CHAPTER 4

Harry hated being confused.

It was day four of the mission and still no leads, only more deaths and disappearances. His team had carefully examined each of the crime scenes, searching for clues. The only things they knew for certain were this: a dark mark left carved in a surface, maybe a body that appeared to have been scared to death. Aveda Kedrava and deatheaters. No people to question. All of the old deatheater order had been killed or imprisoned shortly after the war.

The prophecy still hung his mind, hissing the obvious at him. It has something to do with Iris!

Of course he needed hand written proof. He needed records. Records weren't the easiest things to get, even for the head auror who saved the wizardry world at 17.

Not to mention, he despised the very thought of her being dragged through whatever was happening, for despite the heavily believed rumors concerning her ancestry, Harry was quite fond of the girl. Not every young wizard or witch was willing to discuss what the best method to rid of a demetor was or try to give a true definition to what the "dark arts" exactly were. And Iris had kept him thinking and revising his ideas since the day James introduced her their first year at Christmas break. To Harry's own surprise he had found himself whispering in James' ear, "That girl is a Keeper!" His eldest son had just looked at him in a clear whatever you say Dad look.

He concluded that he should talk to her mother. Surely she could get the records and give him something to look at that would explain something.

"Mr. Potter!"

Harry pushed aside his thoughts and looked ahead to their newest crime scene. A modest looking cottage stood before him, the front door kicked in and hanging by a hinge. Long breezy white curtains hung crookedly, ripped. A window was broken. The glass glistened in the moon light; the sharp ridged edges gleamed maliciously.

"Wands out!" Harry ordered his team in a loud whisper. They had done so already, having worked for the head auror before. Harry ran a hand down the falling door, stopping when he spotted the carved skull with a snake protruding out of its mouth on the wood work. The wind cried as it tossed his raven hair about. Jumping slightly, Harry listened harder, fighting the wind. He gasped as he realized there was more than the wind; there was also a faint sound of a child crying.

"We're going in," Harry informed the aurors behind him. "There's a child inside. Ron, with me please. Willows with Harley and Sean with Kay. We don't want any surprises." Building up courage with his best mate beside him and the cries of the unknown child, Harry pushed aside the door. Pictures that once hung on the walls were smashed on the hardware floor and furniture was overturned. They took in the scratch marks on the wall near the door, as if someone was dragged out against their will. On the far side of the room a long oak bookcase was leaning sideways, front first into the opposite wall. Harry once again listened hard. The cries seem to come from there. Muttering a revealing spell, he walked over to the fallen bookcase and pulled it back. Hidden by a shelf, crunched into a ball, was a little girl. Golden light around her blonde hair and quivering body told Harry that this was no imposter leading him into a trap. Getting down on his knees, Harry placed a hand on the girls shoulder and spoke softly and gently.

"Shhhhh, I'm here to help."

Startled the girl whirled around and Harry's green eyes met her blue – grey eyes. Harry could only stare in shock for a moment as recognition shot through him. He had seen those eyes before.

"I – I want my m—mommy," sobbed Jade, tears running down her face. "T –they took her."

Harry Potter was no longer Harry the auror. He quickly turned into Harry the parent. Making sure he was eye level with her he wiped of her tears and talked softly. "Shhh, we'll take care of you. You'll be okay." Turning to Ron, he said, "I want you to find out if she has any other family. If you find them, inform them immediately what has happened. The sooner she's with them the better. For now though, we're going to have to find a safe place for her to stay."

Ron nodded and gave Jade a small grin. "Don't worry kiddo, you're in good hands." Sniffing, Jade just looked at the two adult men and tears continued to roll down her face. As if making a final decision, she looked at harry and reached for him. Giving a small sad smile, Harry picked her up and felt the girl bury her face in his shoulder. With satisfaction he noted that that all of his team still had their wands out, ready for the unexpected.

Good, Ron's and my lessons did mean something in training. He nodded at Ron who gave the same acknowledged look at their recent members. Ron was the first to speak up,

"Well, let's get out of here."

The day after that, James sat down at breakfast in the great hall and saw Iris with the Daily Prophet.

"Anything new?" He asked her, putting a few pancakes on his plate.

"Another disappearance, but a child was found alone on the scene. It doesn't say anything more… I think their withholding that information for a reason."

James shivered. "Is the child well?"

"All it says was that they were scared but otherwise unharmed. Doesn't say much else; no age, gender, name, etc." Iris shook her head. "Poor kid."

"Yeah, no joke. That's horrible. At least they're alive." James sighed and changed the topic. "Did you finish the charms essay? I still have no clue if mine's even on the correct subject." When Iris glared at him, he added defensively, "Professor Keith wasn't exactly clear about the assignment, you said so yourself!"

"Yes," Iris agreed, sounding as though she were explaining this to a small child. "But if you have paid any attention for the past two weeks we have been back you would be able to assume correctly that you needed to write a one foot paper on how you could incorporate certain charms we have reviewed from the past six years into your future job – ouch!"

James frowned as Iris quickly withdrew her hand from her stack of papers that she had been looking through. Sticking her index finger into her mouth, James heard her mutter, "Stupid paper cut."

Without thinking, James pulled on her arm to take the finger out of her mouth and turned the harmed finger until he saw the thin line of red along side. Taking out his wand, he muttered a spell and watched in satisfaction as the skin grew back over the cut. Iris rolled her eyes but smiled.

"You didn't have to do that you know; it's really no big deal."

"Practice makes perfect. Aurors should know these things you know. And paper cuts may be small and innocent looking, but they hurt."

The bell rung for the end of breakfast. Everyone slowly got up and trudged to their first class. James and Iris joined the crowd, closely followed by Fred and Dominique, and the four of them made their way to potions.