A/N: I'm so bad at this time management thing, but I still managed another chapter (which I just finished.) I have so much fun writing this story, and I really hope you all enjoy reading it. I get more into it with every review I get. You guys are the best! Enjoy!

IsabellaPaige- And your reviews will always make me smile!

Zarroc- Well, it is an H/R story! However, not everything is always happily ever after. It's going to be much more complicated than that. Hopefully it's still fun to read!

Love-is-everything- I hate to tell you, but the misunderstanding has only begun. I totally plan on reading your story. I've just been busy lately. After I finish my anthropology assignment today, I'll go straight to it!

Violet Snicket- I love it when Ron and Hermione fight. It's my favorite thing to write. This chapter answers a few questions, but not too many. I don't want to give it away all at once!

Angellwings- Thank you so much! What have you liked about to story so far? I'd love to know.

Quidditch7- I have a little H/G plan for the next chapter. I figured I'd give you that sneak peek because you've been such an awesome reviewer. Most of your questions about Lavender and Dean will be answered and Ron and Hermione's tension will build if you just read on!

The End of a New Life by MyKonstantine.

Chapter 5: The Search Party

The room was so deadly silent that that it chilled Hermione to the bone. Nobody had anything to say because nobody could think of a solution to the problem at hand. It was unlike anything they had ever dealt with before. How did you conduct a search for a dead man?

"Where do we begin?" Neville broke the eerie silence.

"We need something to help us. Some sort of clue." Harry stated. "We need to search all the places that Dean has been recently."

Seamus pushed himself up and out of his chair. "We'll start at his flat. I doubt it was searched thoroughly."

"His flat?" Ron repeated. "I thought it was still your flat too. You hadn't finished moving out, last time I'd checked."

"Well, I finished moving out two days ago." Seamus bit back. He was starting to look pasty and ill.

As likely to start trouble as it was, Hermione had to ask the obvious question. "Did anything seem odd when you were there?"

"Fuck, Hermione!" Seamus belted out. "If anything seemed out of place I would have fucking told you! I didn't notice anything, okay? I was too damn busy!"

Ron stood up, his chair screeching on the tile floor. "Watch yourself, Finnegan!"

"Ron!" Hermione clawed his arm, trying to stop the raging beast that was Ronald Weasley's temper. "Don't do this!"

Hermione knew very well that Seamus wasn't truly angry with her. He was feeling guilty. He had been the last person out of the group to see Dean, and he hadn't noticed anything unusual. Maybe he thought he could have stopped Dean's disappearance if only he had been more attentive, but Seamus had nothing for them.

"What are we waiting for?" To Hermione's surprise, it was Parvati Patil who spoke with such passion. Hermione knew Parvati had a relationship with Dean that was more than friendly, but she didn't know many other details. "We need to find him!"

"Right then." Ginny sounded short of breath as she spoke. "Let's all apparate over there."

Everyone complied easily. Harry was the first to go, followed by Neville, Ginny, and Parvati. Ron observed Hermione for a moment before leaving.

Hermione knew she had to take this opportunity before it was too late. She needed to know the answers.

"Lavender, can I speak to youfor a moment before you leave?"

Seamus raised an eyebrow. "What would you need to talk to her about?"

"It's nothing, Seamus." Lavender assured him. "I had written Hermione a letter about something quite important, but I can't tell you. It's a surprise."

Hermione knew that Lavender was a decent actress but as she kissed her husband on the cheek and whispered "Go on with the others, we'll meet you there," her performance was flawless.

Seamus apparated to his former living space without another question.

"What did you see in that bathroom, Lavender?"

Lavender's eyes shot from Hermione to the floor, then from one side of the room to the other. Her toes curled inside her light pink slippers, but her hands went loose by her sides. She looked absolutely petrified.

"Hermione, what are you talking about? Why would I have seen something in a lavatory?" Lavender's blue eyes blinked so much she looked like a broken doll.

Hermione was absolutely shocked. "Dean's gone! He could be dead or dying!"

"I know, Hermione. What do you expect me to do about it?"

A cry emitted from Hermione's throat as she slammed her fist down on Neville's table. A cup fell over, its contents spilling all over. Neither Hermione nor Lavender moved.

"What are you trying to do? Kill him?" Hermione moved toward Lavender with fierce anger flowing through her body. "I saw your face a few minutes ago when Neville told us everything! You're holding something back! I know it!"

Lavender's lips twisted into a smirk. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hermione!"

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She didn't understand why Lavender wasn't telling her anything when it was clear that something had gone on in the lavatory the night of her wedding. Obviously Hermione couldn't convince Lavender to tell her anything, so she would just have to go on a wild search with the others.

Feeling more betrayed than she ever had in her life, Hermione moved herself directly in Lavender's path so that she could look her directly in the eyes.

"Just remember that if he dies, it's your fault."

Lavender snickered. "I haven't done anything. If he dies it's as much your fault as it is mine."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione snarled. "I'm not that one holding back information on what happened to Dean."

"You're the bloody know-it-all. You figure it out."

Lavender's words made a wave of loathing burst forth from Hermione. Before she had the chance to think twice about it, Hermione had already opened her fist and given Lavender a good sharp slap across her pretty pale face.

"STUPID TWIT!" Hermione bellowed. "How dare you! This is your fault!"

The smug expression that had been on Lavender's face before was certainly gone now. A flash of anger flew across her face, but it was quickly replaced by a more troubled look. Her eyes darted around the room once again, searching for an answer. After another moment, her lips began to quiver and she eventually dissolved into tears.

Hermione continued to stare only for another minute. She didn't care how hard Lavender cried. There was no way in hell Hermione was going to apologize.

"I'm going to Dean's flat to help the others." She stated, and with that she apparated away from Lavender's sobs.


Dean's parlor was quiet, but Hermione could hear random noises throughout the flat. A cabinet slammed shut in the kitchen. A closet door in the long hallway creaked open. Footsteps clamored up and down the wooden stairs. Most importantly, the voices of mumbling wizards could be heard all over.

Hermione moved towards the sounds that seemed closest. She found herself staring down at a lithe red-haired witch as she scrambled through the kitchen cabinets nearest the floor.

"Why are you out here?" Hermione asked as she observed the room. "Nothing seems out of place around here. I never knew Dean was so clean and organized."

Ginny's head poked up from behind the cabinet door. "Shocking, isn't it? I would have never guessed myself."

Giving up on that cabinet, Ginny shut the door and reached for the shelves above her head. "Most of the group is searching Dean's bedroom because that's the real nasty scene, but I didn't fancy staying in there. Just because the rest of the house isn't ransacked doesn't mean that there are no clues out here."

"Very well, then." Hermione nodded as Ginny shuffled through the food stock. "I think I better look in the room where everything went on, but tell us right away if you find anything."

As Hermione walked to the stairs, she could see Seamus' tiny body searching the hallway closet. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to walk as quietly as possible. Her mission was to avoid conversation with the husband of a woman with which she was more than disgusted. She failed.

"Oi Hermione!" Seamus called for her attention as she walked by. "Where's Lavender?"

Hermione gulped down hard. It was hard to sound natural in a situation like this. "Oh, she's just using Neville's bathroom before coming over. She should be here any moment."

Seamus looked a bit suspicious, but before he could question Hermione, Lavender apparated into the corridor. Hermione rushed up the stairs as soon as the blonde witch appeared. She wasn't quite sure what dramatic story Lavender would come up with to make the situation worse this time, but she wouldn't stick around to hear it.

All of Hermione's worries about Lavender washed away as she turned the corner into Dean's bedroom. Her stomach turned as she took in all the sights in front of her.

Dean's mattress was flipped over, his bed curtains torn to shreds. Drawers from the dresser lay piled up in the floor with Dean's clothes scattered about. Old picture frames containing images of Hogwarts mates and family were broken on the floor.

"Oh my goodness."

"Yeah, it's worse than I'd expected as well." Harry replied from across the room where he was searching through Dean's desk. Everyone in the room was silently slithering all over the place, searching carefully like a muggle detective.

Parvati seemed to be the only one who wasn't scouring through Dean's possessions.

"Did you find anything yet?" Hermione asked.

"I found something." Parvati answered in a voice so low that Hermione could barely hear her speak. "But it's not going to help any."

"What is it?" Hermione questioned, noticing the black object held tightly between Parvati's hands.

Parvati unclasped her hands to reveal a black velvet box. Ever so slowly, she placed her left hand on top of the box and lifted the cover. Inside there laid a dazzling sight made of platinum and diamonds, one large jewel was in the shape of a crescent moon.

"He was going to ask someone to marry him." As Parvati spoke, Harry, Ron, and Neville exchanged nervous looks behind her. "I don't want to sound conceited, but I think he was going to ask me."

Hermione thought for a moment. Dean hadn't been seeing anyone. He had other female companions, such as Susan Bones, but they were never too close. Rumor always had it that Dean and Parvati had something for each other. Parvati was probably right.

A tear slid down Parvati's cheek. For the first time Hermione could remember, she felt bad for Parvati Patil. She began to feel guilty for all the times she'd called her former roommate prissy or made fun of her robes or scowled at her gossip. Parvati now seemed human.

"It's alright." Neville managed to say to the back of Parvati's head. "We've all been through worse. We'll find him."

Ron scoffed. "We all know how well Neville comforts the ladies."

"Will you stop being such an arse?" Something in Neville had snapped. The words that he shot back at Ron took everyone by surprise. He didn't look like a coward anymore. He looked absolutely livid.

"Yes Neville, I'm the arse and you're the sweet bloke who wins everyone's heart." Ron growled out as he lifted up Dean's mattress. "I know that."

Neville let out an exasperated sigh. "You caught us in a bad position! I understand that you're obsessed and jealous, but Merlin, nothing happened!"

Hermione choked on the air she was breathing.

Ron looked appalled. "Obsessed and jealous? Bullocks! I just know that my best friend could do better than you!"

"I thought we already settled this!" Hermione cried out once she could breathe again.

"I thought we had too." Ron snarled. "But then I realized something. You told me you weren't in love with Neville, but you never told me that you were in love with the man you want to marry. So it is him?"

Neville looked more confused than he did in his first year of potions. "Are you delusional?"

"How could you think about something that trivial at a time like this?" Hermione couldn't believe Ron was acting this way. He hadn't been this irrational since a gnome crawled up his trousers during the summer. "You're a selfish bastard, Ronald!"

"Why can't you just answer my question, Hermione?"

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Harry had heard enough. He moved toward the door, but he never made it through the threshold. As he rushed out, Ginny rushed in and they collided. After grabbing on to each other for stability and one very awkward moment of laughter, they both seemed to remember why they were moving in the first place.

"I found something in one of the drawers in his kitchen!" Ginny held up a fresh-looking white piece of parchment addressed to Dean in purple ink.

Seamus and Lavender moved into the room to observe the letter as well. Hermione carefully scrutinized the return address. "Melinda Rollins? Who's Melinda Rollins?"

"Dean's mum, of course." Seamus stated as if it were the most obvious piece of information in the world. "She got married and changed her name a few years back."

"What does it matter that Dean got a letter from his mum?" Neville asked. "I get letters from my Gran all the time."

"It's not the letter itself!" Ginny rolled her eyes at Neville. "Listen to this. 'I'm saddened to see you go on such a long journey so soon. I expected the Ministry would have given you more training before sending you back there. It's a shame Seamus isn't coming with you this time. I don't know how I feel about this new partner of yours. Write me often and come home as soon as possible.'"

Harry stared at Seamus with a puzzled look. "Where did you and Dean ever travel together?"

"We've never taken a vacation." Seamus replied. He was wracking his brain for any possible answers. Finally, a light bulb flickered on. "We went to a really lousy wizarding community in Germany as part of our international Auror training, but we both dropped out a few months after that."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And what has Dean been doing since?"

"Working."

"Where has he been working?"

Seamus shrugged his shoulders. Hermione thought long and hard. She knew the occupation of every person in the room, but she didn't know Dean's occupation at all. It just never came up.

Something wasn't right. Seamus was so tense it looked as if his bones were about to snap. Lavender, on the other hand, was shaking.

A thought hit Hermione like a ton of bricks.

"Seamus, was Dean an unspeakable?"

"I don't know." His voice was calm and stolid.

Ron wasn't accepting that answer too well. "What do you mean you don't know? He was your best friend!"

"I JUST DON'T KNOW, OKAY?" Seamus ran his hands through his hair. "I wish I did but I don't have a fucking clue."

Ginny continued the line of questioning. "And what about this partner of his? Dean's mum is very worried. He sounds dangerous."

"Yeah." Hermione agreed, never taking her eyes off Lavender "Violent, even."

"Why are you looking at me that way?" Lavender asked in the sweetest voice she could muster up. It was her way of trying to stop Hermione, but it wasn't going to work.

"Tell them."

"What are you talking about?" Seamus spat, defending his wife's apparently delicate condition.

"Lavender was attacked the night of your wedding. I found her in the bathroom." Hermione felt cruel. She had not only broken her promise, but announced the situation to the whole room, but in her heart she knew it needed to be done. "She knows something about this. She refused to tell me earlier."

"You're a rotten bitch, Hermione!" Lavender shouted out. She didn't look so innocent anymore. "How could you!"

"You were attacked at our wedding and you couldn't even tell me?" It was hard to tell whether Seamus was offended or disappointed.

"I didn't want to ruin our wedding!" Lavender squealed. "Besides, I couldn't tell anyone!"

Seamus wasn't afraid to be forceful with his bride anymore. "What happened, Lavender? Tell me right now!"

"I didn't see where he came from." She began. "He just grabbed a chunk of my robes and spun me around. Before I could even look up, he hit me in the jaw."

Lavender's eyes were welling up with tears. Everyone could tell this wasn't easy for her to recall. "He turned me so I couldn't see his face. I don't even know if he was human. All I could see was black."

She sucked in a deep breath. "He called me a filthy mudblood lover. He told me I was only marrying Seamus to save him from the Ministry and that he pitied me."

Seamus let out a growl.

"He said that.. he said that I was being watched very closely, and if I helped another mudbl- person of muggle heritage, his people would seek their revenge on me." She sobbed. Her next line came out as a shriek. "Why wouldn't they want us to be married?"

"They want all the half-bloods and purebloods to be prosecuted by the Ministry." Harry stated with a rare look of understanding in his eyes.

"And you think this man could be Dean's partner?" Seamus looked to Hermione for the answers.

"I dunno." Hermione answered honestly. "It's possible. He seems like an awfully wooly character."

"But it doesn't make sense." Ginny injected. "Dean's a half-blood."

"There's more." Lavender peeped from behind a mask of tear streaks. "He said that if I told anyone about him, he'd kill Seamus."

"Fuck that!" Seamus replied. "Not if I kill him first!"

Lavender ignored him and continued. "Then he disappeared."

"You mean he disapparated?" Parvati questioned.

"No, he opened this crack in the corner of the wall and walked right through." Lavender said. She looked as if she was embarrassed by the memory. "I might wrong. I've never any sort of magic like that."

A memory shot into Hermione's mind. The glowing crack in the wall, the blackened shape in her room.. it all seemed so vivid now.

"It was real." She called to Lavender. "I saw it too."

Hermione turned to Ron. "Remember the night you stayed over my house because I saw something?"

"Yeah, Hermione, but I checked, remember? It was nothing." Ron had sobered up his fury, but he was still looking at Hermione as if she was mental.

"No, Ron. Whatever attacked Lavender was in my bedroom that night."


DUN DUN DUNNNNN! I like to leave you all in suspense! Do you enjoy the suspense? Does it drive you crazy?

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