Fragments of Us

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Warnings: None for this chapter.

Chapter 36 – An Unspeakable Death & A Breakout at Azkaban

Kate stepped off the elevator at the second level, briefcase in hand and headed down the corridor in the direction of the Auror offices. Entering, she made her way to the end of the room and her cubicle, located directly in front of Kingsley's. Setting her briefcase on her desk, Kate sighed at the stack of parchment piled in the middle of her previously tidy desk. A deep voice behind her made her jump and she turned to see Kingsley grinning broadly at her.

"Welcome back, Ms. Morgan," he said, voice jovial. "As you can see, you were missed."

Kate returned his smile. "I shudder to think what this would have looked like had I not taken work with me when I left on holiday. So," she said as she hung her cloak on the coat rack. "What's new?"

Kingsley muttered a silencing charm and sat in the chair next to Kate's desk.

"Did you know that Sirius is in Greenland?" he asked, conspiratorially.

Kate raised her eyebrows. "No! I hope he packed his woolies!" They shared a chuckle for a moment, then Kate continued, "Kingsley, they are believing your stories, aren't they?"

Kingsley smiled. "Absolutely. Fudge hardly has time to look on his own, doesn't he? Between the constant 'educational decrees' from Hogwarts and all the disappearances happening here and abroad, he's rather got his hands full denying the Dark Lord has come back. Sirius is the least of his worries."

Kate nodded. "Now that term has started, Umbridge will be back in full swing – and complicating his life even further."

Kingsley took a moment to look outside Kate's cubicle. Satisfied that they were still alone, he spoke again. "Kate, things here have gotten – interesting over the past weeks. Last week, Lucius Malfoy was here more often than usual."

"Malfoy!" Kate exclaimed. "What on earth was he doing, lurking about?"

Kingsley shook his head. "We don't know for certain. He's made some fairly large financial contributions to a variety of Ministry efforts. I'm sure he's working hard to establish himself here now that he's no longer a Governor at Hogwarts."

Kate's brows drew together. "He wants something, that's for certain. He's always been pretty savvy about people, so Lucius will know that Fudge can be bought. Flattery, galleons – it doesn't really matter. Fudge is going to look for allies wherever he can find them and he's not going to let a little rumor like Malfoy being a Death Eater get in his way. We need to figure out what he's after," Kate said. "And I have a feeling that we need to figure it out soon."

Kingsley nodded and rose. "I agree. We have a staff meeting in an hour. Let's keep our ears open."

"And Dumbledore should know about this, as well. The Order may be able to step up surveillance activities to see if we can get any ideas from Malfoy's other activities," Kate suggested, adding, "Of course, we're going to have to catch Dumbledore away from the school. With Umbridge and her paranoia running rampant up there, we cannot speak in confidence…with anyone, leave alone with Dumbledore."

Kingsley was silent for a moment. "Even being seen there can mean trouble for us. Tonight, talk with Remus. The next Order meeting is on Friday. I don't know if we can wait until then to speak with Dumbledore. See what Remus says. If he thinks we should contact Dumbledore more quickly, see if the three of you – Black included – can come up with a plan."

"Agreed," Kate said. "We'd better break this up – the others are starting to arrive," she nodded toward the open department, which was beginning to fill with their colleagues. "Now, I think you should give me a proper welcome and buy me a cup of coffee before the meeting."

Kingsley cancelled the silencing charm and, with a deep chuckle, stepped aside and gestured for Kate to precede him. "After you, Ms. Morgan."

XXXXXXXX

The staff meeting included a surreptitious discussion of Fudge's close alliance with Umbridge and the escalation of her power at Hogwarts. In the majority, Aurors were experienced enough not to openly question the decisions of Cornelius Fudge, but were dubious about his affiliation with a woman who was so outwardly consumed with power. There was no mention of Malfoy and only a brief announcement that Unspeakable Broderick Bode had succumbed at St. Mungo's to injuries he had suffered two months before while on the job in the Department of Mysteries. Kate caught Kingsley's eye and raised her eyebrows; he shrugged and looked away. When the meeting ended, Kate returned to her desk and pulled out the Bode investigation file from the pile stacked there. Glancing inside, she noted only two parchments filed there: a very brief re-telling of the initial incident and a copy of his death certificate. Kate picked up a quill and a fresh sheet of parchment to jot down a few notes but almost simultaneously, an owl brought news of another report of Muggle baiting and Kate, with Tonks, was called out of the office. When they had finished investigating the matter, Obliviating the Muggles involved and filed the resulting paperwork, it was late in the day. Kingsley was in a meeting with Fudge and Kate decided that she'd had about enough for her first day back. Picking up the Bode file for a second time that day, she began to slip it into her briefcase. Thinking back to Sirius and his regret at her return to work, however, she placed it back on her desk. Tomorrow would come soon enough. I can deal with that poser in the morning. With that thought, Kate called a thoughtful 'goodnight' to Tonks and made her way out of the department to begin her trip back. Moments later, she reached the Apparition point and, picturing the alley near the corner of Grimmauld Place, she turned on her heel and disappeared with a small 'pop'.

When Kate entered the dim entry way of Headquarters, she was greeted with the homely smells of dinner cooking. She sniffed the air appreciatively then made her way upstairs to her own room to shower and change into more comfortable clothing. Thirty minutes later, Kate crept down the narrow stone staircase to the kitchen, stopping on the last step to enjoy the scene before her. Sirius stood at the ancient stove, dressed in light wash Muggle blue jeans and a black turtleneck jumper. He was humming to himself as he removed a large pan from the oven and the delicious aroma that greeted Kate as she watched told her that he'd made her favorite meal – Shepherd's Pie.

"Remus," Sirius raised his face to the ceiling of the kitchen and shouted to his friend. "You promised you'd make the bloody salad when the Shepherd's Pie was ready. It's ready."

Kate smiled as she heard the rumble of footsteps from the floor above. "So, we're having Shepherd's Pie and 'bloody salad' for dinner, eh?" she said, stepping off the final stair and making her way over to a – now – very startled wizard. It didn't take him long to recover, however and soon, a brilliant smile lit up his face and he walked over to Kate and embraced her tightly.

"My Kate," Sirius whispered, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I missed you today, love." He pulled his head back to look down into her face then lowered his lips to hers. Kate felt the familiar shiver as she returned his kiss, deepening it and winding her arms around Sirius' neck. A few moments later, a discreet cough from the stairwell caused Sirius to end the kiss with a light peck to Kate's cheek.

"Did someone request a 'bloody salad'?" Remus asked, his face amused. "Good evening, Kate."

"Hello, Remus," she responded, squeezing his arm affectionately.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Alright, Remus, I think we've gotten about all we can from that particular comment."

Kate chuckled. "What can I do to help, boys?"

Sirius smiled. "Nothing, love. Just sit down and we'll be ready in a moment. Would you like a glass of wine?"

Kate nodded then walked over to her customary place at the table. Soon, Sirius brought her a glass of wine and shortly thereafter, the three were seated at the table enjoying Sirius' culinary talents.

"This is delicious," Kate said, taking another bite. "You may cook for me any time you'd like."

Sirius smiled. "Thanks, love. I'll look forward to it. So, how was work?"

Kate told them about the Muggle incident and noted, with interest, that Remus' attention picked up when Tonks was mentioned as accompanying Kate in responding to the problem. Kate caught Sirius' eye and he dropped her a conspiratorial wink. "Mooney, you should ask her out – put you both out of your mutual misery."

Remus' face went slightly pink and he suddenly found the pattern on his dish of extreme interest. "Padfoot, she's a friend and a colleague. Nothing more," he said quietly.

"And that's the problem, Mooney – the 'nothing more' part," Sirius said, leaning toward his old friend. "Honestly, Remus! When she's here, she's making calf eyes at you whenever she thinks you're not looking and tripping over her own two feet every time she sees that you are. For your part…" Kate reached over and put her hand on Sirius', stopping him mid-sentence.

"Sirius, darling, leave it," she said quietly. Remus had not looked at either of them since Sirius had launched his diatribe moments earlier. Kate had seen the expression on his face grow steadily sadder, though, and she just wanted that to stop.

"But, Kate, Mooney here deserves to…" Sirius began, but was once again cut off by the Auror.

"Mooney here deserves to have some privacy," Kate said. "If he wants to talk about private matters, he knows that you and I both love him and are here for him."

Remus finally looked up and his eyes met Kate's. "Thank you," he said softly.

"Always," Kate replied.

Sirius looked from Remus to Kate and shrugged. "Fine, I won't push. Remus," the werewolf looked at Sirius then as it was rare to hear his best friend use his given name. "You know that I'm not pushing for any reason other than that I care about you and want you to be happy." He reached over and took Kate's hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently. "I know how much it means to have that kind of happiness."

Remus smiled at them. "I know that, Padfoot, I really do – and I am so happy for you both." He paused. "My situation is decidedly different than yours, however. Even if I had … feelings for Tonks, I could not act on them. She is young – very young and has her whole life before her and being with me would compromise her future. And that's really all that I want to say on the matter."

Sirius nodded. "Then I will leave it at this: you have been an ear for me whenever I've needed one; I will surely be one for you anytime you may need me."

Remus swallowed audibly and Sirius cleared his throat. "Katie-girl, I think that we need to resume a safer topic of conversation."

Kate smiled at the two wizards. "Definitely. Actually, there is something I need to chat with you about – at the suggestion of Kingsley. I need both of you to weigh in on this. And…I think there's another part that might be connected but I haven't figured it out yet."

"Well, Kate, you have our undivided attention," Remus said.

Kate quickly detailed the brief conversation she and Kingsley had regarding Malfoy and his increased presence at the Ministry and the need to involved Dumbledore and seek his opinion relatively quickly.

Remus and Sirius exchanged looks before Remus spoke, "I don't know that we should wait until the next Order meeting, soon though it may be."

Kate nodded. "That was my feeling, as well. My concern, however, lies in our ability to contact him securely – without exposing the Order OR the workings of certain Aurors – to Umbridge. Dumbledore is certainly being closely watched."

"What was the possible connection you mentioned, Kate?" Sirius asked her.

"Do you recall an Unspeakable named Broderick Bode?" Kate asked. Sirius shook his head, but Remus nodded, thoughtfully.

"He was found in the corridor of the Department of Mysteries, unable to speak. Thought he was a teapot, as I recall. He's reported to be recovering nicely in St. Mungo's, I'd understood. The healers felt that if he continued progressing well, he'd be fully cured," Remus said.

Kate shook her head. "No longer. He died in hospital last night."

Remus and Sirius both looked startled. Sirius asked, "How did that happen?"

"I was only able to briefly review the file before the Muggle incident came in and I had to leave. What I was able to learn, however, is that he was strangled. By a plant. Devil's Snare," Kate said.

"But how could someone get that plant onto a ward at St. Mungo's?" Sirius wanted to know.

"Oh, easily enough, I should imagine," Remus replied. "If you know what you're doing, you can charm the plant to disguise its true identity without harming its properties."

Kate nodded, adding, "And, given Bode's occupation, he was in a rather isolated are of the ward; protection against what he might utter as he was being treated and his mind restored. Whoever delivered the plant would have had to know that. His location, combined with the time of day the plant was delivered – just before visitors' hours expired – virtually guaranteed success. As visitors' hours are concluding, the Healers are putting together the patients' final potions for the day – those that are administered directly before bedtime."

"Death Eaters," Sirius said grimly.

"Possibly," Kate said. "I think that whoever brought Bode that plant was either a Death Eater or a sympathizer. Either way, he or she was disguised, I'm sure of it. But there is a Death Eater connection – or a possible one – to the original injury. I wonder if Bode encountered Malfoy that night…"

Remus leaned forward. "The Order knows that there's increased interest in the Department of Mysteries. Voldemort wants to get his hands on that Prophecy – that much we know. What we don't know is how many – or which – Death Eaters he's set on the Department & its employees to gain access to it. Given Malfoy's increased presence at the Ministry, isn't it entirely possible that he may have targeted Bode as a potential way in?"

Sirius became caught up in the possibilities, as well. "But wouldn't that suggest that Bode was in league with Voldemort? If Unspeakables are turning, we're in more trouble than we originally thought."

Kate nodded. "But, don't forget. Last time, Death Eaters used the Imperius curse to compel others to do their bidding. In fact, when Voldemort fell, Death Eaters like Malfoy used that excuse to stay out of Azkaban. They claimed the Dark Lord had used the curse to make them do things in his support, as you'll recall."

Remus stood. "I think we need to involve Dumbledore immediately. I'll send an owl; I think that's the safest way to contact him."

Sirius agreed. "Harry told us that Umbridge was watching the Floo network at the school, so that's not an option."

As Sirius finished speaking, as if by Providence, the kitchen fire blazed green and Kingsley's head appeared above the grate.

Kate walked over to the hearth. "You've incredible timing, Kingsley," she said. "We've just finished discussing Malfoy and think we've got a potential connection to Bode's death. Remus is just sending an owl off to…" Kate trailed off, noticing the expression on the Auror's face. Obviously, something of tremendous importance had happened.

"Kate, Malfoy and Bode are the least of our problems right now. I need you back here immediately. There's been a break-out at Azkaban; ten Death Eaters have escaped," his voice was low and urgent.

Sirius heard the news and gasped. Coming up behind Kate, he crouched down and asked, "How did they manage it?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Kingsley's worried face. "Now, that's a question, isn't it? Fudge firmly believes you orchestrated it! Kate, I need you in here."

Kate nodded. "On my way, Kingsley."

Five minutes later, after a quick kiss for Sirius, Kate was on her way to the Ministry.