yellow legal pad at the ready. "We have a personal and professional problem, CLSN is reporting a murder at Benny Wood's house..."
Hermione leaned back in her office chair and wiped her eyes. Ron had just sent a thorough report of the situation as it was unfolding. Little did she know when she became MOM how difficult separating personal from professional would be. Oliver was a good friend and her first instinct had ben to go to St. Mungo's to be with Patty and to check on the little girl, but she had responsibilities here. The one thing she could do was let Harry and Ginny know, checking her watch she realized that dinner would be in full swing at Hogwarts, a patronus from the MOM bounding up to the head table would cause undue alarm. Instead she tapped the coin she always had on hand with her wand and murmured a message meant only for her brother and sister-in-law.
Seconds later in Scotland Ginny felt the vibration in her vest pocket and noticed her husband was taking out his coin too. After reading the hurried message they met at Neville's chair, had a hushed conversation with the head master and with his nod strode toward the secure anteroom set aside for emergency flue transport.
After whirling past countless fireplaces they arrived in the lobby of the Hospital and hurried toward the intensive care waiting room. Patty a small framed woman looked even smaller leaning on Louis' arm. Ginny knelt before her and enveloped her in a loving embrace...
It had been a month since that sad day, Ron sat at his desk and closed the file on the case, Benny had been found, dead by his own hand, just outside the Cannon's stadium. Tina's mother had suffered a complete breakdown at hearing of the death of her only child, her elderly husband was almost as lost as she was and both were being cared for at St. Mungo's.
Oliver had barely pulled through, George and Angelina had taken him. Patty and little Mindy to their warm island for them all to gain strength. They all knew that this was a family that would suffer for the rest of their lives because of a pair of stupid acts by a person who could not see past his pain.
Sal, his secretary poked her head in "Mr. Weasley it's quitting time, do you need anything else?"
Ron smiled at the small curvy older woman who reminded him so much of his mum, "No you have a good weekend Sal and give that new great-granddaughter of yours a snuggle for me too OK?"
Putting away the papers on his desk and securing the drawers he left his office, stopping by the on duty desk to leave word he would be at the burrow all weekend if he was needed. Shaking off the gloom that lingered from the report he had just read he headed to the fireplaces, he had some groceries to get, and he wanted to stop by WWW, he and Hermione were babysitting the grandchildren for Hugo and his wife while they took a well deserved holiday.