A/N: Sorry for the late update. I know I promised the 3rd, but shit happens.

Shit being that my mom's battle against cancer has finally ended. So, excuse me while I throw a few interactions that reflect my relationship with my mother.

More notes at the end….

Chapter 18, Missy

Coffee in hand with a still warm muffing in the brown take away bag from the café down the street, Hermione was much more hungover than she really should be on a day that she was to be briefed on a mission. She would just have to swing by Harry's office and raid his stash of hangover potion that she knew he'd have. Harry and Theo had a tendency to over indulge whenever the mood strikes them, thus resulting in Harry always having to keep a full stock pile.

Sunglasses still in place to fight the fluorescent lighting, Hermione stepped onto the lift where she heard the very familiar chuckle behind her. "Something funny, McLaggen?" Cormac had at least managed to keep somewhat of a distance since she'd returned, but she'd be lying if she expected this to continue. He never had been someone who knew how to take a hint that someone wasn't interested. He was good looking, fit, comes from a fairly powerful and wealthy family. That personality though, completely destroyed any positives about the man.

"I just find it interesting that you're showing up looking like you had a late night, Granger. And I wasn't invited. If I'd known, I could have made myself available to join you."

"No offence, Cormac, but I would rather eat dragon dung then spend an evening alone with you." Oh, yup. She was defiantly going to need to stop by Harry's office before she had briefing. Could risk having anymore sharp comments being aimed at the wrong person, person as in her boss.

"Fuck, Granger. You're feistier than I remember you being in school." Surely the lift's floor could just open up and swallow her whole. "I'll have to remember that when I take you out tonight." Hermione sloshed around the still hot coffee in the travel cup contemplating if the loss of her favorite caffeinated beverage would be worth the look on his face when she threw the burning beverage on his prick. "Well, can't keep Uncle Tiberius, waiting. Look for my note about tonight, Granger." The lift came to a stop on the level that housed the offices of the members of the Wizengamot and Cormac exited before Hermione could dispose of the hot liquid on his favorite appendage.

Once the lift began rattling away, whisking her off to the DMLE. Aviators still squarely perched on the tip of her nose, Hermione pressed her lips together and marched past all the overly eager officers and aurors that were milling around the floor. To each one that passed her, Hermione held up her hand as a warning that she was not to be approached. Maybe it was her tussled, the smell of lingering alcohol on her skin, or the fact that she was very far indoors and still had her sunnies on her nose. Not a single person approached her until she was safely seated in Harry Potter's uncomfortable guest chair with not one, but two hangover drafts in hand.

"So" her best friend prompted her, knowing full well what she had been up to the day before.

"So, we worked together. The trial was shit and I ended up at the Leaky after I finished testifying. Shouldn't really be a surprise after I go up against fucking Tiberius." How much he knew about her time at the Leaky, that was the real question.

"So, you didn't see Malfoy at the Leaky?" Damn that Theodore Potter and sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.

Gripping the first vial, Hermione threw back the disgusting draft in one motion. "Maybe for a few minutes, can't be too sure." Opening the other, Hermione plugged her nose to get through taking a second dose of the foul concoction.

"Really, because Malfoy showed up pissed at mine and Theo got a fairly clear picture of a tongue lashing that you, rightfully so I will add, had coming." Harry pushed his glasses up his nose again and gave her a pointed look.

"Yes, well, I guess he was there in more than passing. We made some progress. I think?" Had they, surely Draco getting all that off his chest would count for something? "I mean, we will have to eventually figure out how to raise Aurora together. Gods, he hasn't even met her and he's already claiming her as his own."

"I wouldn't know anything about the two of you making progress as working together as parents. The only thing I was able to understand from Malfoy was something about a house warming party and how infuriatingly sexy you look with static hair yelling at people." Hermione perked up a bit, that was not something she was expecting. "Theo, on the other hand, got the full story. He said Malfoy's thoughts were just screaming at him. The sod ended up passed in the guest bed, passed him still sleeping when I left this morning. Suppose Theo will be loading him up with a few of his own hangover drafts right about now." Harry leaned forwards, snagging the partially drank travel coffee in front of her to claim as his own taking a drink from it.

Hermione shot the man a glare, but with the hangover draft sitting in her stomach, she knew better than to add anything else to her system for a least a little while. That was, unless she wanted it promptly coming straight back up. That was something she'd learned the hard way, and apparently that reaction was not something that everyone suffered from. Only the lucky few.

"I ran into McLaggen on the lift, he told me that he wanted to take me out tonight." Mid sip, Harry let out a cough as the coffee went down the wrong pipe.

"Bloody hell, remember how poorly that went using him to make Ron jealous? Yeah? Please tell me you remember Slughorn's party, because please for the love of Merlin, do not go out with him to make Malfoy jealous." Hermione couldn't stop her eye roll. Did Harry honestly still think she was that silly seventeen-year-old?

"I'm not going out with McLaggen to make Malfoy jealous. Besides, I highly doubt he would really care that much of me going out on a date with someone."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Mione." Before he could say anything else and give his brotherly wisdom, the clock on his desk chimed to let her know that it was time for her meeting. Alas, Hermione was content, at least enough, that she would be able to sit through a meeting with Seamus, Sasha, and Dean to get down the details for the raid happening the following day. The mystery that is Draco Malfoy and how he felt about her could wait until tomorrow evening when she saw him.

And then, Theo's house warming party that evening. The house warming party that he was currently setting up for while she was away at work. Honestly, how much trouble could Theo Potter, her father, her mother, and Aurora Jean get into while she was away at work?

ooo

"A cow." Hermione was looking past the fence she was standing next to and over at her father who was currently helping her small daughter lead the giant farm animal around the open pasture. "Why, might I ask, would my father think that it is a wise decision to purchase my four-year-old, a bloody cow." Hermione's eyes narrowed as her gaze lingered on her mother standing next to her.

A shrug. That's all her mother had to offer her as she watched with joy as Roger helped Aurora show her new 'pet' around her new home. Theo, conveniently, had walked into the door right as Hermione was exiting after work. Somehow, Hermione knew, that wizard had something to do with this development.

"She named her Missy, don't let Aurora Jean hear you insulting her pet. They found her at an estate sale that Theodore insisted that he take her to with your father." As suspected, Theodore was involved.

"Has dad ever even wanted to raise livestock, mum? He lived in bloody suburbia his entire adult life, and then you let that Theodore Potter take him off to an estate sale and he comes home thinking he's going to, what exactly, be some sort of Farmer Ben? If she wanted a pet, what would have been so wrong with a dog or a cat? You know, a normal pet."

If life couldn't just get any stranger. It could, let's be completely honest here. Just of all things Hermione had ever planned for in life, it did not include an old brown cow grazing in her back yard. Somehow, this unexpected addition to the Ganger family wasn't too surprising. Aurora may have inherited all her looks from her father, but her bleeding-heart mirrored Hermione's.

"After your father finished making the arrangements to have Missy delivered here, Theodore popped off with that clever little thing you do with magic and got everything Missy would need to live a comfortable life."

"You do know that you didn't have to let them bring her back here." Hermione prompted her mother, in a last ditch effort to get the woman to see reason and maybe rid her life of a cow for a pet.

"Yes, well, it was the oddest thing your father said. Theodore and Aurora were off looking at some of the old furniture to decorate your house with. I didn't realize you'd offered to let Theodore decorate your home" sorry, what? Hermione most certainly hadn't offered to let Theodore decorate her home. "So, while they were looking for some pieces, Theodore asked your father what a slaughter house was. Of course, Aurora heard what he'd asked and your father tried an answer it in a way that wouldn't scare the poor girl. Anyway, next thing your dad knew Aurora was crying that we had to save Missy and Theodore was purchasing her. I might also want to mention, Aurora has since decided that she's now a vegetarian."

None of this was really a surprise to Hermione. They had never really sat and talked about where the meat they ate came from, and if she was being honest, she'd considered giving it up herself on more than one occasion.

"Theodore has offered to pay to have a nice greenhouse built so that Aurora can garden year-round. You know, I've thought of doing that for myself for years and just never have done it. Aurora and I have that little avocado tree that she planted last year, and it's thriving. A greenhouse would be a nice addition." Hermione ran the palm of her hand over her face and let out a sigh.

"I'm not helping with a greenhouse; you know that any plant I've ever tried to care for ends up dead. I'm not going to be blamed for my daughter having a meltdown over her deceased vegetables." Even though she knew that she'd never ask for any help, Hermione felt like she should draw that line for her mother right now. Helen enjoyed having her own little projects with her granddaughter and was perfectly content when Hermione didn't mess with their 'thing'.

"Not a problem darling, not a problem at all."

ooo

It was bright and early the following morning, with the still rising sun starting to peak its way through her bedroom curtains. Hermione's feet hit the cool floor of her master bedroom, sending a shiver right up her spine. It was much too early for her liking, but Hermione knew from their planning session the day before that the auction the DMLE would be crashing today would be happening fairly early.

Of course, she'd taken some time reviewing the markings at the opening for where the black-market entrance was and the team was confident that they would be at one for magical creatures and dark artifacts this morning. She was also confident in her abilities that they would be able to get onto the right streets to find the auction houses. Seamus and Dean would be attending the dark artifacts one, while Hermione and Sasha would be observing the one with creatures.

Observing, only actively engaging if there was something that would be an imminent threat to the wizarding community. Hestia had given them the strictest instructions that they were not to draw any attention to themselves. If there seemed to be any reason that they might have drawn in too much attention, they were to pull out. There was too much riding on this recon mission to risk it by jumping in and trying to arrest everyone who was doing something illegal, as anyone there would be doing something illegal. There was also the issue of not having it blow up that the DMLE was investigating the activity. It was really a full balancing act.

Walking down into her kitchen, Hermione started up her coffee pot before retreating back upstairs to finish getting herself ready to go in while her coffee brewed. There was no need for any makeup, or specific clothes. All of that would be changing once she got to the ministry anyway. The most Hermione needed to do this morning was brush her teeth and get her coffee, the rest would be done in Hestia's office.

Walking back into her kitchen, Hermione was greeted by the sight of her mother making up a travel mug for her. While Hermione enjoyed drinking her coffee black, no sugar or milk, Helen enjoyed her coffee with a splash of milk and vanilla creamer. Anytime her mother made her a coffee, Helen made it to how she enjoyed it, but that was fine. Hermione would still drink it.

"Oh good, you're awake. Okay, we're going to take Aurora on a nature walk today and have her help with caring for Missy. Everything will be fine here. Theo is coming over later to start putting things together for your house warming party. Are you ready for today?" Helen asked looking her daughter over as she finished making Hermione's coffee up.

Hermione had told her what they were going to be doing this morning, and it seemed that Helen was doing everything possible to distract herself from the fact that her daughter would be walking into a dangerous situation. This wasn't the first time that Hermione was thankful to have her parents back in her life. Having Helen worrying about her and caring for her was something Hermione had missed in the years that they'd been separated by war and the memory charm. It just cemented in Hermione's mind that she made the right choice in living in such close proximity to her parents. Not only was it helpful for Hermione and Aurora, but it seemed to be beneficial for her parents as well getting to be so close to their granddaughter.

"Thanks for the coffee, mum. Those sound like excellent plans for the day. Aurora's still in bed, she might sleep in later this morning since she stayed out so late with Dad in the barn. I'm really not sure what time I'll be back, but if you need a break, you can send her in to help Theo setting everything up for this evening." Hermione said before taking the travel mug from her mother and taking a sip.

Pulling her daughter in for a tight hug, Helen ran her hand over the mess of curls in the same soothing motion she'd always done when Hermione was a small child. "You just be careful, alright." Pulling back, Helen cupped Hermione's face and gave a soft sigh before stepping away from her daughter.

Hermione nodded her head and gave her mum a soft smile "I always am." It was a lie, and they both knew it. Hermione didn't know what today was going to entail, but she did know that it was a relatively low risk.

Stepping out of the kitchen and into the still silent sitting room littered with toys, Hermione grabbed her floo powder and off she was to the DMLE. Since they were coming into work on a Saturday morning and didn't want to draw any attention to themselves, Hestia had opened up her office's floo access to the small group for the day.

As soon as Hermione stepped through the fireplace, she was met with a bright-eyed Sasha stepping forwards and helping her brush off the soot from the travel.

"Morning, are you hungry?" Before coming back to England for work, Hermione had never actually met the kind auror. Sasha Boot had been four years behind Hermione at Hogwarts and had been in Ravenclaw, same as her husband, Terry. Even though they'd been in the same year, Hermione and Terry had never been close, so it just stood to reason that she'd never had a reason to get to know Sasha before now.

She didn't exactly have the warmest personality and could come off a bit stand offish. However, once Hermione had gotten to know her better and Sasha had found out about Aurora, she'd gone above and beyond gifting Hermione with clothes that her daughter had outgrown. It hadn't become a friendship per say, but they did have a very comfortable acquaintance.

"No, I've got my coffee. Seamus or Dean in yet?" Hermione asked taking another sip from her travel mug, letting the warm liquid fill her stomach and wake her up a bit more.

"Not yet, but knowing Seamus they'll be here just in time to get glamoured. Hestia had me raid the lost and found bin yesterday after our meeting for robes for us to wear. We're going full Knockturn Alley residence apparently." Sasha held up the clothing that hadn't been claimed by their owners after going missing.

There was a full assortment of mismatched pieces, there were even pairs of worn boots, and everything in between. Hermione started picking through the clothing to see what she could find to piece together her own disguise. Her and Sasha worked in silence as they found what they could use to wear and make them look like they were a couple of foreign old dears and not drawing unwanted attention to themselves.

Hermione and Sasha had just finished getting their disguises together and were changing behind the folding screen when the room flashed green and two male voices sounded on the opposite side of the office.

"Ladies, are you in?" Seamus's voice sounded and Sasha was the one to answer.

"Obviously we're here. You're the one who's always running late, who kept you two this time?" She asked coming around wearing a set of dingy grey robes and black boots that had both seen better days and were a few sizes too big for Sasha's current frame.

"Oi, Sash, why do you always assume we were distracted with some bird?" Seamus asked with a raised eyebrow that was slightly singed from an explosion he probably caused.

"Rachel from legal." Dean answered earning an elbow in the ribs from his best mate. "What? She's fit."

"Really? I heard she was Malfoy's mistress?" Sasha commented as she adjusted the little top hat with broken feathers sticking out of it at odd angles.

"Nah, she, uh, no. She seemed very un-attached last night." Dean said as he finished fishing out his new clothes and throwing them over his arm before disappearing behind the screen to change. Seamus quickly finished grabbing a few things for himself before joining his friend.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione decided to not comment on her young friend's choices in wizards. She wasn't entirely surprised that Rachel was going after either Dean or Seamus. Couldn't even blame her for going after both of them at the same time, she'd heard the rumors at school from witches who'd been taken to bed by them together.

Ignoring the continued chatter about the dynamic of Rachel and Malfoy's relationship, Hermione got to work with altering Sasha's appearance. She made quick work of altering her already slightly longer nose to make it look crooked and as if it had been broken in the past. Wrinkling her skin and shortening a bit before plumping her out. By the time Hermione was done, Sasha slightly resembled a mix of Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Filch. It was not a good look, and wouldn't draw any attention to her. If anything, she might repel anyone who looked their way.

Turning her attention to Dean, she covered his arms in tattoos and then enlarged his muscles and grew his hair out a bit and added some streaks of grey through the dreadlocks that she'd fashioned him. A bit of facial hair and Dean's disguise was complete. Seamus, she gave a similar treatment to make it look like they would possibly be working in the same circles. A translation spell and she effectively gave them each a magical Russian accent to make them sound foreign and as if English was not their first language.

For herself, Hermione waved her wand and gave herself straight golden blonde hair with grey chunks throughout it, especially at the roots. Then she gave herself a bit of height and made herself appear to be stick thin. Her own dull green tattered robes would keep anyone from bother her thinking that she had any sort of money on her person. The cover story would be that they were there for their employer if anyone were to ask.

As soon as all four were ready, Hermione checked over their looks one last time before declaring that they were ready to leave. "Alright, Mione, we have your instructions on how to get in. We'll meet back here this afternoon. Everyone is to keep your gallons close for communication, any problems and send a '999' message and we all apparate out to my flat. Keep with your partner, and we'll see you ladies soon." Seamus finished giving the instructions, and without another word, they all walked to the corning of Hestia's office where apparition was enabled.

Sasha and Hermione turned on the spot and they were the first to land in the alleyway entrance. Pulling out her wand, Hermione tapped on the stones and entered the runes for rare and dangerous beast. During the surveillance review, she'd been able to deduce that they weren't very cleaver in hiding what you were asking for. It was a very straight forward request, but you would have to know precisely what brick to put the runes on, otherwise you wouldn't be allowed entrance. When her finished runes glowed green, Hermione and Sasha were able to step through the brick wall together and onto a dimly lit street.

Using sign language to communicate, Hermione and Sasha had decided that they would fake Sasha not being able to hear, the two women began their walk past the suspicious witches and wizards who were flanking the street. It was easy enough to figure out the warehouse that they were supposed to enter as the masses were heading towards the front entrance where two large wizards were positioned on either side.

'Think this is it?' Sasha signed to Hermione who only responded with a shake of her head as they watched a small stream of some witches, but mostly wizards head into the building. There was one man with curly blonde and grey hair that Hermione could have sworn she recognized entering as they settled themselves in line.

Jerking her head, she wordlessly motioned to Sasha to follow her. While Hermione was motioning towards different things and signing nonsense to Sasha, while her partner was covertly snapping pictures of everything they could see. It was complete madness around them as the people around them shuffled to get a good seat and prepare themselves for the auctioneer to take the stage. So far there was nothing incriminating to be seen, but Hermione suspected that they'd be seeing some real soon.

As if her thoughts had summoned it, Hermione had hardly sat when the first creature of the day was brought out for the viewing. Hermione couldn't stop her jaw from dropping when an adolescent chimera was ushered up onto the stage in a cage that was clearly much too small for her. The poor creature looked to be severally under weight and it's fur was dirty and matted in places.

If this was the first creature that was to be sold, Hermione shuddered to think what else was to come. It didn't take long for Hermione to realize just how badly the DMLE needed to be involved in the and to shut down this black-market trading and auction site.

The auction didn't get any better. The condition that most the creatures being sold were in were despicable. It was clear that wherever they were getting them they hadn't been actually being taken care of. It was disgusting and breaking Hermione's heart the more she watched.

As the basilisk egg that had just sold for two hundred thousand galleons was rolled off the stage, Hermione caught sight of the blonde and grey curly hair that she'd known she recognized again. Turning to Sasha, who was capturing pictures as a litter of Cerberus puppies were pulled onto the stage, Hermione tugged on her sleeve and signed that she would be right back.

Sasha nodded her head and turned her attention back to the stage with a sad look on her face. Hermione slipped from her seat and moved in the crowd, un-noticed by everyone there. It was with little effort that Hermione was able to position herself so that she was now standing slightly behind who she had thought she'd spotted earlier when they were first waiting to enter the warehouse.

Tiberius McLaggen?

His features were a bit misshapen, and if Hermione wasn't so well acquainted with the man, she probably wouldn't have realized that it was him. The shimmer from his glamour was visible, but just when the light caught it in the places she knew he'd altered his appearance. There was no doubt about it, the Chief Warlock himself was standing at an illegal auction at in a secret black-market.

After how heavily he'd just favored Borgin in his trial earlier in the week, Hermione couldn't help but think that this might all be connected somehow. Hermione pulled out her own camera and snapped a few pictures of the man, making sure she caught the shimmering of the glamour on the film. This was a development that Hestia would have to be made aware of.

Taking a few steps backwards, trying to get away without drawing attention to herself, Hermione had to stopped when she felt herself back into a very large and hard chest. As soon as she made contact with the unknown person behind her, Hermione could feel her heart rate begin to rise.

"I think the biddy is lost." A rough voice sounded in her ear as the hairs on her arm pricked up when a tanned and callused hand clasped down on her shoulder.

Spinning around, Hermione came face to face with a man taller than Draco and much wider. His eyes were so dark that they appeared to be black and his dark brown messy hair looked greasy and unkept, as if he hadn't bothered washing it in months.

"Oh, pretty old bird she is." The strange man commented again, now brushing is hand along her jaw line. Even with the glamour making her face appear to have her cheeks sunk in, if he was touching her face, it wouldn't take long for him to realize that her appearance was only an illusion. Keeping her eyes on the man, Hermione worked on keep her distance from him. Back up slowly, Hermione did the best she could to retreat from the much too interested man in front of her. Using her hands to sign to him that she couldn't understand what he was saying, the man threw back his head and let out a barking laugh.

"Oh, can't hear, but can you read lips? I like an older, more, experienced woman." This disgusting man stalked closer to Hermione as she continued to back away in an attempt to put more distance between the two of them. Hermione again signed to the man that she couldn't understand him, but he was undeterred and kept up his advances.

At her elbow, Hermione sigh when Sasha appeared wrapping an arm around Hermione and shooting the man a glare, stopping him in his tracks. She really had made Sasha look like a hideous old hag, and from the look the man was now giving them he didn't seem like he wanted to mess with Sasha. Turning towards her partner, Hermione quickly signed that they needed to get going. With a quick nod in agreement, the two women silently slipped out of the warehouse and back into the street.

As they exited the building, neither Sasha or Hermione had seen when an adult veela was wheeled onto the stage in a cage to be sold.

Now milling around outside were more people as the auction continued to progress. Hermione and Sasha didn't speak a word to each other as they continued their way until they were back at the entrance. Hermione quickly traced the brick wall with a rune for exit and they were permitted to leave, only not coming out to the street where they had entered.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" Sasha asked as the two women looked around their surroundings.

"I'm not sure, but let's try apparating back to Dean and Seamus's flat and then we can floo into Hestia's office from there." That had been part of the plan, since they were the only ones who lived within apparition distance from London. They had set the wards for all of them to be able to directly land in their sitting room to be able to use the floo without having to go further in public than necessary while in their disguises.

Taking hold of Sasha's arm, Hermione spun on the spot and landed in the flat. Looking around, the flat screamed that it was the home of two single wizards. Dean and Seamus had both grown up within the muggle world and it showed. A large flat screen telly took up a majority of the space and a collection of quidditch and football posters were hanging from the walls making Hermione laugh. From where she stood in their sitting room, Hermione could see into their kitchen and the trash can that was slightly overflowing with take away bags and beer bottles.

"I honestly hope neither wonder why they're both still single." Sasha commented, verbalizing what Hermione was already thinking.

"Yes, well, can't say that I'm too surprised that at thirty this is still how they live. I'll send them a message and let them know that we had to leave early." Hermione grabbed her galleon and began to send a message when a pop sounded making Hermione look up to see Seamus holding up Dean, who had a bloody nose and a bruised eye.

"What the bloody hell happened to him!" Sasha yelled running across the room and kneeling in front of Dean where Seamus had just set him down.

"Um. Well, there was something that came up for bid and Dean outbid the bloke that wanted the item. He didn't take to that well." Seamus's eyes wandered over to where Hermione was standing behind Sasha running a quick diagnostic to ensure that there was no internal bleeding.

"What was the item?" Hermione asked as she began healing the smaller cuts and fixing Dean's nose while Sasha handing Dean a few potions to ease the pain.

"Bellatrix's cursed blade." Seamus replied while Dean groaned in pain as Hermione reduced the swelling around his eye with a wave of her wand.

Hermione stopped what she was doing and looked up at the Irishman who was now rubbing the back of his neck nervously. That item was supposed to be in lock up in the DMLE. It had been confiscated by the Auror's department after the Battle of Hogwarts during the clean-up.

"It must be a fake." Hermione muttered as she turned her efforts back to healing Dean.

"We need to check, but there were a few other things that we recognized that had been classified as 'missing'. So, there's a real chance that it was the real thing." Sasha commented without looking back at Hermione while she continued to administered potions to Dean.

That was something Hermione hadn't been told. Items don't just go missing from the evidence and holding lockers. This was something that was concerning. With that thought, Hermione remembered who she'd just found before her and Sasha had to abruptly leave.

"I saw Tiberius McLaggen glamoured." With this admission, all three aurors turned and looked at Hermione with gapping mouths.

When none of them said anything, Hermione pulled out her camera and flipped through the pictures until she found the ones she was looking for and handed it over for them all to see.

"I'm not sure how much of him the three of you see, but I see him just about daily and I can tell you without a doubt, that's him. You can see the shimmer from the spell when he turns just so in the light. He didn't bid on anything and was off to the side just by himself, so I'm not sure what he was doing there. We had to leave before I could watch him anymore, but no matter what, this isn't looking good for him." Hermione explained as the three finished looking at the pictures she'd gotten.

"Well, shit. Always thought the McLaggens were a slimy family. Alright, well everyone get your reports written up so that Hestia has them to review tomorrow. We can count this as our debriefing, and we'll meet again on Monday when Hestia is here. She said that she would have a pensive for us to review our memories together, so whatever details we might have missed someone else might pick up on." Seamus said addressing them all as the team leader.

After agreeing that they'd all see each other on Monday, Hermione bid the three aurors farewell and made her way back to the DMLE. With extreme speed, Hermione filled out the report for Hestia. Hermione knew that Hestia would want these send to her home, so throwing a handful of floo powder in the grate, Hermione tossed the finished report in the emerald flames to be delivered to Hestia's home office.

With that done, Hermione threw another handful of floo powder into the fireplace and was swept home, thoughts of what had happened that morning, but also ready to face what the night would have instore for her.

A/N: How Helen made Hermione a cup of coffee the way Helen took hers is exactly how my mom would make me a cup of coffee. I never put anything in mine, but my mom would aways make mine up the same way she enjoyed hers.

Also, the avocado tree is a real thing sitting in my mother's living room. Her and my 12yo daughter planted an avocado seed when she was about 3, and it's thriving under the care of her green thumb.

Aurora getting a cow for a pet was something I came up with while I was watching a farm animal rescue show after enjoying an edible. It reminded me of my driver's ed teacher and how his daughter had decided to become a vegetarian after learning about slaughter houses.

Well, things are heating up and going to be happening! Next chapter is House Warming, and Draco is about to meet Aurora. How do you think that's going to go? Next update will be either Monday or Tuesday. I'm goaling for two updates next week as we see Draco getting to know Aurora.