"Harry," said Kingsley. "It has been two years. No one has seen anything. I've had the trainees spending time watching muggle reports as part of their training. Even though it has helped us by getting them used to reading the terminology and some of the procedures… Look, I'm sorry. I miss Hermione too. But there just isn't any need to keep searching. Point me doesn't work. Owls can't find her, and we even had a seer try to scry for her. She's either under some sort of hiding spell like the Fidelius, she's out of the country, or she's simply..."
"I refuse to believe he's dead," said Harry. "I'll accept the possibility of the other two, but not death. I think I'd feel that."
Kingsley nodded. "Ok. Do you need anything else?"
"Can you get me a list of law enforcement officers I can talk to without violating the secrecy act? Maybe I can start it all over myself."
Kingsley sighed, "Sure. I'll have it owled over this afternoon."
"Thanks, Shack."
"Anytime Harry."
break
Harry flooed back to Grimmauld and stood in the gloomy parlor. Crookshanks rubbed against his legs and purred. "I know Crook. I miss her too." He picked up the half-kneazle and moved to the sofa. He sat there wondering what to do next, when there was a knock at the door.
Harry had long since given out the location to his classmates and friends, so he was not surprised to see Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass waiting on the top steps. "Hullo ladies. Come on in."
Once they were inside, Harry offered them drink but they begged off. "Harry," said Susan. "I know we all kinda went of to do our own things, but I've been collecting things about found persons from across the Northern Hemisphere. Daphne and I have been working on putting things together, and we think we may have something."
Daphne smiled at Susan. "We found a woman down on the South coast that fits Hermione's description. She was found not long after Hermione disappeared and has been living in a convent since she woke up from a short coma."
"We have a contact in the local constable's office that is a squib and she is certain that this woman is Hermione," said Susan. "She has no memory of who she is or where she is from."
Harry sagged in on himself. "West Sussex?"
"Yeah," said Daphne.
"How did you know," asked Susan.
"We looked there last fall. No one would talk to me and the police were less than forthcoming."
Susan smiled. "She's new. She used to be part of the Youth Cabinet. She saw your flyer and got her sister to contact me. Her name is Lisa Sawley. Lynette went to school with us and apparently had a huge crush."
"Who didn't," mumbled Daphne.
"I remember Lynette. She was a couple of years back wasn't she?"
"Graduates this year," said Susan. "Says that her mum loved the potion. Anyway, she says that Lisa will be glad to speak with you and pass on any info they have."
"Thanks, girls. I appreciate it. I'll head down in the morning. I'm too knackered to do much more today. Kingsley just told me that he was pulling everyone off the case."
"That's why we came on over," said Daphne.
"If there is anything, I can do for you, let me know."
Daphne blushed a little. "If this is a wild goose chase, just come find us. We need to talk. There are some secrets that bear being revealed, and it is far past the time to do so."
Looking confused, Harry just nodded and saw the girls to the door. He went to bed with thousands of thoughts in his head, and none of them were even close to the truths he would find over the next week.