Author's Notes: This is another short chapter but the NEXT chapter will be posted shortly and that is NOT a short chapter and is quite exciting and significant and something that I think everyone has been waiting for. So…Hope you enjoy this!

Chapter 6 Research

Corbin rode up the lift to the Ministry Archives. He'd almost gotten off at the Auror Department, but it was summer holiday now and they had almost three months before training would resume. The rest of the first year of training had flown by, a blur of defensive spells, lectures, and physical training.

Corbin showed Mrs. Black's letter to the secretary at the Ministry Records department. He'd found out about Cassius's mother a couple years ago, but he wanted to find out more about Cassius's extended family. The secretary's eyes widened at the signature on the letter and hurriedly got up, ushering Corbin into a room with a large desk.

"I'll just get you all the records, it won't be a moment," the witch bobbed up and down, half curtseying, "Pringle will bring you tea, Mr. Hill."

"Thank you," Corbin said, sitting down at the desk. The letter had gained him access before, but the wizard who had helped him then hadn't been so impressed by the Black family name. Corbin wondered, a bit uneasily, why this witch was so eager to please. A house elf brought in a tea tray heaped with sandwiches and a moment later a large stack of books came floating in.

"Here are all the volumes that mention Emma Maguire Malfoy," the witch said as the books came to a rest on the table. "Her name has been spelled to appear in red, so that you might find it more quickly."

"Thank you," Corbin said again, when he'd come before he'd only asked for the records directly related to Cassius, and that had only been the Malfoy family tree. Corbin pulled the first one to him and started to page through it.

"If you need any assistance," the witch said, curtseying again, "I'll be at the desk."

She scurried off before Corbin could thank her a third time. He found Emma's name only once in the first book, a few more times in the second and then in the third he discovered something surprising.

Emma was related to Lily Evans Potter and to Harry Potter! Corbin sipped at his second cup of tea as he sat back and pondered the discovery.

Corbin had started at Hogwarts during a scary time in the wizarding world; the war had been brewing and had broken out a year later. Cassius's cousin Regulus had died after their fifth year. Jack's parents had been killed shortly before seventh year. Rumors flew about who was a Death Eater and who wasn't. Dumbledore tried to keep Hogwarts as normal as possible, and the students had gone along, wanting to believe in something good and safe. And then…Voldemort had been defeated by Harry Potter the Halloween of Corbin's last year at Hogwarts, just after Corbin had turned 17. It seemed like the world was brand-new, like a rainstorm had suddenly stopped at the clouds came out. Harry Potter had saved the wizarding world, and he'd only been a year old. Lily and James Potter had died; Corbin remembered them vaguely from school. They'd been Head Boy and Head Girl when he'd started Hogwarts, a golden couple. Corbin wondered where Harry was now and looked back at the book, noticing Lily's sister was a muggle.

He stood up and the witch, who must have been watching him, came rushing into the room.

"Did you need anything?"

"No, thank you, I've found enough for today." Corbin showed her the books he was done with and she reserved other volumes for another day. "If I wanted information about a muggle – a distant relative, how would I go about that?"

If the witch was surprised by the question, she gave no sign, simply explained how they could get muggle records from the muggle ministry. Corbin requested more information about Lily Potter's sister and then went on his way. The witch would owl him when she got the information back.

"How was your afternoon?" Cassius asked, looking up from the book he was reading in front of the fireplace in the living room.

"It was wonderful," Corbin sat down next to him, "I found out quite a bit about your mum's family. And, it turns out she's related to Harry Potter! Isn't it amazing? He's the only living relative of your mum's I could find so far."

"Harry Potter?" Cassius looked at him with surprise.

"I know! Small world, and all that, of course, you're related to more than half of the wizarding world though marriage or blood, but still, you've got someone on your Mum's side now, who you could meet."

"No, I couldn't."

"Yes, you could."

"And tell him, what? Hello, my father raped your aunt."

"Great-aunt," Corbin corrected. "Your mum was Lily's aunt. And you wouldn't say that to him, he's only two, almost three. You would just say hello."

"I won't say anything." Cassius picked up his book again, his jaw clenched. Corbin sighed and leaned closer, pressing a kiss against Cassius's cheek.

"You hungry?"

A silent shrug answered him. Corbin decided to let the idea of meeting Harry Potter go, for now.

He went back to the ministry the next week and didn't find any other living relatives of Cassius's mother. But he did get the address of Lily's sister and her family.

Their second year of Auror training began on September 1st, and the lessons were all tougher than the first year. A few of the students dropped out of the training, transferring to other departments within the Ministry of Magic.

Corbin and Cassius continued to make the cottage their home, buying more books and furniture. Stevens proclaimed it the coziest cottage he'd ever known and Corbin felt great pride at the compliment. It was certainly exactly the type of home Cassius needed, especially after his childhood at Malfoy Manor.