Chapter 7

Hermione was just wrapping up for the day when she received a message that there was a distraught woman in the lobby that wanted to see her. She sighed, being quite pregnant now and tired. Wanting to go home, put her feet up and let Severus spoil her some more. Even the half days she was doing now were exhausting. She asked the receptionist to send her up.

It was a surprise to see Lisa at her door. "What's wrong?" The poor woman was pale and frantic.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but I'm getting nowhere downstairs." Lisa began to tell Hermione what had happened at Diagon Alley with Robert. "I didn't know what to do, so I came here to try to get help. They kept shuffling me from department to department. No one believed me or even wanted to take the time to check into it. They kept saying I had no proof and the word of a six-year-old would not put a man in Azkaban. Hermione if we don't act soon he may disappear and we'll lose our chance to get him. Please! He's a murderer. We have to do something. I promised Robert he would be safe."

Hermione could see how upset Lisa was. She too wondered if anything could be done, considering the circumstance. There was only one thing to do. Hermione conjured her patronis and sent it to Harry, asking him to come to her office right away. Harry had never let Hermione down and appeared shortly afterwards. Hermione introduced Lisa and explained the situation, then waited for his response.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but they're right downstairs. There is no proof that this man did anything. Even I don't have the authority to just pluck people off the street and interrogate them. There must be probable cause to bring him in, and the word of a small child, who doesn't even have a magical signature yet, will not be acceptable. Lisa, just how sure are you that this is the guy? These are serious charges."

Lisa was adamant. "If you had seen the look of terror on this child that I did, you would not ask that question. That monster killed his whole family. He still has nightmares. I doubt he will ever forget who did this to him."

Harry didn't like the look on Hermione's face. It reminded him of all the times she pulled his bacon out of the fire. "Look, I can't bring him in, but I can have him followed. It probably won't tell us anything more than what we already know, but it will buy you some time. Bring me enough to go on, and I can give him veritas serum and nail his hide to the wall. Agreed?"

Hermione looked at Lisa knowing this was the best that could be done. "Agreed, but we need to act now. He could run back to that hole he's been living in for nearly three years and not surface again for who knows how long."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I'll call an auror and have him watched. Can you go back with us to identify him Lisa?"

Lisa squeezed Hermione's hand in thanks. "Yes, can we go now?"

Hermione was energized to be a part of the capture of such a low life. "I'm coming too."

Harry was horrified, "Oh no you're not. Severus will have my family jewels hanging from traitors gate if I allowed that. And if anything goes wrong they'll never find my body."

Hermione was incensed. "Harry Potter don't you tell me what I can and can't do! How many times did I face Death Eaters and Voldemort trying to kill us that last year! You think I can't handle a low life, on a crowded street, with two aurors next to me? I can take care of myself. Besides, Lisa needs me there with her. I'm going!"

Harry rubbed his hands over his eyes. "I'm such a dead man. All right little miss stubborn. We go in, she identifies him, and then you go home. No ifs or buts, no wand waving, no running off, AND NO GOING INTO LABOR. Clear?"

Hermione grinned at the tingle of excitement. She was tired of Severus constantly surrounding her with soft music and pillows for the last four months. She squeezed Lisa's hand. "Will you relax. I'm not going to go into labor. I'm only six months along daft man."

Harry had the auror meet them at the clothing shop, but of course the bastard was gone. They would need to search for him. Harry took his image from Lisa's memory so Harry could identify him without her. "Lisa you will go with Auror Greystone down the street and see if you can spot him. Hermione and I will wait here to see if he surfaces again."

Elliot Graystone held out his arm for Lisa and smiled. Lisa smiled at the handsome young man. "Don't worry miss, I'll look after you. Are you ready?" Lisa took his arm and they went out the door.

It was some time before they returned, empty handed. Lisa was so disappointed. "It's too late. What now?"

Harry was relieved that Hermione would be going home soon. "Greystone and I will make a larger search. If we spot him, we will watch him, and nothing else." Harry turned to the auror to be sure he understood. "We don't have the authority to do anything more. This guy sounds like the type to get into trouble. He's probably been stealing to get by. If we catch him doing something he shouldn't, we can bring him in and interrogate him. In the meantime you two go home and I'll let you know if he's spotted again. Okay?" He pushed the two women to the back of the shop. "GO. HOME."

Lisa and Hermione headed for The Leaky Cauldron to floo. Hermione couldn't apparate in her condition. They were both a bit down. Hermione suggested that while they were there, they could get a drink. They sat in a booth and the waitress came to take their order. Butterbeer for Lisa, buttermilk for Hermione. "I knew he'd get away." Lisa was angry and depressed. "You should have seen the way he looked at the women who walked passed him on the street. I've seen that look before. If Robert hadn't been with me I'd have hexed his balls off right then."

Hermione giggled and the drinks arrived. "I'd have paid to see that happen." The buttermilk was cool and sweet. "I believe you Lisa, but the aurors have to have proof. Even if they find him, they can't arrest him. We need to come up with more. Do you know if there are any other survivors from that night? Can't we get an adult to identify him?"

Lisa sighed, "I've seen Robert's nightmare. The Death Eater only took off his mask after it was over, and the only one left alive on the street was the boy. No, we need him to do something else they can arrest him for, and then make him spill his guts."

"You mean like, stealing or destroying something." Hermione was not above setting the bastard up, but it would take planning and luck. Just to lure him out would be difficult. Parading around with money or jewelry probably wouldn't work. The man was desperate, not stupid. "What would he really want, that we could wave under his nose and make him take the bait?" She finished her buttermilk and realized the time. "Oh my stars look at the time. Severus is going to be furious with me. I bet he already went to the ministry and didn't find me."

They got up from the table to go when Lisa stopped dead still. "There he is!" Lisa pointed out a man in the booth across the room just starting on his drink.

Hermione pulled her back into their booth. "Go get Harry and Greystone. I'll stay here and watch him."

Lisa was hesitant, "Hermione please don't do anything stupid over this. I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt. Just stay in the booth."

Hermione was so tired of people underestimating her because she was pregnant. "Trust me, I've met worse. Just get going, you'll need to track them down as it is."

Hermione ordered another buttermilk and tried to look, like she wasn't looking. "Come on Lisa, get your bum back here, he's almost finished." She looked down into her purse for the tenth time, just to make it look like she was busy, when she heard a sickening voice in her ear.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here." He lowered his head so only she could hear him. His stench would have killed a wild boar and Hermione pulled away on instinct. "Oh no madam. You'll not get away from me. I've been watching you... watch me, and decided you must be interested. So I ask myself, just what is it you want?" Hermione didn't respond. "We must need introductions, Jason Kozlok, and you are Hermione Granger. I recognized you from that sexy portrait in the paper. I'd never forget tits like those. But someone has beaten me to the goods I see." He eyed her belly and started to lick his lips. "Yes, you must have been a good time for someone. Don't worry baby, I don't mind sharing. Let's go to my place and talk this over. What do you say?"