Chapter 1

Harry

Number 12 Grimmauld Place appeared as nonexistent to the Muggles as it always had. Inside, a bleary-eyed Harry Potter sat beside a fireplace reading an exceptionally long piece of parchment. He found himself reading the same sentence repeatedly. At the age of twenty-three, Harry's opinion was held in higher regard than it really should. He'd never even heard of an obscurial until last week when Margaret Watson, head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, had sent an urgent memo asking Harry's recommendations for one found in Bristol. And last month alone Harry had attended ten hearings regarding illegal flying carpets, even though his job did not entail regulating travel. And now he found himself reading "Unusual Incidences on Foreign Grounds". Twice, his eyes had slid shut during the task and he found himself lurching awake when Kreacher, his house-elf, scurried into the room. The bat-eared creature was a free elf, but had accepted a job as Harry's housekeeper for pay.

Harry ruffled his messy black hair and set the parchment down on his desk, deciding to try again in the morning. He stretched his back, rubbed his eyes behind his thin wire-rimmed glasses and stalked up the stairs to his warm bed. Morning, he thought to himself. I work better in the morning anyways.

This document, however, had come from the Improper Use of Magic Office, where his best friend, Ronald Weasley worked. He knew Ron was relying on his insights into the document to gain some sway in the department. Although Ron didn't really need his help, was Harry's last thought before drifting to sleep.

The next morning, Harry's eyes fluttered open when Kreacher drew the curtains back in his bedroom. Harry reached across the bed to find the space next to him empty.

"What time is it?" He mumbled, turning over and covering his head with a pillow.

"Nine o'clock Harry Potter sir! You is needing to go to work!" Harry bolted upright. He was expected at a meeting in thirty minutes with his opinions on the matter of Foreign Incidences. He sighed, realizing he'd never finished the article and could therefore give no opinions. He reached by the bedside for his wire-rimmed glasses and rushed to the bathroom. In his mirror, he tried to smooth his sleep-ruffled black hair into place. He could tell he was in desperate need of both a haircut and a shave, but this morning simply wouldn't do. He made a mental note to get that done before Ginny Weasley returned. He had thought that maybe she would return last night, but he guessed the game was lasting a lot longer than she had anticipated. His girlfriend was one of the chasers for the Holyhead Harpies and as such, was out of town most of the time during the Quidditch season.

As Harry pulled on his work robes, a plan formulated in his mind to make sure he had something to say at today's meeting. He just needed to see her.

He gratefully accepted Kreacher's proffered cup of coffee in a portable mug as he apparated to the Ministry.

Hermione

Hermione Granger usually started her day well before anyone else and ended it well after most of her department. Although she was no longer trying to get the best score on the exam, she didn't really know a different way to function. And it was because of this that she found herself sitting at her desk at four o'clock in the morning reading a memo with Ron's name on it.

She found herself smiling at the untidy scrawl she knew so well. She thought of Ron fondly, picturing splotches of ink on his nose as he furiously scribbled his thoughts in a department-wide memo.

As a member of the International Confederation of Wizards, she rarely saw Ronald Weasley at work anymore, but she, Harry, and Ron saw each other outside of work as much as they could. All three of them had accepted Ministry Jobs (Harry immediately after the War, Hermione and Ron a year later) in different departments. Hermione had been sure Ron would choose to be an Auror initially, but she realized just how much Fred's death had affected him when he'd gone to work in George's joke shop initially. She knew he had eventually taken a job working in the Improper Use of Magic office as a way to be close to his father and family.

The few years immediately after the war was the most time she'd spent away from Harry and Ron. Hermione, of course, had gone back to school to complete her last year of magical education at Hogwarts. She'd hoped that they would both return with her, if not for the studies, then to relive their carefree days for another year. Ron might've considered it, but he'd changed after Fred's death and she knew spending time with his family was more important to him than even her. They had never really spoken about the kiss again. Hermione had spent hours imagining the discussion they would have when she eventually brought it up to him, but in the end she knew never discussing it was for the best. The truth was, she knew she and Ron would never work. They were too different, they argued too much, and they just didn't see the world the same. After she'd graduated, there had initially been an awkward tension reminiscent of their third year that finally faded into the comfortable friendship they'd shared for a long time.

Harry, on the other hand, had grown closer to her over the years. He refused to go back to Hogwarts without Albus Dumbledore, but she knew he'd struggle from the war. After the losses they'd all experienced and the blame he'd shouldered, Harry couldn't spend time at the Burrow amidst the family grieving for a lost son. So he and Hermione had gone to Australia to retrieve her parents before spending a summer at Grimmauld Place. She could tell he'd wanted to ask her to stay at the beginning of the school year, but when she did return to Hogwarts, they'd kept up correspondences. She had even invited him to spend the Christmas and Easter holidays with her parents. Now, in addition to seeing him, Ron, and Ginny (when she was in town) after work, Harry stopped by her office for lunch a few times a week.

Hermione snapped herself out of her reverie. She took a sip of tea and began reading. As Hermione read the memo detailing unusual activity worldwide, she noted a city in the United States with several reports. Roswell, New Mexico. She'd heard of the town from Muggle readings. Something about UFOs maybe? After learning about the world of Magic, Hermione had realized that most of the unusual activity muggles experienced was actually magic.

Hermione flicked her wand and a list of names appeared on a blank piece of parchment. These were the names of known witches and wizards currently living in Roswell, New Mexico. Based on the number of incidents in the city, she knew a team would have to talk to the two witches on the list to discuss the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and determine any necessary next steps.

She pulled out a new parchment and a fresh quill and began to write her recommendations to attach to the memo.