Chapter Two
Mad World
And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had I find it hard to tell you
Cause I find it hard to take
When people run in circles It's a very, very
Mad world
Hermione sat cross-legged on her desk staring intently at her cluttered wall. She was waiting for something anything to jump out to her, to tell her something anything. It had been three days since her confrontation with Harry. It had left her drained and defeated, which was becoming more frequent with her get-togethers with him recently.
Maybe Harry was right, Draco Malfoy was not meant to be found but to be forever lost. She started shaking her head back and fourth, 'no' she thought she could not give up now, because between the time she had started her inquiry of the Malfoy case and now something had changed. It was not merely a task where she could drown her sorrows in, a distraction, it became something more.
It became more important with every passing day. The more she looked through all of the documents the more she realized she was missing something big. Eyewitness accounts, statements from some captured Death Eaters, nothing was connecting. Nothing about Draco Malfoy made any sense.
Slowly getting off her desk she cross the small gap to her wall. Lifting her right hand she gingerly let her fingers brush softly over the most resent picture she had of Draco Malfoy. It was taken sometime during their 6th year most likely by Colin Creevey who took pictures of everything he saw. Not being developed with magic, the picture stood as a still frame. This moment in time that was captured was different from the Malfoy she remembered years ago.
This boy she was looking at was staring right back at her with the most intense eyes she had ever seen. In this one photographed, it had shown more emotion from Malfoy, then the six years she had known him. This photo revealed more about this boy then any moving one would have.
Looking back up into his eyes she realized just how handsome he had been. His eyes were the most beautiful ice blue eyes she had ever seen. She always assumed his they were gray and cold but from this picture she was surly mistaking. His hair looked like it had been tousled in the wind only to make him more appealing. His light blonde hair sparkled in the sun.
The clock on her wall started to chime breaking Hermione from her trance. It was 12 am had she really been here that long. Looking at her calendar she realized it was June 5th. Slowly she started packing her things up to bring home, before extinguishing the lights in her office she took one last look at the Photograph.
"Happy Birthday Draco"
Another year gone, lost.
…. ….
It was the most beautiful weather London had seen for a mouth. Hermione of course was not enjoying the sunlight being stuck down in the dark damp basement. Today she had actual work to be done. As she archived the last of the new documents given to her that morning Hermione heard a soft cough behind her.
Quickly turning around she yelped "John what are you doing here, your not suppose to be down here."
"That's the problem with you Brit wizards' lack of security within your own walls" He said smiling at her. John Miller was very handsome and prominent US Foreign Affairs Officer from the wizard sector. He had taken a liking to Hermione during his stay over seas, to Hermione he was the closest thing she had come to dating someone.
"Again what are you doing down here." She said putting her hands on her hips.
"I am taking you out to lunch," His smile widen even more, "You didn't think I was going to let you coup yourself up down here on a day like this."
"I guess I don't have a choice now do I." she looked at him and his face confirmed her statement. "Let me just grab my bag"
"Great, so I was thinking muggle London for lunch the Ministry's restaurants are practically medieval." He said following Hermione into her office. Looking around he clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth pointing to her wall. "Any new leads?"
Picking up her bag and swinging it over her shoulder she blew out some air, "I got more information but nothing that seems to lead me in any new directions."
"Tell you what bring your files will look at it over lunch"
"I'm not suppose to bring files out of the archive"
"And what other witch or wizard will be around to know?"
"I guess your right"
"You know I am right" He gently pulled her arm gilding her out the door.
….
The sun was shining brightly over the midday sky. Hermione and John were currently under a table umbrella at a small muggle sandwich shop. Documents carefully spread across the table.
"See the more I look at this case the more holes I find" Herminie said frustrated.
"No, you're just looking at it the wrong way"
"And what way am I looking at it?" she tilted her head to the side encouraging him to go on.
He shook his head laughing, "With bias and assumptions."
She leaned on the table, "and what is that suppose to mean."
"You know your not looking out side of the box," He started to explain, "You see this kid as nothing but a pureblood, with no connections except to other purebloods."
She started laughing, "Trust me I have been through all his family records."
"Are you sure you have been going through the right family records."
"Can you just get to the point John" She was getting irritated from him beating around the bush and maybe because he seemed to know something he was not telling her.
"Sometimes Hermione you need an outside eye to make things clear when you have been looking at it for so long." He smiled and pulled out another folder from his briefcase.
"I took the liberty of using some of my connection over here to do some research of my own."
"The Black Family?" Hermione was confused at first, and then realized something his mother came from the black family. "Oh my god I can not believe nobody thought not to look into this."
"Well considering that the majority of the family is dead I can understand why" He said scratching his head, "But there is one hole in the family that might be a clue."
"Really?" she grabbed the folder and started reading over some of the documents it contained.
Document One
Isla Black born 1855 married muggle Bob Hitchens in 1876
Document Two
Marius Black born 1918 – squib, adopted by great aunt Isla Black
Hermione looked up "you think this could be our lead?"
"Correction your lead, remember I am not suppose to have seen these documents." He said pointing down at the table.
"Hey it says here that they disappeared from the records after World War I" Hermione was once again defeated another dead end.
"From the wizard records yes but the muggle records that I dug up tell a different story." He said using that all knowing smile she was beginning to hate. "Do you remember what the only way to get into the United States is?"
That was it she could not believe it. "The only way since 1914 is to use muggle means i.e. boat or plane."
"Exactly! And here are the records showing in 1920 two tickets for the MSM Liberty for an Isla Hitchens and a small Marius Black a year after her husband's death."
"So what you're saying is that he could be in the States?" Hermione couldn't believe it, it was pretty far fetch, but then again it was her only lead.
"I looked into some census reports and I found out that Marius Black settled in Salem Massachusetts. A lot of old money Wizarding families happen to live there and the Blacks still do. Here is your plane ticket you leave next week." He said this while placing her ticket in front of her.
"Wait, you, I couldn't possibly," Hermione stoppered.
"Don't say anything I could get into a lot of trouble over here by helping you; just say you are going away for a long awaited vacation." He smiled once again she couldn't believe this she had a lead and a means of following it up. She got up and over to John engulfing him in a hug.
"Thank you" she whispered. "But couldn't you have found out if the Blacks had any relatives move in with them in the last seven years?"
John laughed "I'm afraid I don't have a high enough clearance for that, trust me I tried your going to have to do some old school detective work on your own."
Hermione smiled and nodded for the first time in a long time she felt free from the mad world that she had surrounded herself in. Even if this little mission was a long shot it was the only thing she had at the moment and she was going to use it to her fullest potential.
It had been four long years she had spent on this case it was about time she got some answers.
