A/N: Here's the next chapter! I forgot to mention in Chapter 1 (I'm going to fix it after I post this), but in my head Tomas is pronounced as Toe-moss. Obviously it doesn't matter either way, but that's his name in my mind lol. Thank for the reviews! I hope you continue to enjoy this story!
Warning: There are some sensitive topics in here in regards to controlling relationships. If this is something that is hard for you, please don't read it. It's not too highlighted, but there are hints here and there.
Chapter 3
"Kingsley, I need to speak with you," I said as soon as I made it up to the ministry offices. Kingsley was very much involved in a meeting and by the look he was giving me; he wasn't pleased with my interruption.
"Auror Malfoy, you're interrupting an important meeting. Can it wait?" he asked in a stern voice.
"I apologize, sir, but no, it can't wait," I replied earnestly.
He sighed and gave the others in the office an apologetic look before he glared at me and walked out of his office. I followed him down the hall to his personal office and closed the door quickly. "This better be good, Draco. That meeting is very important."
"I know and I'm sorry, but this just couldn't wait. I've found him," I said.
Kingsley's brow lifted. "Found whom?"
"I found Harry!" I exclaimed.
Kingsley paled and he sank into his chair. "You found him? Alive?"
I nodded. "Yes! He's living just a few towns away from here. As we always suspected, Tomas is responsible for his disappearance and based on my conversation with Harry, he's responsible for his lack of memory of his previous life, too."
Kingsley covered his face and shook his head. I could see a few tears slipping down his cheeks. "That's wonderful. Why didn't you bring him in?"
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "Tomas has him on a very tight leash. I only found him because Tomas came into this new restaurant I went to with Granger and Weasley and they recognized him. I followed him to his house and Harry met him at the door. Tomas is controlling him. I don't think he's under the imperius because we all know that Harry can shake that off and he's not acting like a mindless person. I think that Tomas cast a memory charm on him and is also somehow keeping him from leaving him. Harry said that he's tried, but he always seems to end up back with Tomas. He's in a very dangerous situation and based on what we saw at the crime scene, Tomas has no qualms about hurting him."
"That still doesn't explain why you didn't bring him in," Kingsley repeated.
"Sorry. Last night, I wanted to follow Tomas to see if he led to Harry and he did. I could have taken him in right there, but I needed to talk to Harry, see if he was there on his own free will. He's not, but I'm afraid that if I bring Harry in, he will end up back with Tomas and we'll never see him again and if I bring Tomas in on suspicion with no evidence to back it up, he'll get out and disappear with or without Harry. I'm afraid that if he's without Harry, he'll come after him again and he'll be in danger. We have to play this right. We have to investigate. Let me get close to Harry and see what I can find out from his house. There has to be something there," I explained.
Kingsley frowned and looked thoughtful. "Alright. We'll do it your way. Get your team on Tomas while you work on Harry. We need to keep this under wraps. If Tomas finds out, he will leave. Be careful, Draco, alright?"
I nodded. "Thank you, sir." I turned and rushed out of his office and down to my own. My team was at their desks doing paperwork. "Stevens, Richards, conference room," I ordered to the two. They were the best at blending in and staying unseen. If anyone could keep tabs on Tomas, it was those two.
"What's up, boss?" they asked.
"We've had a breakthrough on Harry's case. I need you two to follow our main suspect. It is Tomas, as we've suspected the entire time. I followed him from a restaurant I was at last night and he led me straight to Harry. We have to keep this under wraps. He will leave with Harry if he has any idea that we're on to him. I will take you to their location this evening so that we can start our detail. Are we clear?" I ordered.
They both nodded and rushed from the conference room. I cast a quick patronus to Weasley. He took less than thirty seconds to meet me. "What is it? Did you find out anything?" he demanded.
I turned to look at him and smiled. "I found him. He led me right to him," I stated.
Weasley's eyes widened and he rushed forward, hugging me harder than I've ever been hugged in my life. "Thank Merlin! Where is he? Did you bring him here? Did you bring Tomas in?" he questioned as he stepped away, blushing scarlet.
"He's in a few towns over, not too far from the Phoenix. I didn't bring either of them here because we need to play it safe. Harry is definitely under some sort of memory charm and I also believe that he's being controlled in other ways by Tomas. He has no memory other than snippets and he's going by the name of James. He told me that he's tried to leave Tomas, but he somehow always ends up back where Tomas is. Stevens and Richards are going to tail Tomas and I'm going to stick close to Harry. I want this to be an airtight case and I want Tomas to be put away for the rest of his life," I told him.
Ron nodded although he didn't look happy about the part where Harry still wasn't back and that he was under a memory charm. "I understand. I'll let Hermione know. We'll keep this to ourselves and make sure it doesn't get out. I can't believe he's alright," he said as he buried his face in his hands and sobbed quietly. I shifted uncomfortably, overloaded by weird emotions that I wasn't used to seeing from Weasley.
XXXX
I went back to Harry's that night and met up with my team. They looked quite plain and I barely noticed them when I arrived. "Great disguises. Have you seen anything noteworthy?" I asked as I settled in next to them.
"Tomas came home about an hour ago. He seemed on edge. Potter definitely looked unnerved as well. Tomas stood outside the house adding to the wards and looking for any holes. He just went back in the house a few minutes ago," Stevens replied.
"Yeah, I was afraid of that. What kind of wards did he put up?" I asked as I looked at the house. We were on the porch of an abandoned house. Stevens and Richards had set-up wards around it, ones that couldn't be easily sensed and would hide us from those outside the wards. All anyone would see is an abandoned house, just as it looked every other day.
"Standard wards. A walk in the park for you," Richards replied with a wink.
I grinned and nodded. "How about you guys get some rest and I'll do first watch?" I suggested.
I didn't have to ask them twice. They went inside and I took up their seat on the porch. A pop sounded within the house and I turned to look. I heard voices and couldn't mistake the sound of a girl's voice. I growled and stood up. I walked over to the door and went inside. I was greeted by a sheepish looking Weasley and a determined Granger whose eyes found me immediately. I gave her an annoyed look and she blushed slightly.
"I'm sorry, Malfoy, she wouldn't listen to me," Weasley apologized.
"Why am I not surprised to see you, Granger?" I drawled.
She pushed her shoulders back and lifted her chin. "My best friend is across the street and he's been missing for two years. I just want to see him," she replied, starting out defiant, but then her voice started to waver and her bottom lip quivered.
I sighed. "Fine. I can't guarantee you'll see him."
She nodded and smiled as she followed me out of the house and back on the porch. We sat down and looked across the street. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. I just couldn't sit and wait. I had to see him," she said quietly.
I looked over at her and nodded. I understood her reasons. "I know. He's different though. I mean, part of him seems weak and confused and the other part is like his usual self, determined to do what he wants. They are battling each other. I could see his confusion today, but then when I suggested I'd come by again, he told me I could go to his house while Tomas was at work. He said 'what he doesn't know won't hurt him.' It was strange, but we were also talking about things unrelated to work so…." I trailed off with a laugh.
She nodded. "Harry wanted to talk about more than just work, you know," she commented.
I turned to look at her in surprise. I opened my mouth to say something, but she gasped and her eyes widened. I turned to follow her gaze. My mouth went dry and my eyes widened. Harry was on the porch in pajama bottoms and nothing else. He had tea with him which I hardly noticed. Even from this distance, he looked amazing. I felt my cheeks burn as I stared at him.
I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and turned to look. Granger was no longer next to me. I looked around quickly and then saw her walking across the yard and went to the street. "Weasley! Get your wife!" I yelled.
Weasley ran out of the house and saw Granger walking determinedly across the street. I watched as Granger approached the house and before Weasley got out of the wards he waved his wand quickly over his face. I stood at the edge of the wards as I listened to what they were saying.
"Muffin! Muffin, where are you? Here kitty-kitty!" Granger called as she looked around.
I sighed and shook my head. Weasley caught up with her and started calling for the imaginary cat. "Muffin!" he called.
I looked up and saw Harry watching them. He was frowning. He set his cup down and walked down the steps of the porch. He approached them, looking confused. "Hi, are you looking for something?" Harry asked.
Granger and Weasley stopped and looked up at him. I couldn't see their expressions, but I sincerely hoped that they were keeping their cool. "Oh, um, yes, our cat went missing and we're new to the neighborhood so we really need to find her," Granger explained as she looked around again.
Harry nodded. He still looked perplexed, but he also looked like he was trying to figure something out. "I haven't seen one on our property. Where did you move to?" he asked.
"We moved in a couple of blocks over. We checked all over there and made our way this way," Weasley replied.
I looked around and found a leaf. I picked it up and transfigured it into a cat and placed it outside the wards. Harry looked past them and pointed. "Is that her?" he asked.
Granger and Weasley turned and I sighed as I saw that they had both done glamor charms on themselves and they were good, despite the haste. "Oh my goodness! Thank you so much!" Granger exclaimed. Weasley turned and approached the transfigured cat. He picked it up. I debated about make it a feistier cat, but changed my mind.
"You're welcome. Welcome to the neighborhood. If you're in need of any books, I have a shop down the street," Harry said with a smile. He still looked perplexed despite his smile.
Granger turned back to him and I knew she was smiling. "Oh, that sounds wonderful. Thank you."
The door opened and Tomas came out. I could feel the change in the air between Granger, Weasley, and Harry. "James! What are you doing?" Tomas called sounding disgruntled.
I saw Harry roll his eyes, but it disappeared quickly, almost like he hadn't done it in the first place. He turned and smiled at Tomas. "Oh, these people lost their cat, but they've found it," he called. He turned back around and smiled at Granger and Weasley. "Have a good night," he said as he turned and started back to the house.
"You too!" Granger called.
She watched as Harry went inside with Tomas, a possessive hand on his shoulder. She growled and turned around. She walked down the road a ways, Weasley following behind her with the transfigured cat still in his arms. They walked until they were out of sight of the house and then I saw them disillusion themselves and I assumed come back towards the abandoned house.
I didn't have to wait long as Granger and Weasley both came through the wards. "That man…." Granger growled as she walked past me. Weasley set the cat down which turned back into a leaf and followed after her. She stopped and turned to look at me. I could see tears in her eyes so I knew she would be sobbing quite soon. "Get him out of there," she ordered, pointing towards the house, before she turned on her heel and went back inside.
Weasley sighed and looked at me. "You're right. I know my best mate and that man was not him, at least not entirely. Whatever Tomas is doing to him, it needs to be stopped now," he told me.
"Don't worry, I'll get him out of there as soon as possible," I promised.
Weasley nodded and walked into the house. I heard a pop and knew that they had left. I sighed and resumed my post on the porch.
