CHAPTER 4: I needed your love
A/N: Hey guys, welcome back. Heads up, this chapter contains very strong language in derogatory terms. So beware. With that, without further ado...
Exterior, Diagon Alley, London – Day
Hermione and Lily were walking side by side through the cobblestone lane in the heart of diagon alley. Their eyes wandered over the shops as they passed them by, sometimes lingering, sometimes just grazing over.
"We should do this more often" Hermione sighed happily.
"I'm gonna pretend you are saying that because you want to spend more time with me and love my company and not because you don't want to sit alone while eating a triple scooped chocolate fudge ice cream and fear that people will stare at you"
Hermione cheeks flushed for a moment before she turned to her with a faux indignant expression. "Of course not. How could you even think that." she barely got the words out before giggles burst from her mouth.
Lily shook her head at her antics.
"Okay, you have to admit it is embarrassing." she held her hands up as she continued. "I mean even with you next to me I can just feel everyone's eyes on me like a hawk staring down its prey"
"You being the prey in this scenario, I assume" Lily said dryly.
"Yes! I don't even have to look at them to know that they are judging me. I can just feel it and the worst part is that I don't blame them. I'm thirty-eight for goodness sakes and I still enjoy the same ice-cream I did when I was eighteen"
"Okay now you are just being ridiculous. Enjoying ice-cream has nothing to do with age"
"Yes, but why can't I be like you or everyone else for that matter. Take you for example, for as long as I've known you, you only have one scoop of vanilla, which looks mature and sensible but I on the other hand can still put a ten-year-old to shame, not to mention the blathering mess I make of myself."
"Okay, I have to admit that was funny" chuckled Lily, as they separated for a moment when a little boy ran between them.
"No, it wasn't" harrumphed Hermione. "Oh god, the idiot I must have looked" she moaned. "I can just picture tomorrow's headline. "Renowned Healer, Hermione Granger showed despicable table manners when she couldn't even handle a bowl of ice-cream."
Lily let out a hearty laugh as she wiped at her eyes.
Hermione's own lips quirked at the corner as she watched her.
"Oh, I can't wait to tell Rosie this" panted Lily once her laughter subsided.
"No, you won't" a horrified expression came over Hermione's face. "She already teases me enough about this as it is."
"Oh, you'll live" snorted Lily.
They continued walking ahead in silence at a leisurely pace.
A smile came over Hermione's face when she saw two kids fighting over an owl as they got out of Eeylops Owl Emporium. The boy was carrying a cage with a beautiful barn owl resting inside. He was holding it from both sides as opposed to by the handle and had it lifted up to his chest to keep it away from the girl's prying hands.
She was smaller in stature and seemed a couple of years younger.
"Mummy! Henry is not giving me my owl" she bawled, screwing her face up as she pointed an accusing finger at the boy.
"Henry!" the mother reprimanded her son with a glare.
"I'm just holding it for her so she doesn't have to. It's heavy" he said earnestly.
The woman looked down at her daughter and lifted her up in her arms. The girl put her arms around her neck as she soothingly patted her daughter's back. "See honey, your brother is just being nice. He doesn't want you to get tired. You can play with the owl all you want when we get home"
"Promise" she sniffled.
"I promise" she kissed her cheek before wiping her tears.
"Okay mummy"
Hermione and Lily walked past them but kept their eyes on the little family.
"That's my girl" the little girl rested her head on her mother's shoulder as her brother slowed his pace and walked behind her. He shot her a wicked smile before sticking his tongue out and placing a sloppy kiss on the cage. He mouthed 'mine' before tightening his hold on the cage as the smirk remained firm on his face.
Hermione guffawed at his actions before she clapped one hand over her mouth and placed another on Lily's shoulder. They watched with baited breath as the girl's lower lip started trembling before she burst into sobs.
"Mummy!" she got out between hiccups.
"Honey! What's wrong" the woman pulled her back to look at her face that was streaming down with tears. She saw her daughter lift her soft, slightly chubby arm up and point it behind her. She stopped and whirled around, her eyes immediately narrowing on her son whose entire complexion had turned white as a ghost and a scared looking expression had replaced his smug face.
"He's teasing me!" she yelled through her sobs.
"That's it!" the woman pulled her son by the ear and started dragging him along. "You are in big trouble, mister"
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Keep quiet, and no flying for you today. If I so much as see you get anywhere near a broom than merlin help me"
"But mum..." his voice trailed off as they disappeared in the crowd.
"Oh, poor boy. He's in for a rough time" Lily said, before putting an arm around Hermione's shoulder as they turned their heads around.
Hermione swiped a tendril of hair that had fallen over her eyes. "Hopefully, not getting to ride the broom will be his only punishment"
Lily looked at her as her eyebrows rose to her forehead. "Look at you, getting all soft"
Hermione rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Oh please, I was never that strict"
"I know someone who would have a different opinion" scoffed Lily.
Hermione sighed as she tilted her head to the side and laid it on Lily's shoulder. "Oh, I miss her so much. When will she get here" she let out a childish whine.
Lily squeezed her shoulder as she replied. "Not long now, dear. In a few day's time, she'll be standing right in front of you and then you can fret over her all you want"
"But it's only for a week. Why is it only for a week" she said dejectedly.
Lily exhaled a long breath before saying. "Has she made up her mind?"
Hermione's gaze was turned downwards with Lily maneuvering them through the crowd. It took her a few seconds to answer. "Yeah" she whispered.
They walked for a few more minutes before Lily suddenly stopped. Hermione jerked her head up at the abrupt halt and turned to face her.
"What's wrong?"
The older woman smiled at her before motioning her to turn around. Hermione complied and her eyes immediately fell upon the sign dangling above the door of the shop. It read, Flourish and Blotts. Lily maneuvered so she was standing on her side and Hermione turned to face her.
"Really" she whispered hoarsely, her eyes immediately filled up with tears.
Lily nodded her head with a bright smile. "Hmm mm. You can surprise Rose with that book you've been wanting to get her for a while plus, you need this. So, come on"
Hermione pulled in her for a tight hug. "You're the best" her eyes were shiny when she pulled back.
Lily cupped her cheek. "Enough with the sappiness" her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "C'mon" she grabbed her by the elbow before leading her towards the door.
Meanwhile
Interior – Lobby, The Passage, Barnton, Cheshire – Day
Harry was sitting on the chair with his head turned down. His elbows were resting on his knees and his hands were folded in the middle. His curls had fallen over his face, creating a shadow on the wooden floor from the light sweeping in through the open windows facing him.
The sound of footsteps made him lift his head and cast his gaze towards the entrance. Lisa turner walked in a few seconds later, with a tray filled with two cups of simmering hot tea and plate of cookies levitating beside her.
"Oh, you didn't have to go through all the trouble, maam"
"No trouble at all, Mr. Potter." The tray floated down towards the glass table and settled in the middle. "My mother would be tossing and turning in her grave if I didn't at least offer you a cup of tea."
"Oh really" he chuckled, as he leaned over and grabbed the cup closer to him before taking a sip. "Mmm, very nice" he nodded.
"Oh yes, the turners were nothing if not gracious hosts."
"I see" he took another gulp.
"Please help yourself" she brought the plate of cookies near him.
"Thank you" he grabbed a cookie. He made an appreciative sound after taking a bite. "Homemade?"
"Always" she smiled, grabbing the other cup before sitting on the sofa to his right.
"I must say I can't believe the last time I had a cookie this delicious, forget homemade" he rotated the sugary sweet in his hand.
"Oh surely, that's not true. A cookie is the first thing a mother teaches her daughter to make, it's a wizarding custom. I still remember when as a child we used to visit family or go to a friend's house, they always served you a goblet of pumpkin juice with home baked cookies. Infact, we used to rank every house and had lists" she placed a hand over her forehead as a bright flush colored her cheeks. "Oh, it sounds so embarrassing just even saying it now"
Harry chuckled before arching an eyebrow. "Wait, all things aside, pumpkin juice with cookies. Who the fuc-what sort of weird combination is that. It sounds horrendous"
She sat up right as an affronted expression came over her face. "Horrendous! It's the best. Pumpkin juice with chocolate chip cookies is a part of our culture"
"Well, not in my house I can tell you that much" Harry commented dryly.
"Really!" He nodded his head as he took another bite of the cookie. "That's a bit unfathomable to me considering your family's old lineage. The Potter's date as back as the earliest century." she mused.
"Mmm mm" Harry nodded, as he gulped the remaining tea and put the glass on the table. "True, and the tradition as you so mentioned may have been once part of my family but not since I've been drawing breath."
"Hmm" she shrugged her shoulder before taking a sip. "Hang on a minute" she contemplated, scrunching her forehead. "Oh, I get it now" she rolled her eyes. "Your mum and wife our both muggleborns, right?"
He nodded his head.
"Well, then there it is." she exclaimed. "They didn't grow up with our culture so it makes sense that they didn't have anyone to tell them about it" she gulped her remaining tea in one big gulp before placing her cup on the tray. "But what about your grandmother"
"She died when I was seven"
"Oh, I'm sorry"
"Nah, that's fine" he waved it off.
"I went to school with her. Never talked to her though since she was a couple of years above me and I was really shy but I still remember that everyone always looked up to her. I certainly did"
Harry smiled as he ducked his head. "Yeah" he muttered, rubbing his hands together.
"Wished I had plucked up the courage to talk to her." she said in a wistful voice as she looked outside the window. She shook her head before training her eyes back towards him. "But my head was so far up my ass back then that I don' think I would've appreciated or fully gained the meaning of the words coming out of her mouth." she snorted.
Harry let out a small chuckle before saying "At that age, we all have our heads up our asses"
"You're right" she agreed before smiling. "But seriously, the women in your family have been nothing short of exemplary. I mean just look at your mother and wife."
The smile vanished from Harry's face before he turned his head down.
"Their work in healing and advancement in other parts of magic is nothing short of revolutionary." She flicked her gaze towards him before continuing. "Not saying that the men have fallen short, by any means" she smiled. "I don't want to embarrass you but I still have a hard time believing that I'm sitting with the savior of our world. I feel like pinching myself but then I fear it'll all turn out to be a dream"
"I can assure it's all real" Harry lifted his gaze. "Which reminds me that we should get to the reason I'm here"
Her expression turned serious as she nodded her head. 'Of course." she cleared her throat. "Before we start though I think it's best if you know that-"
"That Rodney informed you about my interrogation methods"
Her eyes turned wide in shock as her mouth opened in disbelief. "How-how did you-"
"Ms. Turner" he interrupted. "You don't get to be in my field and not have some inclination on how the human mind works"
She closed her mouth and nodded her head. "So..." she cleared her throat, running her palms across her legs.
"Ms. Turner" she looked up before he continued. "That's none of my business, alright. Your life is your life and nobody's business." he waited until she nodded her head before continuing. "What matters to me is that your story matches that of Mr. Marsh and hopefully there are no inconsistencies."
"You don't need to worry about that." she responded quickly. "Whatever Rodney told you, or showed you, it's true. I can attest to that. I trust him"
"That's all fair and well maam but I don't, either of you" He inclined an eyebrow. "So, if you wouldn't mind..."
She took a deep breath before nodding her head. "So, just the memories with Rodney."
"Yes" he said, before lifting his finger. "Actually, when was the last time you saw your ex-husband."
"That would be around six months ago when our divorced got finalized."
"Hmm, so not on any functions, birthday parties, etc."
"No, only because there haven't been any. We were never one for big parties, you see. Nowadays, it's only our grandkids birthday's that brings all of us together."
"Alright then, I'll give you a couple of minutes to clear your mind"
Exterior, Diagon Alley, London – Day
Hermione held the door open for Lily as she stepped out of the shop with the former holding a thick bag in her left hand.
"Thanks, dear"
"No problem" she shifted the bad into her right hand as they merged into the crowd.
"Fancy seeing a few familiar faces for a short while" Lily asked facing her.
Hermione stuck her bottom lip out and shrugged her shoulder. "I got nothing today"
They turned right and started making their way deeper into the shopping district.
They came to a halt in front of a shop that stood out like a bulb in the dark. Its exterior was bright and attention grabbing, when compared to the shops that surrounded it. The front left window was full of products that did a variety of things, the right window was covered with a gigantic poster, purple and emblazoned with flashing yellow letters that referenced U-Stinky-Dog.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, was written in yellow lettering on top of the windows.
They walked up to the door before getting inside.
Interior, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – Day
A bright smile came over Hermione's face as soon as the door closed behind her. Rows of stands were lined haphazardly across the floor, almost touching one other.
Thankfully for them, due to the time of the day it was much easy to navigate their way through since only a handful of people occupied the space.
Hermione's smile turned into a full-fledged grin when her eyes landed on Ron busily sorting out a couple of rectangular boxes near the back corner.
She tapped Lily on the shoulder before motioning with her head towards him. Lily arched an eyebrow as a mischievous smile came over her face. Hermione put a finger over her lips. Lily shook her head at the childish antics of the bushy haired witch as she watched her turn around and silently make her way towards the tall wizard.
Lily's eyes were glued on her back as Hermione reached Ron with him still not having any clue of what was about to happen.
"RON!"
"AAH!" The red-haired wizard let out a high-pitched yelp as he turned around with a jump in the air. He lost his balance and flailed his arms wildly that did nothing to stop his backwards momentum. A few seconds later, during which he helplessly continued to grab on to anything, his back hit the shelf with an empathic impact, rattling boxes of extendable ears on the top shelf, before he slid to the ground with a loud groan.
Hermione doubled over as loud shrieks of laughter burst from her mouth, her finger pointing at his face.
"Merlin, Hermione!" he banged his fist against the shelf in anger as he glared up at her. To make matters more embarrassing a single box slid from the top and hit him right on the head.
Hermione let out another hearty guffaw as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her cheeks had taken on the colour of a tomato as Lily came over to them.
Ron continued shooting daggers at her when a hand blocked his vision. He blinked his eyes and shifted his gaze towards the older woman who had a small smirk playing at her lips.
She motioned towards her hand. He let out a sigh before grabbing on to it and hitching himself up. "Thanks, Lily"
"Always"
"It's good to know I can still count on some people to have my back when there are LUNATICS" he shouted the word near Hermione's ear as he bent down before standing up. "around" He finished with a harrumph.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic" Lily chastised him lightly. "You did much worse and don't even try to argue with that."
"That's right" Hermione stood up straight as she wiped the tears away. "He just can't handle the fact that I'm better." She tutted when he opened his mouth. "Just admit it Ron, the only reason you don't prank me anymore is because you know I will get you better, or worse, depends on how you see it."
"Oh really" he growled, though there was a light playfulness to his voice.
"Oh yes" she whispered. "I could've made your life hell at Hogwarts if I wanted to but unlike you I had more important things to worry about than hiding in a broom cupboard for two hours just to scare someone"
Ron's cheeks turned pink but he maintained his tough façade. "That was one time and you know it"
"You just keep telling yourself that' she patted his cheek, not unlike a mother does to her child.
"You can be so infuriating!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, such a big word." she snorted as he turned back around and levitated the box back to its former place before walking away. "Didn't know you took reading children's dictionary in your spare time" she followed him.
He reached the counter and walked around to stand on the other side. He opened a drawer and took out a thick register book. He flipped through the pages as Hermione came to stand on the opposite side and leaned her elbows on the counter. "What ya doing?"
"Ignoring you, in case it wasn't obvious"
Hermione looked over shoulder and saw Lily hanging near the side wall, eyeing a shelf of self-writing quills. She turned her gaze back around towards him. "He's back" she whispered, but it was loud enough as his head whipped up towards her. His eyes were wide in shock and his mouth parted slightly.
"Last night" she continued, in a low voice.
He shut the register and dropped it on the counter before leaning forward. "Wait, last night. When we were at the ceremony?" She nodded her head. "Blimey" He turned his gaze down at the counter, lazily drawing a pattern with his finger.
"I though you should know, you know...since we promised each other."
"Hmm" he hummed distractedly before snapping his gaze back to her face. "Oh, yeah, yeah." He covered her hand with his own, drawing her gaze back to him. "Hey, you okay"
She nodded.
"Did you talk-"
"No" she replied hoarsely.
"How did he seem"
She shrugged her shoulder. "As expected,"
"Hmm." A scowl came over his face. "Can't believe the moron hasn't visited me yet. Just wait till I get my hands on him."
"That won't be so easy" He quirked an eyebrow at her comment. "He's headlining the Witherfield case" Both his eyebrows rose to his hairline.
"Are you fuckin' serious" She nodded. "Fuck's sake" he whispered harshly. He glanced in Lily's direction for a moment to notice that she was still busy cataloguing. "He's out of his mind. Why didn't you stop him"
Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "Me? Ron, we haven't talked in more than two years and even before that the only time we exchanged words was when we were shouting at each other."
"Then who, huh" he gritted out. "Then who, dammit. If not you then who. He...you know what, forget it" he finished bitterly as he saw Lily walk over to them.
"Everything alright now between you two nincompoops" she stopped next to Hermione who had her head turned down.
"Yup, everything back to normal" replied Ron as he stared at Hermione.
"What's back to normal" came a male voice through the open door behind Ron. "Because you know what's not normal" A man with similar red hair, though much longer than Ron's walked through the door. He was a tad shorter than Ron and had streaks of white in his beard and on the sides of his hair. "Me sorting through the new delivery since that's your job little brother"
"Bill!" Lily smiled, before she walked around the counter and enveloped him in a hug.
"Hey! Didn't know you guys were here"
She pulled back before saying "We were nearby so thought why not drop by for a minute or two"
"I see, so that's what all the commotion was about" he grinned, as he eyes shifted between Ron and Hermione. "Makes sense"
"Hermione" he nodded.
"Bill" she smiled politely. "How are you"
"Busy as usual" he held his arms out. "But you gotta do what you gotta do, unlike some"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh, piss off"
"Would be glad to if only you took some responsibility" he remarked cheekily.
"It was lovely to chat with you, guys" Ron said to Hermione and Lily. "But I better get back to work or I'll have to hear his moaning all day long" he walked in the direction of the door his brother came out of but stopped and turned around. "Oh, by the way, welcoming party at the burrow, be there, no excuses" he pointed at Hermione.
"I'll be there" she rolled her eyes. "It was only one time and not like I missed it on purpose"
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that" he shot her earlier sentence back at her. He winked before walking through the door.
"We should get going as well" Hermione said to Lily who nodded her head.
"You're right" Lily turned back to Bill. "See you in a couple of days"
"You too" he laid a hand on her shoulder before facing Hermione. "You as well, Hermione. Take care"
"Thanks Bill, you take care as well. Don't exert yourself so much, you're not getting any younger"
"Oh, you don't have to remind me. Believe me, I literally count the cricks every morning I get off the bed. It's like your body just stops giving a shit after you turn forty."
"Oh, don't tell me that. I'm nearing the milestone!" she exclaimed.
He chuckled "Well then, I say you better get a head start on morning stretches"
"Oh, I hate working out" she whined.
"Oh, don't be such a cry baby." Lily said walking over to her. "That's just men talk. They don't understand the pain we went through during labor. Morning cricks will be like cakewalk for you"
"I'll take that as my cue to leave. Alright, catch you guys later"
"Bye" they both said before turning around and walking towards the door.
A sad smile came over Hermione's face as her gaze fell upon the frame hanging above the door. Inside was a moving picture of two identical twins, red haired, short spiky hair, carefree smiles on their faces, sitting on leather recliners. They both shot her a smile as she neared the door.
She placed her fingers over her lips and blew them a kiss. They jumped off their seats and pretended to catch the kiss. The one on the right pushed his twin away and closed his fist before winking at her.
Hermione chuckled when the other twin threw himself over his brother and sent them spiraling off the frame. Lily smiled before opening the door and stepping outside. She held it open for Hermoine who glanced one last look at the words written on the bottom of the frame.
Gone but never forgotten
"We miss you" she whispered, before walking out of the shop.
Interior – Lobby, The Passage, Barnton, Cheshire – Day
Harry removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He blinked a couple of times before putting them back on.
"Did I pass the test, Mr. Potter"
"Yes, you did, maam" he looked up at her face as she placed one leg over the other and placed her hands on her knee. He ran a hand through his hair before scratching his chin. "Can you think of anyone who could've done this? Did Mr. Witherfield have any enemies, people he suspected"
She shook her head. "No one comes to mind. You must understand that it was only just a few months ago that Sebastian started making public appearances again."
"Yeah, I was coming around to that. Do you know the reason behind that, apart from that he wanted to support Andrews' campaign."
"No. As I said the last time we spoke was six months ago and if I'm not mistaken he started making public appearances three-maybe four months ago, so that topic never came up"
"Hmm. That seems to be the big mystery" mused Harry.
"What did Dylan say. He would've been with Sebastian all night long. Was he hurt too?"
"No maam, Mr. Roberts arrived back home because of Mr. Witherfield's insistence. It was only later he figured out that that wasn't Mr. Witherfield."
"Oh dear" she gasped. "This just keeps getting more twisted"
"Right, you are" he said as she stood up. "Alright then, maam, that's all for now. We'll contact you if we require your help in the future"
"Anytime, Mr. Potter" she shook his offered hand before they started walking.
"Do you think this is in some way or form related to Bruno's murder"
Harry looked at her with a small frown. "Bruno?"
"Bruno Demenza, Sebastian's former bodyguard. Worked for him for more than twenty years. Did four years in Azkaban for attacking some ministry worker. It's why Sebastian stepped down from the election race back in 04' because he knew it would be a big hit to his campaign even when he was winning. Needless to say, Sebastian didn't hire him back but heard that he settled with his family in Oxfordshire.
Anyway, five years ago he was found brutally murdered in his home in Oxfordshire. Similar in manner to Sebastian, the killer stripped him naked and did horrible things to him. I remember it truly unsettled Sebastian for a few weeks"
Harry stopped walking and turned towards her. "You said that the killer stripped him naked"
"Yes, not only that but, oh merlin I can't even describe it but it was a lot similar to what happened to Sebastian"
"And in oxfordshire?"
"Yes"
"Merlin district?"
"No, I believe just in Oxfordshire"
"Hmm" Harry looked away as he chewed the inside of his lip.
"Naturally, it didn't create a big ruckus like this as you can imagine. But I couldn't help but notice a few similarities"
"No, yes" he faced her. "This is a huge lead, maam. Thankyou. Hopefully, it won't just be another dead end"
Interior, Conference room, Auror Headquarters – Evening
The door closed behind Harry as he walked into the room. Draco, Roman, John and Dave were hunched over a table. Everyone's eyes snapped towards him as he stopped in the middle and faced them. They all stood from their seats and walked over to him.
Draco reached him first and nudged his shoulder. "Everything alright"
"For the moment" he replied, eliciting a chuckle from the blonde-haired wizard. "Alright" he addressed as everyone formed a semi-circle around him.
"Made some headway, not sure if it'll actually lead to anything but for now it's a start"
Just then the door burst open as Rebecca and Chris came barging in.
"Good, you made it just in time"
"We have some important information" said Rebecca, as they joined them.
"Just the words I want to hear. Give it to me"
"Apparently one Mr. Hitchview can't remember anything from last night. He has no recollection from the party or if he even attended it. He half believes that he drank so much that he can't remember anything. But we couldn't confirm it as per your order to not use legilemens"
"Yeah, about that" Ritkins cut in. "Sir, what's the deal with that. I mean we're using legilemens on everyone except the people who were at the event last night"
"We are only using legilimens on people who had nothing to do with the murder." RItkins frowned as Harry continued. "That way we won't be thrown off the trail or be led in the wrong direction. Anyone who was at that party yesterday could've been the killer, or using the guest's body as a cover. But now we know who it was, thanks to Rebecca and Chris"
"You were worried that if we accidently interviewed the killer, he or she would've sent us in a loophole"
"Exactly"
"So, it means the killer polyjuiced Hitchview" said Dave.
"At first"
'Wait, I'm confused" Chris put his hands on his head.
"Make that two" muttered John.
"Look, I was worried that the killer was someone who was supposed to be at the party but now we know that's not the case because the IMA floo was only connected to those who got the invitation, which means the killer had to impersonate someone to get in. He or she did that by using Hitchview, hence he can't remember anything because he was obliviated and I'm sure was fed false memories.
The killer than polyjuiced again, in the middle of the party when Witherfield went to the washroom. He then came out of the washroom, as Witherfield, ordered his bodyguard to take a hike, waited until everyone left, then used the floo back to Hitchview's place before apparating."
Everyone was silent for a while with contemplative expression on their faces.
"Okay, I think I'm starting to get it now" said John, scratching his head.
"Knew you would get there" joked Harry.
"So, that means we can use legilemens on the guests, sir" asked Rebecca.
Harry thought about it for a while before answering. "Nah, leave that. It's of no significance to us now. We won't get anything new, plus I've got something important for you all to be working on. I need you to look into this person, Bruno Demenza. He was Witherfield's previous bodyguard and according to his ex-wife killed in a similar fashion five years ago. He's got a family and kids. I need to know where they live."
"It should be in the directory files under the Azkaban banner. Shouldn't take long." nodded Chris.
"Go then"
They nodded their heads before turning around and walking.
"Sir, I can help them since I've nothing to do here." said Roman.
"Yeah, fine"
"But I would near clearance since I've never been to that department before."
Harry took out his wand and closed his eyes momentarily. His wand glowed a few times and a few silvery wisps of smoke emanated from the tip before he let out a deep sigh. "Send your patronus" he said to Draco.
Draco nodded his head and patted him on the shoulder before taking his wand out.
"Expecto Patronum" A small silver dragon came bouncing out of his wand before facing him. "Follow him" he said to Roman. "He'll inform the receptionist."
"Thank you, sir" Roman did a little bow before following the dragon out of the room.
"We'll get back to searching into Witherfield's whereabouts, sir" John addressed Harry in a slightly hesitant voice.
"Hmm"
They walked away as Draco turned towards Harry.
"You okay"
"Yeah"
Draco let out a sigh. "It's okay to say no every once a while, you know. No one's going to think that you're weak if you do"
"I'm fine" he said facing him.
"Why don't you call it a day, huh?" Draco placed a hand on his shoulder as Harry lifted his eyes towards his face. "It's been a hectic day for everyone, you more than anyone, not to mention it's your first day back and whether you admit it or not it gets some getting used to, even for you" he emphasized the last part by squeezing his shoulder.
"The faster I get this done, the quicker I'll have all this behind me" whispered Harry.
"I understand, but you don't need to break yourself to get to it. Plus, it's going to be dark in half an hour and if you're planning on visiting the poor family, at least wait till morning. Let them enjoy their dinner and not have bad memories ruin their night. They deserve that, hmm"
Harry nodded his head and closed his eyes. "Fine"
"Plus, I think you should go see, Ron. The longer you put it away the worse it'll be for you" he smiled.
Harry's own lips lifted at the corner as he opened his eyes. "Alright"
Draco patted him a couple of times. "Good" he brought him in for a hug. "Let go of the drug" he whispered in his ear.
He pulled back to find Harry staring at the ground.
"See you tomorrow" he turned around and walked out of the room.
Interior, Men's Toilet, Auror Headquarters – Day
Harry's head was tilted back as he stood near the sink, his eyes closed. A ripped open small paper bag was lying on the counter next to a line of white powder. He was holding a rolled up five-pound note in his right hand.
He opened his eyes and turned his head down, eyes boring into the white substance. After a few moments of simply staring at it he bent down.
Interior, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – Night
Ron waived his wand around the shelves paired next to the walls, blocking the items as a thick curtain draped over all the shelves, hiding everything in its view.
He repeated the motion until every item in the shop was hidden behind a red veil.
He went back to the counter and pointed his wand at the drawers. "Colloportus" a soft clicking sound signaled the charm was effective. He turned around and pointed his wand at the back door, muttering the charm again.
The sound of the main door opening made him roll his eyes. "We're closed" he shouted. "Bloody wankers, don't even read the sign" he muttered, when the door closed.
A huge frown came over his face at the sound of steps. "I said we're closed!" he whipped around with an angry look on his face that died down immediately when his eyes landed on the person.
Harry shrugged his shoulders with a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "I thought I could come in any time I pleased." he then looked over his shoulder at the frame hanging above the door. "Isn't that right, guys"
The twins in the picture gave him a thumbs up. Harry lifted his right hand and touched the frame for a couple of seconds.
"See" he turned back around. "So, what do you say we skip over all the serious stuff and talk about the cannons"
Ron gulped as his breathing grew shallower. "For now," his voice came out hoarse.
Harry nodded. "For now,"
The word was barely out of his mouth before Ron all but ran towards him. Harry took a couple of steps forward before they both had their arms around each other in a tight hug.
Tears were freely streaming down Ron's face as he whimpered. "I missed you so much"
"Yeah..." whispered Harry. "...same"
Ron punched him in lightly in the stomach as a burst of laughter forced its way out of his mouth. "Git"
Interior, Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, London – Night
They were sitting in a corner booth near the back. A man came over and grabbed their empty glasses of pint. "Anything else, lads"
"Nah, I'm good thanks, Tom," said Ron.
"Same"
Tom nodded his head before leaving.
"Luna will have my head if I came home drunk"
Harry smiled before running a hand through his hair.
"Which reminds me, you're coming to the kids welcoming party"
Harry started shaking his head before he even finished his sentence.
"Don't shake your head-"
"No, Ron" Harry said firmly, holding his gaze. "We can go out for drinks later but I'm not coming"
"But it's not about you and me" exclaimed Ron. "This is about the kids, plus it's Caroline's last break before she graduates. Everyone will be there"
"That's all fine and well"
"Harry" sighed Ron. "When was the last time you saw the kids, huh, let alone actually talked to them. For merlin's sake you're their godfather, man. At least pretend that you actually care about them"
"I do, Ron. You know I do"
Ron scoffed. "You have funny way of showing it" he shook his head. "Whatever, I better get going. It's my turn to cook dinner" he dropped a few coins on the table before standing up.
"Ron wait" Harry stood up. "I'll...I'll think about it"
Ron's eyes turned bright with hope as he nodded his head. "Really"
"Yeah" Harry nodded. 'For the kids"
"For the kids" agreed Ron, bringing him in for a hug. "And later, when everyone's gone to bed, we'll let the fire loose"
Harry chuckled. "Alright"
Interior, Master Bedroom, Second Floor, Mars, Godric's Hollow – Night
Hermione was sitting on the left side of the bed with a book propped open on her lap. She lifted her head at the sound of the door opening. Harry walked in and headed straight towards her. She sat up straight and an alarmed look came over her face as he took out a rolled sheet of white parchment from inside his robe and dropped it on her lap before heading over to the chair near the window.
She watched him take off his robe and drop it on the chair. She turned her gaze down on the rolled parchment. She closed the book and placed it on the bedside table. She picked up her wand from the table and pointed it at the silver thread bound around the parchment.
"Evanesco" she whispered.
The thread vanished into thin air and the parchment snapped into a straight form. She glanced a look at Harry who was in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt before shifting her gaze back at the parchment.
She read the headline written in big black letters and her face turned ashen white as a sharp breath escaped her lips.
Petition for Divorce
Her hands started trembling as she skimmed through the words before stopping at the signature at the very end written in a cursive font with black ink.
A drop of tear slid down her cheek and on to the parchment. She sniffled before slowly looking up at him. He was in the middle of removing his shirt when she whispered. "Why now"
He stopped his movement. The only sound coming was that of the wind blowing in through the open window.
"I'm not getting cucked in my own house." Her eyes turned wide as he looked at her over his shoulder. "I'm open to new ideas but that's where I draw the line" he smiled darkly before turning back around.
"How-"
"Don't even bother. You've wanted this for a long time so don't pretend. Just sign your name and then you have my permission to sit on his face for as long as you want. Not that you needed it before, it would seem"
"You don't understand. That wasn't what you-"
"I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND" Every piece of glass in the room shattered with a loud crunch, including the windows.
Hermione stormed out of bed as her face turned red with fury. "FINE! You want to do this. Here" she stood up and opened the first drawer of the bedside table, taking out a quill and a bottle of ink. She took the cap off before dipping the quill in it.
She signed her name under his before throwing the parchment in his direction. It didn't get much far and dropped lazily in the middle of the bed.
"Just so you know, I was about to do the same thing as well. You just saved me time and effort" she spat out.
He turned around with a half-smile on his face. "Shows how well we know each other. About to rip each other's head off and we can still read each other's thoughts."
"I can't believe I waited all this time for this. I could've ended this a long time ago and saved myself from this hell and end it on my terms, that way I didn't have to wait for your jealousy to kick in!" she shrieked the last word.
"Then why didn't you!" he bellowed.
"Because I thought maybe you were still worthy of my love, guess I was wrong"
"Won't be the first time, and Ha! worthy of your love" he scoffed.
"Plus, I had to think of Rose, like I always do because you never did."
"Don't you bring her into this" he took a step towards her.
"Why not should I bring her into this! You never spared her a moment's attention before so don't act like you care all of a sudden"
"I'm warning you"
"HA! Like I care about your pesky little warning."
"Shut the fuck up!"
"You shut the fuck up! you good for nothing bonehead!"
"Of course, you'd say that. Still thinking about boning. What, his dick wasn't big enough for you. How could it be, your pussy's the size of a freight train. It'll take a fucking jackhammer to satisfy you"
"And God damn I deserve that. Any woman would after living with you for so long. I got sick and tired of your little, pinky, winky, needle. And for your information, his dick was more than satisfactory. At least I didn't have to fake an orgasm or worse rub myself to one after he finished"
"And when did this dream scenario take place, cause only in a dream could anyone be willing to give you an orgasm since you're the saddest piece of lay one could have. How did you beg him? On your knees with your shit ass sucking skills or did you actually imperio him. Wouldn't be the first time, bitch!"
"You're the bitch! You're the filthy little dog who's always seeking attention"
"At least dogs are loyal. Unlike you, slut!"
"I maybe a slut but you don't possess a loyal bone in your body. Face it, the only person you ever cared about is yourself. You're nothing but a lost, hot tempered, good for nothing, embarrassment to his family, JUNKIE WHO ACTS AS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD BUT COULDN'T EVEN PROTECT HIS OWN FAMILY!"
Silence.
Harry looked at her as if she'd just slapped him across the face. His entire posture changed dramatically in a matter of seconds.
Hermione was breathing harshly through her nose as she continued glaring at him. "Hurts, doesn't it" she bit out. "Good, it should" A lone tear ran down her cheek before the floodgates opened but she still didn't break down.
He nodded his head, swiping a tongue across his lips before chewing the inside his of lip. "You're right" he whispered before clearing his throat.
Hermione took off her ring and threw it at him. It hit him right above his heart before dropping to the ground at his feet.
She turned around and walked towards the door. She opened it and was about to the walk through when his voice stopped her.
"I couldn't protect my own family." he started in a low voice as a gush of wind blew his hair across his face. He swept it away before continuing. "My memory is all muddled up except a few moments in my life that I'm never going to forget. Taking that oath as I stood before you is one of them, and you're right...I did break it. I couldn't protect my family. But...what you never understood...and despite all the fights we've had and all the terrible things we've said to each other and all the terrible things we did to each other...this will always remain the biggest failure in our marriage and that my dear Mars is this..."
They both turned their eyes towards each other at the same time before he said. "I failed yes, and not a moment goes by that I'm not haunted by what happened. But that's fine because I know I'd have to live with that for the rest of my life. But...after...I was broken myself...and I was the one who needed protection...from myself" his breathing got hard. "from the world... I looked towards you...I needed you...i needed you to protect me...to hide me...I needed your love...I could never forgive myself...but I needed your forgiveness..." he shrugged his shoulder with a sad smile as a tear ran down his cheek. "But you never understood that...not only that but you didn't even share my pain...for you it was a passage of time in your life. It came, it happened, it went. I wasn't so fortunate...nor did I want to be"
A moment later he disapparated into thin air.
Hermione dropped to the ground as heaving sobs wrecked her body.
Exterior, 11 Raptors Lane, Hogsmeade, Exterior – Night
Harry apparated right in front of the door to a double storied wooden hut. He knocked on the door and waited. He was only wearing his trouser and shoes.
A few seconds later there was a sound of footsteps from the other side before a 'click' was heard. The door opened and a man dressed in all black robes and holding a lantern in his left hand and wand in his right came into view.
He had greasy black hair despite the lines on his face indicating his age with few streaks of white.
"Harry?" his deep baritone voice rumbled in the night. His eyes looked him up and down before settling on his face. "What's wrong?" there was a slight trepidation to his voice as his face shone with concern.
"I need a place to stay"
A/N: As always guys, post your comments and let me know your thoughts and I'll catch you on the flip side.