AN: I own nothing. Sorry for the sporadic posting.

Chapter 3

Harry

"Are we really doing this?" Hermione asked Harry the next evening as they sat at the dining table at Grimmauld Place. Between them sat a large stack of papers Hermione had brought to go over with him and that day's edition of the Daily Prophet with the headline "Golden Trio Reunited". Half the page was covered with a picture of the three of them from the press conference given earlier in the day with Ron standing in the middle. Harry watched himself try to smooth down his hair. Hermione, on the other side, looked poised in her well-fitted robes, answering the reporter's questions (most of the investigation's details, including the location, were being held secret from the public).

"Guess so," Harry replied after a moment. He imagined himself on a broom for twelve hours and shuddered at the thought. "How do wizards travel abroad?"

"Portkeys," said Hermione, her eyes on the book she was currently reading about Roswell. "The Department of International Travel organizes all of it." Harry realized he'd never traveled abroad, despite the breadth of his work with the Ministry.

"Where's Ron? I was really hoping he'd be here so we could start planning our trip. We have a lot to do,"

Hermione looked at Harry who shrugged. He found himself thinking of them planning their break-in into the Ministry of Magic years ago at the very same table. He wondered how Hermione felt about working with Ron so closely and traveling with him. She seemed cordial enough when they were together, but he had never heard the full story of what had happened between the two of them after the kiss at Hogwarts. He thought that maybe this proximity would rekindle their relationship and felt strangely uncomfortable at the idea. Thinking of the lonely times in the early days of the Horcrux hunt, he secretly hoped this trip would not be the impetus for the resurrection of their relationship. The idea of Ron and Hermione back together also made him uncomfortable in a way that he didn't really want to think about.

"And where's Ginny? What does she think about this trip?" With a jolt, Harry realized he hadn't mentioned it to her yet. She had come home late last night and left early for training before he made it home.

"She's at training and I'm sure she'll be fine," Harry asserted, but he found Hermione watching him uncomfortably.

"When are you going to propose to her?" Hermione asked and Harry felt taken aback.

"That was out of nowhere," Harry blurted, staring at her.

"And?" Hermione demanded.

"Let's just get back to work," Harry said. They spent the rest of their evening discussing their plans for Roswell.

Hermione

One week later, a portkey had been organized for the three of them to travel to Roswell the following morning. Sean Foster of MAGUSA would be meeting them on arrival.

"I don't understand how the American Magic Ministry doesn't know about it," Ron proclaimed for the millionth time. Over the past week, the three of them had gathered information from MAGUSA and the American muggle government. MAGUSA had claimed no knowledge of the incidents in the Roswell Report, as they now called it. The American muggle government had refused to talk to them.

"That's what makes the trip necessary," Hermione replied.

"And are we sure we can trust Sean?" Ron challenged. He looked at the picture of a young man with cropped brown hair and large brown eyes in a muggle suit suspiciously.

"No, I think we'll have to keep an eye on him," Harry affirmed. Neither of them had seemed impressed with the contact Hermione had developed in the American government.

And so, in the morning, the Golden Trio clutched their trunks and a soda can as they waited for their travels. Hermione felt herself spin before she landed on solid, dusty ground.

Hermione's first thought was that she'd never been to a desert. Barren landscape stretched as far as she could see. In the distance, she noted a ranch style building.

"Welcome to Roswell," said a voice behind her. Sean Foster stood at over six feet tall. He had a dimple when he smiled and she wondered if people actually found the man with the large brown puppy dog eyes intimidating. He wore the same suit he'd been wearing in the pictures. "You'll need a change of clothes."

Hermione looked down at her outfit of a plaid shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots.

She had read this to be the custom outfit here in New Mexico. Harry and Ron both wore jeans and a t-shirt. He began walking to the ranch building and the three of them followed.

"As you may or may not know, Roswell's reported an unusually high number of murders. None of them are Avada Kedavra related, but they're not usual muggle crimes."

"How so?" Hermione asked. She had read about them in the recent muggle newspapers, but the details had been vague and limited.

"Well for one, the sheriff here tells me they've never seen a weapon that can do that kind of damage." He handed Hermione a picture of a crime scene. She could tell it was a muggle picture and she was glad. In it, two men lay on the ground in pieces. It looked like a knife had burned through the tissue with large cuts.

"What's a sheriff?" Ron demanded.

"A muggle Auror. How did you get the sheriff to talk?" Hermione inquired.

"Because of the number of murders, the sheriff requested the FBI's help. We have contacts in some of the nomag government agencies."

Ron looked confused and Hermione found herself wishing Ron had done a little more preparation for the trip. Harry, at least had some working knowledge of muggle language but she was not sure Ron would be able to successfully talk to muggles.

"What do you know about the two magic people in the area?" Harry questioned.

"Not much," Sean admitted. "We couldn't find them definitively. I think one of them is Maria DeLuca. I have been watching her since you alerted us and there has been some odd things going on around her and the bar. She owns the bar and if I had to guess, I'd say she doesn't know she's magical. I have seen her buy tarot cards and crystals from nomag stores, but she has never visited Eos court."

"Eos court?" Ron interrupted.

"It's like the Diagon Alley of New Mexico." Hermione found her frustration with Ron mounting. "Go on," she said to Sean

"I went to one of her tarot readings and used appare vestigium after she left. There were definite traces of recent magical activity.

"Can't you just check the school roster to confirm?" Harry pressed.

"Not necessarily. We have a lot more witches and wizards in the U.S. and therefore a lot more schools. Every school has different requirements so sometimes if a witch or wizard doesn't meet anyone's requirements they may never get a letter. It doesn't happen often," Sean added, seeing the stricken looks on Harry and Hermione's faces. "Usually a family member will inquire before long."

Hermione tried to imagine herself stuck in the muggle world, unaware of her magical abilities and shuddered. She saw Harry's expression and knew he was thinking of a life with the Dursleys.

"I was thinking we could start with them," Sean continued. They reached the ranch. "I just wanted you to know what you're dealing with. Eras."

A female house elf wearing a pillowcase cut into a blouse and skirt appeared.

"Make sure they have everything they need. I'll meet you after lunch."

"How will we confirm?" Hermione asked.

"I have an idea," Sean said. "A muggle repellant trap. We can set it centrally in town and see who notices it."

"What kind of a trap are you thinking?" Harry asked.

"A doorway in the middle of the street," Sean said. "Something that grabs her attention. Anyways, we can talk more when you're ready."

And with that he disappeared, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to get ready on their own.