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Recap:
"Oh, Thank God Rosie!" he said, the bright light from his wand hitting her face at his words. He came over to her immediately, vanishing her bindings wordlessly. "Lie still while I assess you for any damage." He told her, concern filled in his green eyes. "Wait. What time was I born?" she asked him. Confusion flashed in his eyes for a second, before he smiled proudly and answered "8:12, the morning of 10th March." "I'm sorry Uncle Harry, I had to check." She said, relief flooding through her body. "I'm glad you did Rose, I understand." He said. "Are you hurt?" he asked her. "No, I'll be fine" she said scrambling to her feet. The feeling of blood rushing back to her fingers and feet however made her fall again. Harry wanted to make sure she was ok, but she clung onto him, telling him to get them out of there as fast as possible. And so he did, taking her to St. Mungos immediately.
"How did you find me?" was her first question once in the safety of an enclosed room.
It was just past noon and Harry had decided he would have lunch with her before leaving the hospital together.
A message had been sent across to Hermione, Ron, Draco and Elizabeth Greene informing them about Rose's safety. Draco had rushed to her ward immediately, having been in the hospital till then.
"I had my suspicions, I'll tell you, but you go first." He told her.
So Rose recounted the tale, leaving out the part about suspecting Draco. The poor man had enough on his plate and he really didn't need to know of her lack of trust.
"What happened while I was away?" she asked.
"When I woke up today I felt that the wards at the Manor had somehow been compensated. So I checked and realized they had. I rushed over to the Ministry to warn them, and came in time to see you leave with a man who looked like me. If my timing had been even a little off no one would have believed me." He said sounding weary.
Harry clapped his hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"Elizabeth realized what happened immediately, and a minute later Harry and your dad burst in demanding answers…" he trailed off, suddenly realizing something.
In the heat of the moment when everything was happening at once and Rose's safety was the utmost worry he had missed this, they all had. "Potter, how did you know?" he asked.
"Know what?" Rose asked, curious.
"That Rose had been kidnapped? I had only just arrived at the Ministry and Elizabeth and Peter were the only ones in the room who witnessed it other than me. You came in less than a minute later! Who informed you?" he asked, wondering how that glaring error had missed them all.
"That's precisely how I tracked Rose down." He told them.
"Explain."
And so he did.
"Wow, Rick huh?" Rose asked, her voice shaking.
"I'm sorry Rose, for what its worth he did help out in the end." Harry said trying to comfort his already distraught niece.
Her eyes shone with hurt and betrayal but she tried to cover it up as best as she could.
"Ok, so what now? Did the victim remember anything? Even if she says that her attacker had dark hair we could work on something." She said, now desperate.
"It was another dead end Rosie, just like the Headquarters." Harry said shaking his head.
"What I don't understand is why involve Rick at all? Why try to warn us that she has been kidnapped?" he asked.
"Probably to throw suspicion on Mr. Malfoy." Rose offered, now ashamed by her own thoughts.
"She's right." Draco said immediately.
"So someone's out to get the Malfoys then?" he said sheepishly, trying to laugh it off.
"No Malfoy, no one holds grudges that long." Harry told him quietly.
"You don't know the people I've grown up with Potter." He said darkly, but Harry was adamant."No Draco, this is not some war prejudice."
"This case just doesn't make any sense. Everywhere we turn there are loose ends. And if we get anything concrete it just fizzles out. There are so many question marks Uncle Harry! It's as though the person behind this is regretting doing it, or wants to be found out. And then he goes and does something to show how much he is capable of while showing how bad his magic skills really are. It's driving me spare trying to figure this out. And now from what you say it looks like June is involved too. It's all just too much." Rose sighed.
"I understand how you feel Rose. But look; now we know that there are two people involved." Harry said.
"That only complicates things Potter, now we have two people to look for." Draco said.
"I've asked my people to dig up information on June Rodgers, I can check if they have anything." Harry said.
"Wait; is there anything else you over heard Rose?" Draco asked her.
She thought over it and then shook her head. "No, but I did lose my wand though." She said suddenly.
"Oh, this is not good." Harry said."Ok, I'll put out a word." He said.
"Oh and Rose, I've told your dad I've sent you home. If he knows I'm still letting you work this case he'll bury me alive. So do me a favor and stay safe? I would love it if you went home and read a book, but I know you. You're too stubborn, like your mum, dad and even aunt. So I won't hold you back, but please know your limits." He told her, kissing her on her forehead before returning to work.
"How do you plan on working without a wand Rose?" Draco asked.
"I'll just have to go muggle." She said shrugging.
'Muggle.'
Then she gasped, as the realization hit her.
She thought back to her conversation that morning with Malfoy, the fake one.
Her kidnapping had been some sort of ruse after all.
She was now pretty sure that no auror team had been deployed to talk to the families of the victims.
Of course Al had checked on the Head quarters lead and on the victims who had been brought in for memory tests, but she was willing to bet that not one auror had gone to investigate the muggles.
Maybe that was the key to this entire thing.
Maybe there was a connection between the victims, one that would lead them to the identity of the person behind this entire operation.
One they desperately wanted to cover up, and were willing to go to any extent to do so.
The excitement must have shown on her face as Draco asked her what was happening.
She told him her suspicions and he agreed to go fetch Albus immediately, after all he was in the vicinity.
"Al!" she greeted as he walked through the ward door, looking extremely concerned.
"Rosie, I can't believe you got kidnapped! Are you ok?" He asked slipping perfectly into his big protective elder brother role.
"I'm fine Al" she said, hugging him back reassuringly.
She then launched into her suspicions.
He looked highly doubtful of its possibility when she was done.
"I don't know Rose… this seems rather far-fetched." He said gently, not wanting to burst her bubble.
"No Al, can't you see! It makes so much sense! Just imagine if you were muggle. Without all the magic getting in the way. What would be the first thing you looked into?" she asked barely containing her excitement.
He stared at her, not able to make anything of the situation.
"Look for a connection of course! It's a serial torturer case Al, which ended in a murder. It's where you would begin; especially given they are all in their early or mid-twenties!" she exclaimed.
But Al still didn't look very convinced. "Rose from what my dad just said you don't even have your wand. I'm not about to let you waltz off to the muggle world on your own to pursue this." He said firmly, asserting his authority.
"Don't you dare tell me what to do Al" she threatened, swinging her legs to the side of the bed, preparing to get up.
"Rose you need to rest, you've not eaten anything, nor have you had a good night's rest since all this began." He said, knowing it was of no use even as he began the sentence.
She was already hobbling to her feet.
He helped her steady herself realizing his warning were futile, she was just that stubborn.
"I'm fine" she said shortly.
"Do you want me to send you any back up?"
"No, I can handle it. Besides I'm just going to be going door to door, it's not like any of them will be willing to talk." She sighed.
"I can help you with that." He admitted grudgingly.
She looked up expectantly.
"I'll manage to get you a fake ID, it'll give you better access." He offered and she squealed in delight, hugging him tight.
"Thank you so much Al! You won't regret this!" she said, bouncing up and down now.
He patted her on her shoulders, nodded to Draco once then apparated away.
"Will you be joining me Mr. Malfoy?" she asked him.
He shook his head."They have requested my presence in the Ministry today; they want to question Scorpius again. And Astoria wants me home early tonight, after all tomorrow is a big day. I hope you don't mind Rose."
"Of course not Mr. Malfoy! Please call me if you need anything, anything at all." She said.
"Likewise Rose." He told her.
"Do you really think that June is involved?" he asked suddenly.
"I never liked her from the beginning to be very honest Mr. Malfoy." She confessed.
He nodded understandingly, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly before leaving.
"Thank you Rose" he said quietly.
"For what Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
He should know by now that she was in this for good.
"For not giving up." He said gravely.
"I can't do this. I really can't do this." She said as she saw the stage looming up in front of her.
The graduation ceremony had just started for the final years, and as Heads she and Scorpius had to give speeches.
The gathering however was quite a large one, including the families of the graduating class as well as all the students and teachers.
That coupled with Rose's shy nature, led to immense stage fright.
"You'll do fine Rose." Scorpius told her, his arm around her waist tightening.
It was her only source of support at the moment, his arm.
Without it she either would have fallen flat on her face of would have taken off, running for the hills as fast as she could.
But as it were, his arm was now tightly fastened around her waist, as if to say I'm never letting you go.
She would have truly appreciated the gesture and might have even realized its significance had she not been so extremely queasy about what was coming.
She had practiced that stupid speech that Scorpius had helped her write, oh whom was she kidding, that Scorpius had written, a few dozen times, but it didn't make her feel any less nervous.
"Scor… Please." She begged.
"Oh Rosie, what will we ever do with you?" he sighed softly.
"Ok, when you go up there just pretend we are back in the library, when I helped you write it down. It'll just be you and me, and you can talk to me right?" he said slowly.
She shook her head vigorously.
"Rose Nymphadora Weasely! Get your arse up there right now and deliver that speech." He commanded, trying a different approach, again to no avail.
"Look, do you trust me?" he asked, his expression tender, his eyes smoldering.
She nodded; of course she did, implicitly.
"Then just do as I say. Go on stage, and start talking. I'll take care of the rest." He told her softly.
Well if he put it that way.
She went up, her legs trembling.
In the soft, flickering glow of the candle light she could see the faces of the crowd partially.
She saw her family, her mom smiling encouragingly at her, he dad beaming with pride.
She saw Al, sitting right up in front with his friends, joking around.
She saw Lily's excited face thrown in the mix, whispering something conspiratorially to Hugo.
And then suddenly it was all a haze, she looked around confused when she caught Scorpius' eye.
His wand was just out of sight but she knew it was him.
He nodded to her, telling her to start.
She plucked her courage, staring at the doors directly in front of her as he had advised her to.
The entire gathering seemed to have disappeared, leaving the entire great hall empty!
This wasn't so bad.
So she began, and with a few stutters and stammers, she got through her entire rehearsed speech.
It was only with the break out of applause did the audience appear again.
It made Rose's knees go weak, but when she saw the smile on her parents' faces and joy on Scorpius' she just beamed back.
"Thank you all, once again" she said before leaving the stage to Scorpius.
He was a natural charmer, a wonderful orator, drawing laughter and rapt attention from everyone immediately.
He spoke beautifully, moving quite a few to tears by the end of his speech.
Once again she found herself questioning their friendship.
How in the world had this wonderful guy chosen to befriend her?
And stick by her through all her moods and phases, not once ditching her?
How did he put up with her nonsense day in and day out when he could be having so much better?
And he definitely deserved better.
It suddenly hit her then.
She couldn't do this to him, to their friendship.
If she admitted it to him that she loved him she knew exactly what would happen.
He wouldn't want to hurt her feelings, so he would try to placate her in some way.
He might mistake her love for jealousy and do something as stupid as getting rid of June.
All just for her.
Because he was that sort of person, so selfless, so giving.
She knew he would do anything in his power to make her happy, even if it meant he had to suffer instead.
He wouldn't hesitate, or even think twice it.
But he would be unhappy.
He would never say it out right, but deep inside he would be.
And Rose couldn't live with herself knowing that.
The guilt would eat her alive.
So wouldn't it be better to keep her mouth shut now, than to ruin everything?
She fought with herself internally, a war raging between her rational brain and her blinded heart. What would their families say? Friendship with a Malfoy was ok, but anything more? It was unthinkable wasn't it!
"You did it Rose! I'm so proud of you" he said, startling her out of her thoughts as he picked her up and twirled her around. She smiled brightly at him as he set her down, knowing her decision was right.
"Because of you…" she said simply.
"Listen Ro… I need to tell you something…" he said suddenly serious, his hands not leaving her waist.
He even looked nervous, somewhat off-kilter. She had never seen him like this and it piqued her curiosity.
"Sure Scor, shoot." She said, worried.
"Not here, not now." he whispered.
"Meet me by the Entrance, after the ceremony is over?" he asked, hesitantly, as though scared she would refuse.
"Of course" she told him smiling to ease his mood.
"Great." He said, ducking to place a kiss on her forehead before pulling away.
"Scor?"
"Hmmm?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not giving up on me." She said.
He grinned at her, ruffled her hair slightly and ran before she could retaliate. She sighed, trying to smooth down her locks again, wondering what he had to tell her.
Words in italics were flashback!
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