"Kalopsia"

"Chapter Ten"

Ron's quill scratched on a piece of parchment, writing his report on the raid that saved Harry's life. He scowled at the parchment, the words not coming out quite right. Harry was normally the one who wrote all of their reports while Ron barely skimmed over them and gave his stamp of approval. He slammed his quill on the desk and looked up at the picture frames that littered his desk. His eyes focused on one of him and Harry from the summer before fourth year where they were decked out in Quidditch gear at the World Cup.

The Ron in the picture had his arm around Harry's shoulders, who looked so small. Sometimes Ron forgot just how small his best mate used to be before he had his growth spurt. Harry looked completely different from the scrawny kid he once remembered. There was something about seeing Harry in a hospital bed that made him flash back to the same emaciated kid. He hated it, hated hospitals, hated his fucking job sometimes.

Ron sighed, his gaze looking up at his closed office door. Two days ago, he had shown Robards, Demelza, a few other senior Aurors, and a sketch artist the memory of that night in the field in hopes they would be able to identify Zephyr's accomplice. Nothing. He was beginning to go mad when there was a knock on his door and Demelza popped her head in.

She strolled in without a word once she saw he was behind his desk, taking a seat across from him and kicking her feet up onto his desk. Ron shot her an annoyed look, silently counting to ten in his head. She was definitely as infuriating as Ginny.

"We found her," Demelza said lazily as she appraised her nails. "Fuck, I broke one."

"You found her?"

"Well, I didn't technically, but the Aurors in general did."

Ron scowled. "So?"

"So, her name is Candace Walsh. Arrested several times for selling illicit potions. She was forced into a rehabilitation center five years ago by family and her last arrest was three years ago, so I'm assuming she didn't get clean," Demelza explained. "After she got out six months later, she disappeared off the grid. Never heard from again."

"You think she met Zephyr in that time? Maybe she was one of his first test subjects, enjoyed the high."

Demelza shrugged. "I suppose that makes sense. She was a potions addict. She may have liked the hallucinogenic aspects of Zephyr's potion experiments and wanted to help him perfect them."

Ron sighed, leaning forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his desk. His hands scrubbed his weary face before looking back at Demelza.

"Okay, so we have two potions addicts trying to perfect a potion and they're damn good at disappearing."

"Essentially," Demelza whispered. "Really good at staying undetected. I mean, I watched that Pensieve memory of yours at least two dozen times. They were smart, crafty. You don't see that a lot in criminals like that. They're usually sloppy."

Ron nodded. "I still can't believe they got the drop on us. I mean, Harry and I are better than that."

"I wouldn't worry about it. You can't always come out on top in every single situation."

"We have an impeccable solve rate. We are that good."

Demelza rolled her eyes. "So modest of you. It happened, let it go. Now, it's your turn to catch the bad guys and keep your nice solve rate intact."

Ron leaned back in his chair. "I'm only as good as my partner."

"Snag Sutton as a partner for a while. I've been trying to ditch my crappy partner for years now and get partnered with Sutton. He's probably the best after you and your husband."

"Stop calling Harry my husband!" Ron complained.

"If the shoe fits, Weasley."

Ron shot her a two-finger salute. Demelza only chuckled in response, standing up from her chair.

"Snag Sutton. I promise you, you won't regret it," Demelza continued. "Plus, he's hot just like Harry, so you'll have a nice treat for the eyes."

"Sutton is not hot."

Demelza raised an eyebrow, a smile quirking her lips. "So, you've checked out Sutton? He has a nice arse. Probably the best in the department."

"Oi, so not fucking true. Do I have to show you my arse again? I will have an arse off with Sutton any day of the week. You tell him that!"

Demelza rolled her eyes. "Go home, Weasley."

Ron watched as Demelza left his office, her long dark hair swaying from side to side as she went. With a sigh, he glanced at the clock and decided it was close enough to five o'clock. He packed up his suitcase before heading out of the office and making his way out of the Ministry of Magic.

He arrived home to hear clanking in the kitchen. Hermione had said she was only going to do half a day at work so she could stop by to see Harry at the hospital. He vaguely wondered how that went as he made his way through the house towards the kitchen where he saw Hermione standing by the stove with Rosie on her hip. Ron grimaced. He hated when Hermione attempted to cook.

"Hello, love," he greeted as he made his way towards his family.

"Hi, how was work?" she asked as he bent down to peck her on the lips before moving to give Rosie a noisy kiss on her cheek that made her squeal in delight.

Ron shrugged. "It was work. It's always weird when Harry's not in the office. I feel like I can't think or… I don't know."

"Speaking of Harry, you need to go see him," Hermione said, pouring enough spaghetti into a pot to feed the entire Weasley family.

"Why?" Ron questioned as he held out his arms for Rosie who babbled nonsense and reached for him.

"Because I stopped by after work and I walked in on him telling Ginny that he wants to sign out of the hospital against medical advice!" Hermione exclaimed as she took a spatula and tried to push the pasta down into the not-quite-boiling water.

Ron grimaced again. He loved Hermione dearly but she was a terrible cook. It was the one thing that she was absolutely dreadful at. Reaching out his hand, he took the spatula from her hand and tossed it into the sink. He grabbed a spaghetti fork from the crock next to the stove and held it up for her to look at, his eyebrows raised and handed it to her. She took it and then began to butcher the poor pasta into the pot once more.

"What makes you think he'll listen to me if I tell him not to leave the hospital?"

Hermione turned to look at him, an exasperated look crossing her features. "You're the only one he listens to!"

Ron burst out laughing which only made Rosie giggle along with him, her little hands clapping against his cheeks.

"You're bloody mental if you think Harry listens to me!" Ron exclaimed, snatching the utensil from Hermione's hand and laying it in the spoon rest. "Harry listens to no one, especially when it comes to hospitals.

Hermione huffed. "He at least respects your opinion!"

"Hermione, love, he respects your opinion too. He just always decides not to listen to your opinion," Ron said gently, his free hand cupping Hermione's cheek.

"This isn't funny, Ron! He was high off drugs for days on end! Starved and dehydrated! Left dirty in his own excrement!"

Ron scrunched up his nose. "Yeah, I don't think that last bit is something Harry wants to hear about."

Hermione sighed, tears shining in her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. Ron's hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck. He tugged her close to his chest, tucking her into his side. She wrapped one arm around his waist and the other played with Rosie's bare foot. She sniffed, and Ron gave her neck a small squeeze.

"I just care about him, and he can be so stubborn all the time. He never takes care of himself."

"I know he can be a right git sometimes, but, love, he hates when you coddle him," Ron said as he bent down to press a kiss to the top of her bushy head.

"I don't coddle him."

"All right, I was trying to say it delicately, but he hates when you tell him what to do."

Hermione pulled back slightly so she could look up at him, resting her chin against his chest. Rosie tugged on her bushy hair. She seemed to barely notice, her eyes wide as they stared up at Ron.

"You think I tell him what to do? I don't think… I'm just giving him my opinion, Ron."

Ron grimaced. "Nah, you sort of just tell him what he should and shouldn't do."

"Well, I mean, he's like a brother to me! I never had siblings growing up, but I always kind of pictured him as a little brother! Someone who I needed to watch out for and take care of and…"

"He wants to be treated like… like he's just your brother, Hermione. On equal terms."

"He's a year younger than me."

"More like ten months and twelve days younger than you," Ron supplied. "He's done the math."

Hermione let out a small chuckle, a watery smile flitting across her face. Ron pressed his lips to her forehead, her cheek, and she let out a small giggle when he kissed the tip of her nose. He beamed down at her.

"You're a good person, Hermione. You mean well, and he knows that. He just… he's used to being left alone when he was growing up and taking care of himself," Ron explained with a small shrug. "You know Ginny. She's fine with him signing out of the hospital to come home where he's more comfortable, but she's a right mother hen about him recovering at home. He'll be fine. He always is."

Hermione nodded, rising on her tip toes and kissing his chin before stepping out of the embrace. She picked up the spaghetti fork and peered into the pot and frowned.

"Why don't I make us some steak pies for dinner instead?" Ron suggested.

Hermione glanced back at him. "You hate my cooking."

"Nah, I don't hate it," Ron lied easily, his head shaking. "It's just… you've had a rough day, worrying about Harry and all. I can just whip us up something really quick."

Hermione sat the utensil on the counter, her brows furrowing. "I'm not that bad of a cook. It's just, I'll never be your mother."

"You're a wonderful cook!" Ron continued to lie. "I love your cooking! It's nearly as good as my mum's!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, taking the pot of pasta off the stove and making her way to the sink. "You're insufferable and a terrible liar."

Ron kissed her, making Rosie clap her hands. "Who said I'm lying?"

"Me," Hermione replied, a smile tugging on her lips. "You were off to a good start until you claimed I cooked nearly as well as your mum."

Ron grinned, his hand spanning her hip as he pulled her back against him. "Maybe I just really want steak? Hey! You're not pregnant, are you? Am I having sympathy cravings again?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not even a possibility right now."

"I don't know, Hermione! Rosie's going to be a year in December! We might want to start thinking about baby number two. I'm down to my pre-pregnancy weight, so I'm ready to join you in the journey again."

Hermione laughed as she poured the water into the sink and then disposed of the spaghetti into the bin. Ron plopped Rosie down in her highchair and gave her a teething toy. He met Hermione at the sink. As soon as she placed the pot down, he gathered her in his arms, his lips trailing kisses along her jaw.

"Ron!" she squealed, laughter escaping her lips.

"Come on, we have to catch up to Harry and Ginny. They are two up on us."

Hermione squirmed in his arms as he tickled her sides. "We'll never catch up to them! They want enough kids to have their own Quidditch team!"

"We can have enough for a Quidditch team too, you know," Ron replied with a giant grin. "The Weasley Weasels versus the Potter… Penguins. I don't bloody well know. They can come up with their own team name."

"We're not having nine kids," Hermione said.

Ron groaned. "Bloody hell, Hermione, a Quidditch team has seven players."

Hermione laughed, pinching his side. "I know, you dolt! Do you really think I didn't know that? I was seeing what you'd say."

"You're a little minx, you know that? Merlin, Hermione, I'll make it nine kids so we can have a couple on reserve."

Hermione laughed, slapping him playfully on the chest and shaking her head. She crossed the kitchen to the pantry, pulling out a jar of baby food and then sitting down at the island to feed Rosie. Ron busied himself around the kitchen. He knew Hermione didn't want a boatload of kids. She mentioned once that she wanted no more than two, a perfect number that would fit their hectic lifestyle. Ron was more than happy with two as he would be able to give them all the love and attention they craved.

He flicked on the radio, an upbeat song by the Gurgling Gargoyles echoing in the kitchen. He grabbed a spoon from the crock, bringing it up to his lips to pretend to sing as he shook his arse. Hermione smiled at him, a comment about him being a complete child escaping her lips playfully. He went to work cooking dinner for them, his mind slipping away from his stressful day at work.


Ginny stood at the foot of Harry's hospital bed, watching as the Healer peeled away the bandages on his wrists. A crusted and gooey balm clung to his skin. There was a pink tint that encircled his wrist from where the ropes had cut into them for days on end. His eyes rose to meet Ginny's gaze. She forced a soft smile on her lips, hoping it came off as encouraging.

Harry had made the foolish decision to sign himself out of the hospital against medical advice. He told her he couldn't last another day in the hospital bed, couldn't shut off his brain and just stop thinking as long as he was confined to the room. It was a classic Harry move. She didn't know why she was even surprised when he broached the topic with her the previous day.

"I just want to go home, Gin," he had whispered to her, his voice soft and defeated sounding.

The Healer cleaned the gunk off his wrists and lathered them up with more balm before wrapping new bandages around his wrists. Harry had at least consented to a full round of tests, potions, and dressing changes before he signed himself out. Ginny knew he only agreed to it when he saw the worried tears that clung to her eyelashes.

"To keep it from scarring," the Healer told him as she finished up.

Harry snorted, shooting Ginny a lopsided smile that clearly said as though I'll notice if I have a few more. The Healer handed him vial after vial of potions. Before he took each potion, hesitation marred his features. Ginny felt her insides twist painfully and couldn't help but think he was still unsure if what was around him was real or another potion induced hallucination.

When they arrived home, the boys practically jumped on Harry and wouldn't let him breathe. Ginny smiled as she accepted Albus from George, cradling him close to her chest as James and Teddy hugged their father.

The day passed slowly, Harry seeming distracted for a better part of the day. He often stared into space, his brows furrowed and a hand absentmindedly rubbing his chin. He only spoke when spoken directly to, never offering more conversation than what was expected of him. Ginny tried not to let it bother her. He had been through an awful ordeal, and he just needed time.

Harry volunteered to give James and Albus their baths. He smiled as he played ships with James. When it was Albus' turn, he flicked water onto the infant's belly and watched as he kicked and cooed in his little bath seat. Ginny watched from the door of the bathroom, happy to see their family back together.

After situating the boys in bed, Ginny went downstairs to clean up from dinner. She listened for Harry to see if he was going to come down or go straight to bed. Straining her ears, she thought she heard the stairs creak but he never came into the kitchen. Sighing, she finished up as quickly as she could so she could catch him before he fell asleep. She wanted to talk to him, talk about his delusions, talk about anything really.

Stepping out into the hallway, she saw Harry standing by the stairs looking at their photos on a small table. His fingers trailed along one in particular of Harry, Ginny, and Luna. He stared at the photo, not blinking or moving. Ginny crept closer to him so she could run her hand up his arm and squeeze his shoulder.

"You all right?"

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, it's just… there was another photo here. There."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, resting her cheek on his bicep. "Oh? What was the other photo?"

"It was of me… as a toddler at Sirius and Marlene's wedding. Sirius held me, and my parents were there… and Remus and some other woman I didn't recognize."

"Did this Marlene and Sirius date in real life?"

Harry laughed bitterly. "I haven't the faintest idea. All I know is that she was in the Order, her entire family was killed by Death Eaters, and my mum had been upset about her death. She looked to be around their age in the picture I saw of her."

"Well, maybe we can find someone who knew her," Ginny said, her hand rubbing circles between his shoulder blades.

"It doesn't matter, Gin. Sirius is dead. Marlene is dead. Everyone is fucking dead."

Ginny worried her bottom lip. "Harry."

"I'm fine."

"It's okay not to be fine once in a while, you know?"

Harry stepped away from her, his body turning to face her. He frowned at her, lines creasing in his forehead.

"All right, I'm not fine. I walked into this house today expecting to see Sirius and my parents waiting for me, because it felt so real and now it's not real and there are two sets of memories in my head. It's hard to reconcile what's real and what was fake."

"I'm sure it'll get easier. They said you still had some potion left in your system. Maybe when it's entirely gone, it'll be clearer," Ginny reasoned.

"It just feels like I lost them twice," Harry whispered. "I lost them all over again. They were happy. I was happy. We were happy."

Ginny reached out, cupping his face with her hands. "You will be happy again. We will be happy again. I know I'm so happy and so grateful that you're home. I know you're struggling right now, but I'm here. I'm real, and I will help you get through this."

Harry's hands rose and gripped her wrists. "I love you. You have always been there for me. Here and in my delusions. You always listen and you… Merlin, Gin, I wouldn't be able to do this without you."

"Luckily, I'm not going anywhere," she said with a smile, her thumbs brushing along his cheekbones.

"I don't mean just this, Gin. I mean, everything. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have chosen to come back after Voldemort killed me in the Forbidden Forest."

"What?"

Harry swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I never told you that, did I? I had a choice to come back or to move on. I chose to come back, because you were the last thing I thought of before I died. I thought about your lips on mine, the way your body fit perfectly against me, the way your hair shimmered in the light. I wanted more time with you. I wanted a life with you."

Ginny's heart pounded in her chest. No, he hadn't very well fucking told her any of that before. She only knew that the Killing Curse had killed the Horcrux inside of his scar… not that he had an option of staying dead or coming back. Her hands fell from his face, but he held onto her wrists.

"Gin," he pleaded. "Say something."

"You deserved to come back because your life has meaning beyond just me," she said carefully.

Harry shook his head. "My life is nothing without you and the boys, Gin. I wouldn't… my delusion where you died in the Chamber was awful. It didn't matter that my parents or Sirius were there. I didn't want to exist in a world where you didn't. Even in my second delusion where you were there, you might not have been you. I want you. Not some fake version of you. I'm not upset that I'm not in that delusion, Gin. I'm upset that I feel like I lost my parents and Sirius again, but I didn't really. It's just all… muddled in my head. Merlin, I'm not explaining this well."

"No, Harry, I understand."

"I am happy. We're happy. I just… I want the delusions out of my head. I want them out now."

Ginny blinked, her lips pursing. "Well, short of hiring a private Oblivator, you're sort of stuck with them, Harry."

"I don't want anyone messing around with my head anymore."

"I wasn't suggesting you allow anyone near your mind! I'm just saying… we'll get through this together, all right? I'm here. I love you."

Harry nodded, a soft smile tugging on his lips. He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. He pressed his lips onto the top of her head as Ginny held onto him tightly.

"I think I want to go back to work tomorrow," Harry murmured, feeling Ginny tense against his chest. "I need things to go back to normal, to get back into our routine so I can forget about my delusions. I think it will help me have a grip on reality."

Ginny nodded against his chest, knowing full well that when Harry wasn't busy then he let negative thoughts fill his head. Pulling back, her hand snaked around the back of his neck and tugged him down so her lips could press against his.


The next day when Harry wandered into the Auror Department, the room burst into applause. He smiled tightly as everyone congratulated on him being back and well. He accepted a hug from Demelza, a pat on the back from Montgomery, and shook hands with Robards. He wafted his way through the crowd to his office, sighing in relief when he collapsed behind his desk where no well-wishers could bombard him any longer.

Robards' condition on him coming back to work was that he was on strict desk duty. Harry just agreed, not actually planning on following through with that promise if a lead cropped up on the Zephyr case. Which was why he wasn't surprised when he heard Ron and Sutton were investigating a lead on Zephyr before Harry even arrived at the office for the day. Robards knew him too well.

A knock on Harry's office door broke up the monotony of desk duty around mid-day. He looked up, calling for them to come in. Demelza poked her head in and looked around his office before sighing.

"Where is Weasley?"

"He's out following a lead on Zephyr with Sutton," Harry replied, frowning. "It should be Ron and I out there but Robards-"

Demelza waved her hand. "Stop. Merlin, Harry, you aren't even supposed to be at work. You're lucky Robards is allowing you to do desk duty after what you've been through."

Harry scowled. "I'm fine!"

"You were abducted and subjected to experimental potions for days on end! Just enjoy the break!"

Harry's jaw clenched. "Why do you need Ron anyway?"

"I need a partner to follow a lead on Walsh, since my partner's called in sick."

Harry stood up, grabbing his Auror robe off the back of his chair and shrugging it on over his suit. Demelza just shook her head, her eyes wide and lips thin.

"No."

"Demelza, I'm coming with you. You can take the lead, all right?"

"No! Ginny would bloody kill me!"

Harry sighed. "Look, I hate to play this card, but I'm a superior."

"Fuck that, Harry. You may be more senior by a ruddy year but I don't take orders from you."

"By rank, I'm more than a year senior than you," Harry pointed out. "Where was the sighting? We can't waste any time."

Demelza scowled, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Come on, you like me better than Ron anyway," Harry added with a grin.

"You are less irritating than Weasley," Demelza agreed, her lips pursing. "Fine, but the official story is that you followed me after I told you no."

Harry grinned. "Deal. I'll take the heat."

Harry and Demelza worked fast, changing each other's appearances and transfiguring their clothes until they were unrecognizable while she explained a sighting of Walsh in Malefic Way was reported before launching into her plan. Demelza bit her lip as she jabbed his forehead with the tip of her wand.

"Stop, I'll do the scar. I know how to do it," Harry grumbled as he pulled his head back away from Demelza's wand.

"No, I got this. I received top marks on Concealment and Disguise! I will not be beat by some ruddy curse scar!"

"We don't have time for you to practice covering up curse scars!" Harry snapped as he pushed her wand away.

He turned around, a grimace pulling on his features when he saw his reflection in the mirror. Demelza had made him look like Draco Malfoy. He scowled at his own reflection and quickly concealed the scar on his forehead.

"You seriously had to make me look like Malfoy?"

"What? I thought it'd be hilarious," Demelza replied as she stepped up next to Harry. "Besides, being blond doesn't make you look like Malfoy, though if you let me give you those sexy pouty lips of his…"

"No," Harry growled.

"Ah, come on! You'd look good with them. It's as distinctive as your permanent scowl," Demelza teased but failed to get him to smile. She held out a long strand of her bright red hair. "You made me look like Ginny!"

"No, I just gave you red hair. You don't even have freckles," Harry argued. "You look nothing like her."

Demelza rolled her eyes. "All right, we are a couple so stay close to me. You can grab my arse, touch my tits, kiss me but no tongue. Sound good?"

Harry's brow furrowed as they made their way out of the Auror Department. "I'm not going to do any of those things."

"Do you want people to see right through us?"

"I've never groped Ginny in public, Demelza."

"Well, treat me like you would treat Ginny in public then!" Demelza said in exasperation. "Now I see why Robards never lets you go undercover. You're ruddy terrible at it."

Harry scowled as they made their way to the special employee Apparition point. "I've been undercover plenty of times. That's how Ron and I caught that serial killer in Leeds."

Demelza just hummed as she linked an arm through Harry's and held his hand tightly with both of hers. She pressed her body against his.

"Okay, fine. You're bloody brilliant at undercover work. So, you'll grope my arse because I always see groping going on in Malefic Way, because everyone is fucking high on potions or pissed," Demelza explained. "You might want to wipe that grumpy look off your face though, because nothing screams Auror more than that look. Be light and airy. I know that's hard for you but just try."

"Light and airy?" Harry questioned, his brows furrowing.

"Merlin, fuck, Harry! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather have Weasley as a partner right now," Demelza whined as she banged her forehead against Harry's shoulder. "I can't believe you made me say that. It hurts my soul to admit that."

"Shut it. I'll Apparate us both. You ready?"

Demelza nodded and Harry tightened his grip on her hand. With a faint pop, they were gone and reappeared in Nottingham. People bustled around the streets, ignoring Harry and Demelza as they stepped out from an alleyway and headed straight for the Sky Mirror. They waited impatiently for the sky to change before stepping through the storm clouds.

They walked down the narrow cobblestone lanes of Malefic Way. Harry wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand low on her back. Demelza leaned into his side, giggling and whispering in his ear as they walked. They stopped outside of shop windows, peering inside to see if they could spot Candance Walsh. Demelza would toy with his blond hair while Harry would pretend to point out merchandise as he peered at the customers inside the shops.

They passed by an alleyway, his eyes darting around frantically. Demelza hissed at him to stop, her dark eyes meeting his. She bit her lip, shooting him a grin and wiggling her eyebrows. He stared at her, his brows furrowed, as she grabbed him by the collar and roughly pushed him into the alleyway. His back hit the brick of a building and Demelza's lips were pressed to the pulse point below his ear. He squirmed slightly, trying to keep his face neutral.

"Relax, Potter. We're in love, remember?"

He inhaled her lemony scent, feeling comforted by the fact that it was Demelza. He trusted her with his life and this was for work. It wasn't like he was cheating on Ginny. It was Demelza, she was practically his sister. His really annoying little sister…

"Three o'clock," she whispered close to his ear. "Is that her?"

Harry glanced over, exposing more of his neck to Demelza who kept her lips close to his skin. He lowered his hands slightly, pulling her closer to him. The woman down the alleyway was talking to a young girl who looked fresh out of Hogwarts – the main target age of Zephyr and Walsh. The girl looked antsy, her limbs trembling almost as though she were going through some sort of withdrawal.

The older woman turned, her gaze meeting Harry's. It was definitely Candance Walsh. Harry turned away, and gently pushed Demelza off him and turned her until she was the one pinned against the wall. Demelza let out a little shriek, smirking at him as she slung her arms over his shoulders. She raised her leg and Harry grabbed it, his hand firm on her thigh. The other hand slid to her bum and he gave it a squeeze. She squealed as he leaned in close to her ear.

"Now who's shit at undercover work?"

She smirked, slipping her hands into his back pockets. "What do you think? Should we move in?"

"I think so," he whispered.

Harry's lips lingered around Demelza's neck as her hands rose to roam through his hair with her head tilted in the direction of the two women. He waited patiently for her to decide whether or not she agreed with him, if that woman was in fact Walsh.

Demelza turned her head, their cheeks pressing together. "I say we move in."

Harry nodded, his hands leaving Demelza's body. They intertwined hands, Demelza leaning heavily into his side and giggling. They made their way toward the two women.

"Sorry, I just… this is what it looks like, isn't it?" Demelza asked, her voice slightly higher and more girlish than normal. "You got some good vials or what? What are you charging? Sorry, we heard this was the place to be to… you know… get the good stuff."

Walsh turned to look at them, a grin flittering across her features as she narrowed her eyes at them as though she were appraising them. Demelza let go of his hand, sliding her hand in his back trouser pocket as Harry slung an arm around her shoulders.

"We want something different," Harry said, tugging Demelza close to his side. "Something… fun."

Demelza bit her bottom lip and giggled. "We have a date night tonight. So, give us your very best stuff. We really are looking for a fun night and we heard there's some good dealers here."

"What I have will make you transcend to another plane. It's not just a fun little trip. It's a lifestyle," Walsh explained.

Demelza let out another giggle as she squeezed Harry's cheeks and turned his head to look at her. "Oh, love, let's transcend together. I want that so badly for us."

Demelza leaned forward, gliding her lips across his. Harry slid his hand down to cup her bum again, giving it a squeeze for good measure. He wanted to show her he was definitely able to play the part she wanted him to. He felt her chuckle against his lips as she pulled away, winking at him.

"Anything for you," Harry said before turning his attention to Walsh. "How much for two vials?"

"Oh, there are no vials, honey. You ever seen a needle before?" Walsh asked, reaching into her pocket and producing one.

"What a funny little thing," Demelza commented. "What do you do with it?"

"You inject potions directly in your bloodstream. Push it right into the vein. The high is extraordinary."

"Babe, let's try it!" Demelza said eagerly as she pecked a kiss onto the corner of Harry's mouth. "I want to transcend. It sounds fun."

"Only one issue," Walsh said, smirking. "I don't just hand out needles and potions to inexperienced first timers. Why don't you come back to mine and I'll show you how to do it. Then, next time you buy - because I know you'll come back - you won't need me to show you how it's done."

Harry chuckled, his eyes glancing down at Demelza. "How much?"

"Thirty Galleons."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "We'll bite."

Demelza flicked her red hair behind her shoulder and stepped out of his embrace. Harry reached into his pocket for his handcuffs while Demelza's eyes trailed up and down Walsh's body.

They only had to share a look to know it was time to act. Demelza pushed Walsh up against a brick wall, twisting the woman's arm behind her back while Harry stepped forward with the cuffs in his hand. The young woman screamed, running away from the scene in front of her.

"You're under arrest for murder, kidnapping, the sale of illicit potions, and attacking Ministry employees," Demelza said with a grunt as she pushed Walsh against the wall tighter.

The woman laughed as Harry slid the cuff on her wrist and pulled her other arm behind her back. He locked them with a tap of his wand while Demelza plucked her wand from her pocket.

"Please, tell me you're Weasley in disguise," she said, her eyes gleaming. "I knew you were undercover Aurors. I just hoped you were Weasley. I wanted to tell you the good news myself, see the look on your pathetic little fucking face!"

Harry frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Why?"

"Because Sage is off getting his revenge right now."

"What do you mean his revenge?" Harry asked, his mouth suddenly dry and his heart beating harshly in his chest.

"Weasley took two perfectly good test subjects from him, his property," Walsh explained. "Now Sage is taking someone from him."

Harry flinched visibly, his eyes darting to Demelza to see her glaring daggers at the woman in front of her.

"Who?" Demelza growled, shoving her harshly against the bricks.

"His wife!" Walsh laughed maniacally, her head thrown back.

Harry froze in his spot, his mind flickering to Hermione being strung up in some old barn and having the life sucked out of her. Suddenly he was transported back to another time when Hermione was flat on her back, screaming as Bellatrix Lestrange loomed over her. The sound of her cries echoed in his ears and he knew that if something happened to Hermione again, not only would he never forgive himself, but it would destroy the one man he loved most.

In a flash, Demelza had let go of Walsh and bolted from the alleyway. Harry cursed uncharacteristically, jumping into action. He needed to get Walsh to the Ministry as quickly as possible so he could check on Hermione and provide backup for Demelza.

He roughly grabbed Walsh by the arm and pulled out the Portkey from his pocket. After activating it, they disappeared from the alleyway.

They landed in the back of the DMLE where the holding cells and interrogation rooms were located. Harry hauled her down the corridor, his jaw clenched. A few Aurors raised their brows at him, questions obvious on their faces. Harry scowled as he touched his wand to his temple and dropped all the glamours.

"Potter! What the ruddy hell are you doing?" Robards barked. "You're supposed to be on desk duty!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Take her to an interrogation room. I need to leave. Send a team to Ron's house."

"Do you care to explain what's going on?"

"She said Zephyr is out for revenge on Ron. He's going after Hermione. Look, I have to go. Demelza's already on her way. She needs backup!"

"You were out with Robins?"

"There's no time!" Harry yelled as he pushed Walsh towards Robards. "I need to go!"

Harry dashed off to the Apparition point, hoping he wasn't too late.

Here's the latest chapter! I hope you enjoyed it... especially the cliffhanger! Only one more left before the conclusion of the story! Don't forget to leave a review. They inspire me, make me want to write, and give me ideas! I absolutely LOVE them!

Thanks to bellmel for editing. Thanks to Bree for bouncing around ideas with me!