Chapter Eight: Realization



May 13, 2009-Him

Diagon Alley

"What is your family like?" I asked Vivienne as we were walking around Diagon Alley. We had about another hour before the Callaways' Portkey was scheduled to arrive. Plus, now that her memory had come back it was nice to listen to her recall things.

"Well my mother is no longer with us. She died in the line of duty. She was a Muggle police officer in Denver. That's how Dad met her. He was an Auror then, someone had escaped Verbrecher Isle. That's our prison, like your Azkaban. The Muggles needed to be warned and so Dad went to the police station, and ended up talking to Mom. He fell in love with her and he told her about everything. She wasn't even shocked. That's when he knew that they should get married," she explained. I listened intently.

"So you're a half-blood, but you're practically royalty?" I asked when the information made it to my brain.

"Yes?" She questioned.

"Well it's just that here, it's only really people like Malfoy that have loads of money. They're all pure-blooded, well except for Hermione. Malfoy did something right there," I answered her confusion.

"My dad is what you would consider a pure-blood, but it's not a big deal to us. There aren't nearly as many witches and wizards in the U.S. as there are here. If we didn't marry Muggles or Muggle-borns there'd be none of us left," she furthered.

"I know, my dad's been saying that for years. I'm just surprised that's all," I told her, "Go ahead tell me more."

"Well Mom died when I was thirteen. She was pursuing a guy, and he shot her."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I interrupted.

"Thanks, but I'm okay with it. It was nine years ago. Dad didn't want to be an Auror anymore after that. Instead, he went back to the Callaway businesses. I don't pretend to know what they are and what they do so I can't tell you those details," she said laughing a little. It was now about fifteen minutes before the Portkey would be bringing her father.

"Is it just you and your father?" I questioned more.

"No, it's my dad, my three older sisters, my younger brother, and me," she answered cheerfully.

"Three older sisters?"

"Yes, three older sisters: Valerie, Veronica, and Victoria."

"That's a lot of names that begin with V."

"My mom had a thing for naming with the same letter. Her parents did it to her."

"So does your brother have a V name?"

"Nope, his name is Evan. My parents had a deal. Mom named all the girls and Dad named all the boys. Unfortunately, Dad only got to name one. And in his family the tradition is to name your first son with your middle name. My dad's name is George Evan Callaway," she said and I looked at my watch. The Portkey would be dropping her family off in just a moment.

"It's nice to hear you talking about memories, but it's just about time for them to be arriving. Let's head over to the courtyard behind the Leaky. That's where the Portkey should be dropping them," I stated and she nodded. We headed towards the Leaky as a big crowd came through. I lost sight of Vivienne and when the crowd cleared, she was no longer there.

I hurriedly went to meet her father. He was not going to like that I lost her after getting him to keep the case ours.


May 13, 2009-Her

A London Hotel

"Ben?" I asked as my eyes adjusted to the light in the room. I could just barely tell that it was him sitting close to my face.

"Ah, she does remember," he said to the other people in the room.

"No thanks to you," I spat at him. I was so angry. He was supposed to have loved me.

"Oh you're not angry about a little Memory Modification Charm, are you?"

"No, I'm mad that you tried to kill me you jerk!" I yelled as I tried to attack him. Unfortunately he had me magically bound to the chair.

"I don't remember you being this feisty. Does this change have something to do with that redheaded Auror? He seemed to be concerned when I grabbed you from the middle of that crowd," he goaded. "Are you cheating on me?"

"Cheating? You tried to kill me!" I repeated as I tried and failed again to get at him.

"No, Chris tried to kill you. He failed. I'm not sure I want to do that again. I think I just want to keep you here where you won't cause trouble. Once I'm done with this Quidditch gala, I'm going to Obliviate you properly. It'll be my reward for outwitting your pure-blooded Auror boyfriend. I can't believe you would consort with him. He's a European pure-blood. Everything we were against!"

"No he's not. He's one of the war heroes! He helped!" I yelled back at him. He gave me an angry look that I could not read and shouted something at me. I screamed from the pain before I felt myself fade.


May 13, 2009-Him

Leaky Cauldron

"She was right there with me," I panicked as I waited with Harry and Hermione for Vivienne's family to appear. Apparently their Portkey was scheduled later than we thought.

"Relax Ron, we can't do anything until her family gets here," Hermione tried to make me feel better. It wasn't working.

As I continued to think about how I had failed as an Auror, five people dropped into the courtyard. There was a bloke in his mid-fifties, three women, and a teenaged boy. Vivienne's entire family had come and I had lost her.

The bloke that I assumed was Vivienne's father stood and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm George Callaway, Vivienne's father. Where is she?"

I bowed my head in shame. How could I tell this man that I literally just lost his daughter moments ago?

"We think that she may have been taken by Benjamin De Hall," Harry said for me.

"But didn't you just have her yesterday?" He asked looking at me.

"Yes, and as we were coming to meet you, a crowd formed and she got separated from me. I think that somehow that git knew where we were supposed to meet you. There might be a leak in the Auror offices we were working with from your country," I blurted. I really hadn't come to that conclusion until it came out of my mouth. But now, I knew it had to be true.

"Daddy, I told you that he was more than everyone thought!" One of the women exclaimed. I wasn't sure which one of Vivienne's sisters she was because I had just learned about them.

"Yes, Valerie dear, you did. I apologize, Auror…" he didn't finish because he had forgotten my name.

"It's Weasley sir, and no matter if he is devilish, I should have known to keep a better watch on Vivienne," I said to him honestly. Harry looked at me concerned. As my best mate he knew that I was beating myself up over it. Hermione patted my arm. The sister who spoke, I think Mr. Callaway said it was Valerie, looked at me sympathetically as well.


May 15, 2009-Her

A London Hotel

I didn't quite know where I was when I had opened my eyes. All I knew was that I was still in a great deal of pain. I looked down at myself. My arms were covered in dark purple bruises. Whatever that hex was, it felt like I was attacked with a Beater's bat.

"Ow this hurts," I whispered and noticed the two men in the room with me. I had expected it to be Devon and Chris, but it wasn't. I had never seen these men.

"It's one of Ben's newest spells. He's been perfecting them for the Quidditch gala. It's so the Healers at their hospital have no idea how to heal any of the victims," the smaller of them told me.

"Shut up Matt!" The other scolded.

"I'm locked up here, why would it matter what he told me?" I asked the yeller.

"Because those are secrets you are no longer privileged to know," he answered in a gruff voice. I snorted at him. I didn't care that I wasn't privileged to this knowledge. As much as I hated to pretend I had any appeal at all as a woman, I was going to try. I had to attempt an escape. I just knew Ron was blaming himself for this.

"You must be really important because you know the secrets?" I tried. I either was going to get away with trying to charm him. I'm not sure though because I've never actually tried it. My sisters were the charmers and I was the kid playing Quidditch somewhere.

He seemed intrigued by my change in demeanor at first, but then spoke, "I am important. I'm fourth down from Ben." He seemed really proud of that fact. I thought it made him disgusting, but I went with what worked.

"Then you really are very important," I said with a smile. He smiled back at me and gave me a nod. "You must know what Ben wants to do with me while he's at the gala?" That particular question may have been going too far.

"Of course I do.," he answered truthfully.

"I really would like to change into better clothes. Do you think you could help me?" I knew that was sleazy, but I really couldn't think of anything else.

"Yes," he said without missing a beat, and I knew I had won. I may look small and incompetent, but because I was a Beater when I played Quidditch, I knew how to pack a punch. The moment he untied me I went for his stomach. He doubled over and Matt, his accomplice, came flying at me. I quickly held my fist out so that it connected with his nose. There really were quite a few perks to having a Muggle cop for a mother. I had wrestled a wand away from him and summoned the other to myself. However, I was starting to feel lightheaded now that all the pain from whatever this spell was came flooding back. Adrenaline only takes you so far. I hoped in my state I could apparate without splinching.

I appeared exactly where I intended to be, checked for splinching, and then collapsed.


May 18, 2009-Him

St. Mungo's

I've been sitting here for three days. Vivienne somehow managed to apparate straight to the Burrow and pass out in my mum's kitchen. My mother promptly notified me and I haven't left her side at St. Mungo's since. Whatever the hex was that he hit her with, it was powerful. She had yellowing bruises all over her body.

"Mate, you need to go home and get some decent sleep," Harry tried to coax me for the billionth time in three days. I just gave him a look. He knew the look. It was the 'I'm-Ron-Weasley-stubborn-arse' look. He rolled his eyes at me and then left me. I'm certain I heard him mutter something about over-attachment to an assignment, but I didn't care.

The door opened to Vivienne's private room and someone female spoke, "Oh, Ron, I didn't know you were in with her." Now I know that's a bloody lie because they all know I've been here for seventy-two hours. I looked up and noticed Victoria. She was the sister next closest in age to Vivienne. I only recognized her because she was the only one with blue eyes. The four of them were easily recognizable as sisters. They all had the same face shape and structure. They were all built the same way as well: short and curvy. However, Victoria and Vivienne were the two you could tell for-sure who they were. This was because Victoria was the only one that got their mother's blue eyes. I was told they were their mother's eyes when Victoria chatted with me the first night at Mungo's. While that was Victoria's defining feature, Vivienne had their mother's chocolate brown hair instead of the black hair all three of her sisters had. I actually liked having a way to tell them apart. I still couldn't figure out which one was Valerie or Veronica out of the other two.

"You're in love with her," Victoria stated. She wasn't asking me a question. She was simply stating a fact that I was bloody well aware of. I was glad I didn't have to say anything to that because Evan, Vivienne's younger brother, joined us as well. He was a decent bloke for an eighteen-year-old. Also, he was probably taking Vivienne's state the worst. I think they may have been close.

"How is she?" He asked in a sad tone.

"The same," Victoria answered.

The three of us sat there in silence like that for the next few hours before we drifted to sleep in the visitor chairs.