OMFG

I am SO sorry, I haven't updated for a ridiculously long time. I'm going away for a week, but I will try and update again when I get back.

Kizmet: thanks for pointing out the 'Dimmock' conundrum, I honestly had not noticed! I'm just going to leave the names as they are though, you can just pretend that they're brothers or cousins or something!

Chapter 10

"Harry? Harry! Wake up!"

"Huh…"

Harry Potter raised his head to find he had fallen asleep at his desk. Again. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking up at his friend Ron who was regarding him sympathetically. After James had been born, Ron had laughed at Harry's exhaustion. Now however, the red-head had just been through exactly the same thing with Rose. Taking care of a new-born was no laughing matter. Taking care of a new-born whilst also looking out for a toddler who had just discovered the art of running…

Ron placed a cup of coffee in front of Harry, and he gulped it eagerly.

"Croaker wants to see you," said Ron after a moment. "The memo came through a little while ago, but I thought you could do with some sleep."

"Thanks," mumbled Harry. He got to his feet, grabbing his cloak. "I'll be back soon."

"What does Croaker want?" asked Ron curiously. "It's not very often Section 101 contacts someone outside of their department…" he looked anxiously at Harry. "They're not… recruiting you, are they?"

"I seriously doubt it," laughed Harry. "I think I know what this is about; I'll tell you later… if I can."

"Sure."

Harry left his office and hurried down the corridor. The last few weeks had been seriously hectic. Albus had been born safely, for which he was extremely grateful. However Carl Power's sudden death had placed grief and pressure on everyone in the Auror department. Then there was the slight issue of Andrew West's disappearance. The ministry man had disappeared, seemingly into thin air, and taken some top secret plans with him…

"Ah, Mr Potter, please come in."

Harry stepped inside Croaker's office. The old man was sitting in his chair, writing slowly with a large quill. Harry sat in the chair opposite, feeling slightly nervous.

"Now, Mr Potter," said Croaker, resting the quill on the desk. "Before I begin, I must stress that your request was highly irregular. Highly irregular indeed."

"I know that, sir," said Harry. "But as our memo explained, we have concerns about the family of the late Mr Holmes, and we believe his work may have been a part of it."

Croaker nodded.

"I have the file here," he said. "I must ask that its contents remain secret. This is very sensitive information, ground-breaking research. If Mr Holmes was abusing this…"

He shivered. Harry picked up the brown folder.

"Thank you, sir," he said. "I will return it as soon as I am done."

XXX

Sherlock dozed on the grass, thinking.

Today they had had their last exam. It was all over for another year, and soon they would be heading home. Since Carl's death, a gloom had settled over the whole school, and it would be a relief to leave the castle for the holidays, ready to start afresh in September.

John had a less positive outlook on the summer. He and Harry would be staying with Sherlock's family. Although he would enjoy the company of his best friend, he wished he could go home to be with his mother.

The two lay in a comfortable silence.

XXX

"John?"

John turned to find his brother looking at him from behind a pillar.

"Hey, Harry. How are you?"

"Good," he said, twisting his hands nervously in his pockets. "It's just…"

His face twisted into a grimace, and John led him to a stone bench to sit down.

"Andy West's disappeared," he said. John frowned.

"The fifth year Gryffindor?"

"No, his father. He's just vanished. The ministry can't find him."

"I see… oh, that's awful."

He put an arm around his brother, and to his surprise, the boy accepted the comfort.

"It's my fault," he sobbed.

"Don't be silly, how is this your fault."

"Everything seems to happen to us. The twins are my friends, and now their dad's gone."

"Now stop being so daft," said John firmly. "We've had a rough year, that's all. But none of it was your fault, you hear?"

Harry nodded, eyes wet. For the first time since their mother had died, Harry had come to John for comfort. It was progress.

XXX

Ginny Potter was worried about her husband. All week he had had lines of concern etched onto his face. He had barely spoken, and when people tried to talk to him, he didn't always seem to notice.

She knew that he was stressed. The whole ministry was in turmoil over the dead boy, and the missing man, but Harry seemed to be struggling more than the rest. Ron had whispered to her that he was involved in a little project 'on the side', and that he was refusing to talk to anybody about it, but it had something to do with the Department of Mysteries.

Ginny remembered full well the horror that had unfolded last time she visited the place, and wondered what in Merlin's name Harry had got himself into now. Whether he was a boy, a teenager or an adult, he always seemed to find himself in trouble. Ginny had trained herself not to worry about him when he was on his Auror missions, but this…

Ginny kept herself occupied. It wasn't hard, what with two young children, Teddy's gran in and out of St Mungo's, and the enormous, ever expanding Weasley family. She also considered herself a foster mother of sorts to the Watson children. Although she had never met the boy, she was sure that John's friend Sherlock must be as delightful as those two, no matter what Ron said.

One night, she woke when something poked her back. She rolled over, but lurched backwards quickly to avoid Harry's flying fist.

"What…"

Harry was tossing and turning in his sleep, sweat pouring down his face. His breath was coming in swift, short gasps.

"Harry, wake up!"

He moaned in response, but didn't wake. She shook his shoulders.

"Harry, WAKE UP!"

He sat bolt upright, panting. She took his hand in hers.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter?"

He shook his head wordlessly.

"Harry…"

"It's nothing, Ginny," he said quietly.

"Doesn't seem like nothing."

"It's just… this case I'm working on, that's all."

She crossed her arms stubbornly.

"A case has never affected you like this before, not even when you were putting Death Eaters on trial. Start talking."

He sighed.

"You know, Sherlock Holmes…"

"Yes, John mentioned him a couple of times. What about him."

"Well I've been reading his father's notes… Ginny, it's awful."

"Tell me."

Harry closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

"Caius Holmes was researching the Unforgivable Curses."