A/N: So again I wanted to thank my readers and especially my reviewers! You motivate me to keep this going, and I really do enjoy it just as much as you. With that I just want to say that you'll like this one! ;)
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They walked slowly along one of the paths in Hyde Park, lined by trees bare of their leaves and benches placed evenly along one side. The sky had grown grayer over the past couple hours they had been in the Ministry and during their late lunch. Muggles bundled in coats and jackets with scarfs and gloves passed them as they slowly walked in silence.
Rose watched as Scorpius adjusted the gray scarf he was wearing around his neck under his black pea coat. He had a white and blue plaid button down shirt tucked into a pair of slim tan corduroy pants, with a black belt, shoes, and gloves. As they walked she took a final sip of her tea from a coffee shop they had stopped in just before they entered the park, Scorpius had just tossed his in a bin. She drained the cup before dropping it into a bin as well.
It was odd but for the first time in years she was just comfortably silent with him, something that had not really happened since seventh year at Hogwarts. She smiled to herself. The hug she gave him, and the fact they he held her back, tentatively at first, but quickly tightening around her, had eliminated her ability to deny that her feelings for Scorpius were still as strong as ever.
His light blonde hair had grown over the last three and a half weeks since she first saw him at her mother's inauguration ball. It was no longer short on the sides, and the top wasn't combed up and back. Now it was parted simply on his left side, with the front twisting over and to the right. His face was lightly brushed with stubble. He was so handsome, he was perfect.
Rose had felt a pang of jealousy when their waitress at lunch had tried to flirt with him. Instinctively she had reached over and moved a strand of hair that had fallen onto his forehead back into place. Scorpius had looked at when she did that with a smile, lightly brushing his fingers along her arm when she pulled them back. The gesture caused the waitress to look at Rose blushing then smile with a nod that she understood Scorpius was off limits.
There was however a pang of worry in Rose. While at first she wasn't thrilled with having Scorpius as a roommate, but she had gotten over that very quickly. She didn't want him to leave now that his job was no longer her protection. She didn't want him to use the excuse of his life being threatened as a reason to keep his distance form her. So without thinking twice she linked her free left arm around his right and pulled herself against him.
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The sudden gesture caught Scorpius off guard for a moment, but without questioning it he tightened their arms together. She was also in a black coat over her, but with a deep blue scarf that matched her pants, a brown boots and a belt with a white blouse and gloves. Her long wavy red hair fell over her right shoulder. He noticed that she had a light amount of makeup on, but what he was drawn to was her red lips. His eyes lingered their before they jumped up to her blue eyes.
His gaze met hers for a brief moment before he smiled then turned and his gaze ahead. His mind was more at ease than he could remember it being in a long time, probably not this calm since he had been at school. Scorpius was also starting to realize just how much more touchy he and Rose had become since their talk about Muldoon in the kitchen. Yet Scorpius still wasn't sure if it was because she still had feelings for him or something else. Pity perhaps?
They had been confiding in one another over the last few weeks and last week everything was now in the open. Scorpius was worried that maybe she had moved on from any romantic feelings, that because of the openness Rose now saw him only as a close friend.
But a friend doesn't want to go dancing with another friend for no reason, right? Well, they do, but what about in the restaurant? When Rose had fixed his hair. The waitress was flirting and then she stopped when Rose did that. Or when she was rubbing his chest like she use to do when they... well that wasn't something a gentleman shared with anyone else. The last thought sent Scorpius's mind reeling and his cheeks to heat. No, she had feelings. With every small action, he just knew.
Four Years Ago. December 2023
Scorpius walked up to the Slytherin common room. It was totally empty, everyone was in Hogsmeade, and the first and second years were out or asleep in their dorms. Quickly, Scorpius went to the entrance and the stone wall faded away. He wandered down a few corridors until he was just outside of the potions corridor where Rose was sitting on the floor reading a book on ancient ruins.
"Hi." Scorpius breathed.
Rose looked up at him and closed her book, sliding it into her bag. "You're late." She smiled as she stood.
"Took some time for Vince to leave with Luther and Ken." Scorpius replied stepping in front of Rose pinning her between him and the wall. "Its the last Saturday before break, its not like I could use going to the library as an excuse to ditch them again. We finished all the tests for the term." His face was inches form hers.
"So what did you tell them?" Rose asked, her eyes watching his lips.
Scorpius smiled and moved so that his lips brushed hers. "I said I was going to stay in bed for the rest of the morning."
"Oh..." Rose said before crashing her lips fully against his.
Scorpius closed his eyes and leaned in even further while Rose pulled him to her so that she was totally pressed up against the wall. Her bag had fallen to the floor and her hands were now holding the back of his head and his neck.
Suddenly she pushed him off, but before he could react she had grabbed her bag with one hand and his hand with the other. She lead him to the entrance to the Slytherin common room and uttered the password, which she knew as head girl.
"What are you doing?" Scorpius asked, realizing she was headed towards the boys dormitories.
Rose didn't respond, but walked down the steps the hall until she was at the last two doors. "Which one is yours?"
"The left. W-what's gotten into you?" Scorpius followed as she opened the door and entered.
Closing the door, he watched as she walked over to his bed. He had left his favorite olive colored hoodie was laying over the end of it. She ran a hand over his sheets then turned to face him, kissing him once more. Their lips moving in unison. He pulled her into him, wrapping her in his arms.
When they finally broke apart Scorpius's realized they were were now laying on top of his bed.
Rose smiled. "You did say that you were going to stay in bed for the rest of the morning..." She sat up, pulling her jumper and shirt over her head.
Scorpius felt his mouth open slightly in shock. "I-I've never..."
Leaning forward she pressed her index finger to his lips and pulled him to sit up. He did and she pulled his long sleeved henley over his head. "Neither have I." Rose whispered.
She scooted over so that she was sitting on her knees with her face right in front of his once more. One of her hands lightly rubbed his chest. "But theirs a first time for everything." With that she closed the space between them.
Scorpius felt his smile grow from the memory. It had been their first, and at least for him, she was the best he had ever had. No one ever came close to making him feel what she did.
He glanced over again as she rested her head on his arm. She looked up and smiled back at him. "You're not going to move out? Are you?"
Scorpius raised his eyebrows in surprise at the question. "You know I hadn't thought about it."
"Because I don't have a job now, thanks to you." Rose had an toying looking grin on her face.
"Hey..." Scorpius said playfully, scrunching up his face. "It was you who got me to quit my job."
"True..." Rose responded in the same playful tone, tilting her head with a shrug. "But you basically were hired before you even formally quit your job. I'm just going to be struggling along with my savings."
Not knowing how to respond, he didn't reply.
"But..." Rose's voice suddenly became very vulnerable. "More importantly than any of that, I would miss you too much, if you left."
Scorpius stopped walking and turned to her. He didn't think about it, he just released her arm from his and took her hand, and looked straight into her eyes. "Enough not to let me go?"
Rose nodded, looking at her feet. "Yes." Her voice cracked.
Scorpius took his free hand and tilted her head up until her blue eyes were looking into his gray ones.
"I already made that mistake once." Rose tightened her hand in his. "Letting you go was the biggest mistake I've ever made."
"I never should have..." He wasn't sure how they had gotten so close so quickly, but slowly they leaned toward one another until their lips met.
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"Okay." Williamson said. "Lets start this thing."
Albus took a look around the conference room. Williamson was the highest ranked Auror there. Vince and Leo were sitting right next to and across from Albus respectively. Jenny Caine was next to Leo. She was in her early thirty's with black hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion. She was slim and pretty, but far tougher than she looked.
Next to Vince was Timothy Enders. He was the Hit Wizards equivalent to what Scorpius had been in the Aurors. In the same year as James, or two above Albus, he was the youngest wizard to be put in charge of the Hit Wizards in Ministry history. He was also the son of Cho Chang, now Enders. He was possibly smarter than Rose, which is definitely saying something.
Then there was Andrew Hoynes, Head of Security and the most senior Patrol Agent. He had salt-and-pepper hair, brown eyes, was in his mid-fifties, and in fairly good shape. His face was hard to read, though it looked like he wasn't too happy at the moment, probably due to how young most of those around him were.
"Albus, your team has the lead. Would you fill us in on the latest?" Williamson asked.
Standing before the table, Albus walked over to the whiteboard that he had set up prior to the meeting. "So this is what we know so far." He pointed to a picture of Muldoon. A mean looking wizard of 28 scowled, looking left and right slowly. He was bald with a full neat beard, his skin light, but his eyes dark and small. It was a mugshot and he wore his Azkaban uniform holding a placard with his name and prison number.
"He's admitted to all the murders and kidnappings as of November 1st. Which is also the day after he attacked and killed two guards." Albus pointed to pictures of nineteen witches and wizards, including a six year old boy. "We know that his way of announcing a murder or kidnapping is though a riddle, similar to those in a muggle story." He pointed to a typed list.
"As far as family is concerned, Muldoon's mother, Christine Muldoon, died seven years ago at their apartment in Hogsmeade. That's also when Muldoon is said to have begun exhibiting odd behaviors. He would become violent and lash out at town residents or students on weekends." Albus was pointing to a woman with brown hair and eyes. She was beautiful. "She died of a heart condition, after having neglected to take her potion for several nights."
"You think Muldoon had something to do with that?" Williamson was far more serious than Albus could remember.
"It's possible, but not likely. It happened after Muldoon had been in London. We asked him, but he is adamant he had nothing to do with that."
"Do you know about his father? Do you have any leads on him at all?" Williamson asked in a deliberate manner.
"No, sir." Leo answered shaking his head. "Muldoon doesn't seem to know who his father is."
Williamson nodded then turned to Jenny. "You're team has been following any leads on Muldoon's gang?"
"Gang would be giving most of them more credit than I think is due." Jenny said. "It seems these are mostly drug addicts and drifters that Muldoon's been paying off to help him. We need more time to go over everything. There are two that look promising though, they were school friends with Muldoon." She looked at Albus, Vince and Leo, "It seems that once you arrested him no one knows much, but we'll keep looking."
"Scorpius also declined any further protection." Hoynes followed. His ever present grimace was unwavering.
"What!" Albus said loudly. "When was this decided?"
"After he resigned his position." Williamson said looking at Albus, indicating he better control himself.
Hoynes looked at Albus as well. "The department is no longer able to mandate his protection, and when he signed his paperwork he explicitly declined any form of security. That's his decision."
"Scorpius is very safe." Tim Enders said, "With the increased security at Azkaban, and the knowledge that John Muldoon's gang is being tracked, we don't need eyes on Malfoy all day and night. Besides he'll be in the Ministry most days and he's a skilled wizard in just about every field one would need to protect themselves."
Albus just shook his head. He understood the logic, but that didn't mean he liked it.
"Lets continue." Williamson said moving the meeting on, where Albus remained silent until it was over.
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Albus was skimming through his notes. Several large stacks of files littered his desk illuminated by a his desk light. Hogwarts records, records from St, Mungo's, news reports from several papers and wireless stations about the murders or kidnappings, case files on every single incident that Muldoon was involved in, and more on other kidnappings and murders with similar parameters.
There has to be something that could give them a lead. How was it there was no trace of a father? None. Catherine Muldoon must have told someone. A friend, a relative, someone. How was it that everyone had no idea?
He ran a hand through his dark black hair in frustration. Looking around he noticed that everyone was gone for the night except the unlucky team that got the six to midnight shift. The whole place was dim except for desk lights and the light over the kitchenette on the far wall.
"Shit..." Albus said looking at the clock and seeing it was a quarter past. Meaning she was done for the last fifteen minutes and waiting downstairs. He stood and reached for his coat, about to leave when she appeared at the office entrance.
Tapping his desk light with his wand it went out and he walked over to her. "I'm so sorry. I got distracted."
Alice just smiled and gave him a kiss. "No problem, what are you working on?"
Albus shook his head. "A tough case."
"And that's all you can tell me, right?" She replied lightly.
Relieved she was in a good mood, Albus smiled back and answered with a nod.
"I've gotten use to hearing that over the last couple of years." She took his hand and they walked to the lifts.
"I still feel bad about that." Albus pressed the call button. "I mean you're my girlfriend now. I'd like to tell you everything, but if I told you this I'd be in deep, deep water."
The doors opened and they got in. "Hey, I get it." Alice smiled. "Just promise me you'll talk about everything you can, I mean if you want to."
Albus squeezed her hand. "Of course I want to. I always want to." He press the button for the Atrium. "Oh. Ugh... Dad wanted me to stop by the house before we go. I haven't told anyone anything yet... Is that a problem?"
"No that's not a problem." Alice said shaking her head. "Do you want to tell them?"
"Yes." Albus said with a single nod. "I do." He paused for a moment then looked at her. "Did you tell your folks?"
"I told them I was seeing someone, but not who." Alice replied
"So lets tell them." Albus said in an excited tone. "We'll stop by my parents house tonight then Floo your Mum and Dad at Hogwarts."
Alice smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I love you, you know."
Albus smiled. "I love you too."
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A/N: So from this point things are gradually going to become darker (nothing worse really than I've hinted at), we're not even half-way through. We have plenty of plots and sub-plots to work through! Please review!