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Complications and Consternations

"This is not going to make our job easier," Ron muttered as they walked along the roads that led to Harry's house that afternoon, "The Muggle authorities are going to be under enormous pressure, and Shacklebolt is not going to be impressed with our failure to catch the rogue moments after they left the scene."

"We need to figure out who is causing the explosions," Hermione mused, "If there is a particular group or person being targeted, then maybe that will lead us to our rogue."

They were using a gabble spell to make their words obscure to the Muggles they passed in the street, and they got a few funny looks. The spell was designed to make most eavesdroppers think you were speaking a different language, tailored to their expectations of the person they were looking at. Ron had developed the spell as a counter measure to the extendable ears that the twins still produced and used on an almost daily basis. Wizards would actually hear garbled sounds, their innate magic breaking that much of the charm, but no more. The twins were determined to find a way to countermand that spell, purely in the brotherly spirit of competition.

"Won't the Muggles be handling that side of the investigation? I thought it was established beyond all doubt that whoever was making the bombs was a Muggle," Ron frowned, "We don't want to go stepping on toes, Hermione, that's a sure fire way to get the Senior Aurors breathing down our necks."

"Maybe," Hermione sighed, "But we're not having much luck on this end of the investigation. We'll check in with them tomorrow anyway, they might have more information. At the very least they'll have another list of names for us. Maybe we'll be able to spot someone familiar on the list."

"Apart from Harry's," Ron sighed and Hermione leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Apart from him," she agreed.

Ron brooded for a moment, wishing that Harry hadn't had to sacrifice everything for a world that was selfish in the extreme. He'd been discarded the moment his task was done, and even though they still had a memorial day for him, there was no real effort to recognise what he'd truly lost. Ron felt that he'd be spending the rest of his life cherishing Harry, partly because someone from the Wizarding world should, but mainly because he loved him.

"Listen, why don't you go check on your dad?" Ron said after a long moment, reluctantly putting aside his wish to check Harry from top to bottom inch by painstaking inch, "I'll go report to the office. I intend to sleep at the Hutch tonight, so I'll visit the Muggle authorities in the morning. I'll meet you there if you like."

"Ok," Hermione looked pleased that he'd remembered her father, and kissed him on each cheek, "One for Harry and one for Rose," she laughed and Ron grinned, casting a small charm that would divert attention from her when she apparated. In a moment she was gone.

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