Chapter 16

"I wish Dumbledore were here." Minerva mumbled into her hands. "I'm not made for this. This was supposed to be the end of war, the end of evil."

Adrienne replied to her Aunt's murmurings, even though they were rhetorical. "Aunt Minerva, evil will always exist. Without evil, good wouldn't exist either. Things need opposites to define them. Good is what evil is not."

Minerva nodded her head; Ruth nodded also. They still sat around the table, weary but unsure of what to do. They had been there all night. None had slept much- and when they had, it had been on the table.

All three jumped at the sound of scratching on the window.

"Oh- it's an owl." Minerva opened her window to let the bird in. It relieved itself of its burden, ate the chocolate it was given then left. Minerva closed the window behind it.

"It's from mama," Adrienne read the parchment hastily, "she's going back into the ranks on special consignment. She says they've discovered something. I think," Adrienne looked directly at Ruth, "that you will find out who's been stealing souls soon. Mama's offered to let us in on the secrets."

After Minerva signed Varimont in as Headmistress in her absence, and it was decided that Lianna would remain in the care of Poppy whilst they were gone, the three women Apparated to the outer grounds of the Auror Training Complex.

"It's charmed, like Hogwarts. Can't Apparate onto the grounds." Minerva explained.

"The Aurors have a floor at the Ministry of Magic," Ruth continued, "but there they are subject to the whims of the Minister of Magic. They keep a token force there, whilst keeping the majority here. Their big boss lives here, as do all the Aurors." They walked up to the huge, multi-storeyed building, and knocked on the doors. After a few moments' wait, they were admitted.

"Hermione Granger? I'll just go and find her for you. Wait here please," The attendant smiled pleasantly at them, then turned and left them sitting in a comfortable room. The colours were warm, but neutral, large couches and a coffee table covered in Wizarding magazines. It was like a doctor's sitting room. Adrienne stood to look out the window, gazing into the distance over the long, grassy paddocks and into the distance at the blue mountain ranges and dark forests.

"All Auror ground." At the voice, Adrienne spun around and threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Didn't know where you'd gone, mama. I was worried."

"So was I- I got eaten by a Devil's Snare just into the Forbidden forest near the train stop. An Auror rescued me, and brought me back here. They've asked me- well, told me, really- that they need my help on this case.

"Hello, Minerva, and hello…" Hermione trailed off for a moment, but then smiled. "Ruth Akasha. Nice to finally meet you after having read so much about you. You have some interesting theories- I'd like to talk about them when we get the chance." Hermione smiled. She seemed more at ease here, and Adrienne could already see the slight increase in confidence in her mother's stride.

"Indeed, Hermione Granger, it's nice to see you also, after hearing so much about you. You are younger than I had imagined- and less unhappy." Ruth's eyes twinkled. Hermione smiled and shook her head.

"If I had been left to myself, I'd be a mole by now. I'm only this way because of my daughters. They didn't let me wallow in my self pity for too long," she sent a grin to Adrienne.

"Ah, good. The vessel of your salvation from the act of your destruction. Who would have thought?" Ruth's face was alight with something, and Hermione turned to gaze for a long moment at her.

"Yes, who would have thought?" Hermione shook her head and motioned for the ladies to follow her. "I'll show you what's going on. I've prepared a Pensieve so I can collate all the data- it's right in here." Hermione ushered them into a small room, with a single Pensieve on a stand in the middle. Adrienne marvelled at its simple elegance: white soapstone, smoothly rounded on a fluted stand of the same material. It was filled with some sort of cloud, and she leaned in to look at it closer.

"Yes," Hermione said, "let's all have a look."

~*~

They fell into the scene at the house. They watched as Hermione and Kate walked through the house, and marvelled at the hidden cache of souls.

Ruth growled, "This girl's a pro. No idea how she's done it. She's stolen this many souls- more!- and we haven't noticed before now. I don't know how she could have done it."

Minerva frowned. "Who is this, Hermione?" She motioned at Kate.

"Kate Tiaret. My former mentor, from when I was in the Auror ranks."

"Her face seems familiar, for some reason. I will recognise it, I'm sure."

"Maybe you taught her, Minerva." Hermione was the voice of reason. Minerva kept her pursued lips, however.

"We'll see."

Adrienne looked at the blonde woman with alive green eyes with a little curiosity, then turned to look intently at the racks of soul bottles.

"What has she made the corks out of?" She questioned her mother.

Hermione moved in to look. "I don't know. I'll analyse one back at the lab. They've got one or two- they didn't want to take more, or she might know we've found out her hiding spot."

"Mama…" Adrienne glanced cautiously at her mother, "she's stolen Lianna's soul."

The words cut through the room, leaving a cold silence; Hermione's face registered shock, drained of all colour, and she sank to the ground.

"Lianna? My little girl? She's got my little girl's soul? What can I do? What can I do?" She fell silent, and they fell out of the memories suddenly, flinging back onto the floor of the small room they had been standing in.

"I wasn't there, I didn't help. I could have saved her- why wasn't I there?" Hermione's self doubts trickled out of her mouth, and Adrienne crawled over to her mother and held her.

"I couldn't help her either, mama, and I was right there." Adrienne began to cry, and Hermione followed suit. Ruth and Minerva stood, brushed themselves off and retreated to the waiting room.

"Mama, Lianna said that we have to find her father. Before she left, she said we'd better find her father." Adrienne's dark eyes gazed at her mother. Hermione lifted her tearstained face to look at her daughter.

"You know who they are?"

Adrienne nodded.

"You can find him?"

Adrienne shifted her gaze to the floor. "As far as anyone knows, mama, the last time Lianna's father was seen was when you last saw him."

"He's dead?" Hermione gasped. Adrienne shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"Then who… who is he?" Hermione visibly braced herself, not wanting to know.

"Draco Malfoy." Hermione closed her eyes and swallowed this piece of information.

"Draco Malfoy." She echoed. "I didn't think he was there."

"Apparently so. And we have to find him."

Hermione rested her head on her daughter's shoulder. "He hasn't been seen, or heard from, for longer than you've been alive. He just disappeared. He'll be near-impossible to find."

"I know. But I need my sister- and she needs us."

"I know."

~*~

A/N: more thanks to reviewers. You guys (and girls) are the best.

*kitten