Fragments of Us

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Warnings: None for this chapter

Chapter 44 – Surveillance by the Sea – Part 2

Kate awoke at 4 the following morning and found herself alone, just as she had been when she'd fallen asleep. There was no evidence that Sirius had ever come to bed. After completing her morning routine, Kate dressed warmly, grabbing an extra jacket in the event it was needed. Putting some additional digestives in her pockets, Kate left her room and headed for the library. When she arrived, she paused on the threshold taking a few moments to just look at the scene before her.

Sirius was seated at his father's old desk, surrounded by thick, leather bound volumes containing some of the darkest of spells, charms and hexes – the staple of the Black family library. His head rested against the wing of the chair and he was fast asleep. Kate shivered as she entered the room. The fire had long gone out and the January chill had permeated the room. He must be freezing, she thought to herself. Kate withdrew her wand, pointed it at the fireplace grate and murmured, "Incendio". She was immediately rewarded with a blazing fire that would soon send its warmth through the room. Kate pulled the thick woolen throw from the back of the couch and approached Sirius' sleeping form. Gently, trying very hard not to wake him, Kate draped the blanket around him, tucking the edges carefully around his shoulders, leaving only his head exposed to the room. Stepping back, Kate was grateful to see that Sirius was still asleep and sparing him one, final look, she retraced her steps to the door and exited the room as quietly as she had come in.

When she arrived in the kitchen, Remus was just plating breakfast: eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, juice and fried tomatoes. Kate was touched to see that he had also put one of her peppermint tea bags in a mug, just waiting for her to arrive to pour out the hot water for it to brew. Her stomach clenched a bit at the smell of the greasy bacon and Kate popped a couple of the digestives into her mouth, chewing as she poured hot water into her mug.

"Good morning," Remus greeted her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "Feeling like anything more substantial than those?"

Kate smiled. "Maybe some dry toast, but I'm not pushing it."

"Well, Bill's not due for another hour or so. Perhaps you can start with that and see how things progress," Remus suggested.

The two friends sat quietly for awhile, but when Kate poured her second mug of tea, Remus spoke. "Have you seen a healer yet?"

Kate nodded. "Yesterday. Here's a bit of irony for you: her name is Molly."

Remus laughed quietly. "Only you," he said. "She confirmed your condition, then." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. I am one month along, which gives me a bit of time to see where this mission takes us. The healer gave me some potions and supplements I need to take, one of which will help with the nausea, thank Merlin!" Kate paused. "Remus, I know that I've asked something of you that is totally against your better nature, particularly where Sirius is concerned. I appreciate that you've agreed to keep my confidence; I appreciate how difficult that is, and I thank you for it."

Remus reached over and covered her hand with his own. "I know that, Kate. And you know that I love you both very much and only want what's best for you. Oddly enough, I see both sides of the equation. While Sirius will not be pleased with you for keeping this information from him, he would not react well to it unless you basically chained yourself to him for the duration of the pregnancy. I understand why you cannot do that and the resulting tension and disagreement that would promote between you would be detrimental to both of you – and, very likely, to the baby, as well. It's a very difficult situation overall, isn't it?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, but if it all goes as planned, it will be worth it. It will be very much worth it," she replied. "Kingsley knows," she added. "He more or less guessed. Spear saw me at St Mungo's yesterday when I saw the healer. He doesn't know why I was there – well, he knows Kingsley's version of why I was there, I should say. He went to Kingsley with the news that he'd seen me and what he'd overheard the healer prescribe. Kingsley recognized the prescription for what it was; Spear merely felt that I was not up to par physically to participate in the Death Eater investigation."

Remus drew a sharp breath. "This could be more dangerous for you than you originally thought."

Kate shook her head. "I don't think that's necessarily true," she said. "He suspects there's something more afoot in the investigation than we've shared with him. Of course, if it's true that he's tied in with Malfoy, he would have been nosing around more than usual. He knows nothing of this second mission; he knows nothing of our suspicions regarding Malfoy."

"But he knows that you've a weakness, even if he doesn't know that truth of what it is," Remus stated, holding her gaze. "I'm less comfortable with your safety now that I've heard this news."

Kate's eyes widened. "Are you saying that I'm a liability to this mission? That you're unwilling to partner with me, now?"

Remus squeezed her hand. "No. What I'm saying is that you, personally, face greater danger from Spear. If he's truly gone over to Voldemort, he brings with him the knowledge of how powerful a witch – and Auror – you are. Now, he also brings him the knowledge that you are not physically as strong as your magic – perhaps." Remus paused. "And I would rather partner with no one else, just to clarify that point as well."

Kate played with the tag on her teabag for a moment, and then looked at Remus. "Do you think Sirius is alright? He didn't come to bed last night. He fell asleep at the desk in the library, virtually buried in those huge books of his father's."

"I don't think he's as bad as he would have been had this mission happened six months ago. He hasn't turned back to Firewhiskey and he's not locked in the top room with Buckbeak. That's real progress. However, I think that he is still very worried and is feeling very isolated in this whole process. Remember, in the last War, he was an Auror and still he lost everything. He was the one out there fighting and he couldn't defeat the enemy. The enemy he knew wooed an enemy he never envisioned. Now, an Auror appears to have turned and the memories from before are right in front of him again. Instead of James and Lily, it's you and me, the last of his friends of that same era. Instead of Harry, it's … well, he doesn't know about that, but the parallel is there all the same." Remus sighed. "Kate, he's damned if you do and damned if you don't. If you go on the mission, he will be frantic until you return. If you beg off the mission and do what he'd like – stay here – he knows that he's imprisoned you in the same way that he's imprisoned. He knows the resentment he feels toward those who have sequestered him here; he fears making you feel that same way about him."

"And all of those reasons have a play in why I'm not telling him about the baby right now," Kate said. "You were right before; there are no easy answers."

"Good morning," Kingsley's voice greeted them from the doorway. As he moved into the kitchen, the bright, red head of Bill Weasley appeared behind him. Bill smiled and greeted both Kate and Remus. "Any chance of some coffee?" he asked.

As Bill and Kingsley drank coffee, the four strategized their surveillance plans for the day. It was determined that they would Apparate into Totland itself, using coordinates that would put them in a wooded area a short distance from the building where Kingsley's Tracking Monitor had put Spear. According to that Monitor, Spear was still at the same location. Once they arrived, Bill would assess the spell work that formed the protection wards and spells surrounding the estate. Remus and Kate would accompany him, making note of spells that Bill could not immediately identify. Once they had a complete map of all the protection put in place, they would find strategic vantage points surrounding the property where they could split up and monitor the activity.

"You are all going to need to know where the others are at all times," Kingsley said then added, looking directly at Kate, "Nobody takes any chances on this one."

Kate nodded. "And…if Remus and I have no experience with the protection magic and Bill feels there's a danger posed to any of us, we come back here and start researching what we find."

Kingsley agreed. "And no altering the spells while you're there. If we can take them down, we'll do it tomorrow, after we speak with Albus tonight at the meeting – clear?"

Remus looked at everyone. "Ready?"

"Let's go." Bill headed for the doorway, Remus, Kingsley and Kate following.

When they reached the front hallway, Sirius was just coming down the staircase. His robes were askew and his hair was rumpled where it had rested against the chair as he slept. He nodded his goodbyes to Remus, Kingsley and Bill. When his eyes fell on Kate, he closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. After kissing her briefly, he whispered, "I won't make them wait. Just, I love you. Be careful. Come home to me."

Kate kissed him once more. "I love you, and I promise I'll be careful."

Sirius reluctantly released her and watched until the door closed behind Kate, leaving him standing alone in the dim light of the silent hallway.

XXXXXXXX

They Apparated into the designated spot and found themselves standing in a dense mist. Chilled, Kate pulled her cloak around her. Using the detailed map Kingsley had provided to Bill, they quickly located the point at which the protection spells were first cast. Remus and Kate stood watch while Bill withdrew his wand and began a series of intricate and involved movements while murmuring an incantation under his breath. At one point, he turned to Remus and asked if he would take down some notes while he continued his spell review. Whilst the two wizards were so occupied, Kate took advantage of the time to review their surroundings.

The building that lay beyond the protection wards appeared to be centuries old. Comprised of dark stone, the building was small and may easily have once been part of a larger structure that had crumbled and fallen away with time. From this distance – approximately 500 yards away in a shelter of trees – it appeared that there was a light burning in the near turret window. The grounds appeared quiet in the mist of the morning with no other apparent sign or sound of human occupation.

Dawn had truly broken and the sun shone weakly by the time Bill and Remus approached her and indicated that they should withdraw a bit further into the copse of trees to speak.

"There are several layers of protection in place, as Kingsley told you. The outer wards did not take complex spell work. The first, as Tonks discovered, is a repelling charm. As you work your way further into the spell structure, they become increasingly more complicated. The final spell is Egyptian and is designed to reduce to a fine dust those who attempt to penetrate it," Bill explained.

"Charming," Remus commented dryly. "Although I believe that sounds like a variation of what happened to Harry's first DADA professor. Quirrell was the man's name, I believe."

Bill nodded. "Yes, Ron told me about that incident. Harry had described it in pretty vivid detail. We've encountered it in the tombs in Luxor."

"Is there a counter curse or other way through it?" Kate asked.

"Yes, but I have not personally cast it. I will need to do some research before we attempt to access the building, if that is what we ultimately decide to do," Bill told them.

Remus spoke next. "Did you find anything that might recognize that we shouldn't be here and strike out against us?"

Bill shook his head. "The more complex stuff is pretty dark, but nothing like that; there's no blood magic involved."

Kate looked toward the building. "Most likely to minimize the chance that they can be identified through any blood analysis we might be able to conduct. So now, we watch and wait."

The two men nodded. They quickly walked the perimeter of the building and found three spots were they could successfully signal each other if needed while monitoring the building and grounds thoroughly.

Having previously cast a strong Disillusionment charm on herself, Kate settled into her position to the side of the building, facing the turret window and cast a quiet warming charm. Sighing as she felt the chill dissipate, she settled in for what she anticipated would be a long watch. Kate reached into the pack next to her and withdrew a thermos of hot chocolate and poured out a cupful. As she sipped, she continued to observe the scene before her. She was well into her second cup when a translucent figure loped up to her. Kate smiled at the oversized dog and extended her hand. Remus' Patronus touched her palm with his nose then sat down. In Remus' voice the dog delivered its message. "Kingsley says Malfoy has just left the Manor in Wiltshire. He may be going to London; he may be coming here. We need to be on our guard." With that, Padfoot's twin turned and ran back the way it had come, disappearing within moments.

Kate packed away her thermos and watched the estate intently. She didn't have long to wait. A small "pop" announced the arrival of someone on the grounds beyond the protection wall. The identity of the new arrival was soon revealed as a tall, elegantly clad man with long, white-blonde hair and a silver-headed walking stick came round the east side of the building. With his usual arrogance and complete lack of concern, Lucius Malfoy withdrew his wand silently causing the huge exterior door to swing back on its hinges. After Malfoy had entered the building and the door had closed once again, Kate glanced in the direction she knew Remus to be stationed. There was no movement; clearly the original plan to stay put was still intact. While there were no witnesses, Kate murmured "Audio maxima", as she, Remus and Bill had planned to do to allow them to listen to any conversations that might occur within their surveillance range. Soon, a scuffling noise from the front of the building brought Kate's attention back to the door. She caught her breath as both Malfoy and Spear walked out onto the small, flagstone courtyard. Once they were a short distance from the building, Spear caught Malfoy's arm and began to speak.

"I will not stay behind here a prisoner. I sacrificed my position for you. I took complete responsibility for the break-out," Spear was saying, his voice a curious mixture of desperation and self-righteous anger.

Malfoy looked disdainfully at Spear's hand, resting on the expensive fabric of his sleeve then slowly allowed his gaze to rise until he was looking directly into Spear's eyes. The result was predictable and swift; Spear moved his hand as if Lucius' sleeve was on fire. Once the offensive touch had been removed, Malfoy's icy voice responded to the younger man's comments. "'You took complete responsibility'? Oh, my dear boy, I don't believe so. Your dear, late uncle bore the responsibility for the escape of my brethren…as placed on his narrow shoulders by you, yourself." At Spear's gasp, Malfoy feigned a posture of sympathy and surprise. "Did I not tell you of his demise? So sorry. Regrettably, the weight of his guilt drove him over cliffs at the edge of the prison. I'm afraid the rocks below were most … unforgiving. You would do well to take that as a lesson for yourself."

Spear's gaze turned from shocked to calculating. "I've learned many lessons in my short association with you, beginning with the realization that it is no more profitable for me to trust you than the Ministry. The fact of the matter remains – without my influence, you would not have had the contact needed to facilitate the escape of your brethren. For my trouble, I have no position, no future and no home, save this remote prison."

Malfoy smiled grimly. "Your trouble has granted you your life. Your stupidity in robbing me of a conduit to the Department of Mysteries has earned you your prison. If I were in your place, I would be grateful for the former and less disdainful of the latter."

Spear was silent for awhile, considering Malfoy's words. "It's true that I am no longer able to help you gain access to that department. Perhaps some alternative information that could assist you and the Dark Lord against Harry Potter could change my future?"

Malfoy tried, but was not successful in concealing his interest. "It would depend entirely on the value of the information you may have," he said, managing a detached tone that apparently fooled the young, inexperienced Auror.

"Oh, I think you'll find it quite valuable," he said, anxious not to lose Malfoy's interest. "It concerns that woman, Kate Morgan."

Malfoy's face registered genuine boredom this time. "She ran off to America after Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban. The fact that she's returned to England has no bearing on our work, Spear. If she gets in our way, she will be disposed of, just as any Auror would be removed from our path."

"Before you dispose of her, you may want to hear what I have to say. You may wish to find a way to capitalize on it," Spear said, voice cagey. "Were you aware of the fact that Morgan was in a relationship with Black before his arrest?"

Malfoy nodded and waved his hand dismissively. "What value does a long-ago romantic entanglement have to me today? Unless…are you suggesting that she is somehow involved with him now that he has escaped and is on the run?"

Kate held her breath. Malfoy was n ever an intellectual, but his gut instincts were often what kept him alive; as such, they were well-honed.

Spear snorted derisively. "She hates him. Told me herself…along with another fascinating tidbit." He paused dramatically, but Lucius was having none of it. His patience was fast running out.

"Let's have it, Spear," he spat. "I have better things to do than sit and listen to your inane rambling."

Spear swallowed his temptation to string Malfoy further along for his own amusement. "Kate Morgan was more than Sirius Black's bed partner; she was and still is Harry Potter's Godmother."

Lucius' reaction was almost equal to Spear's hopes. His eyebrows shot up while his jaw – momentarily – dropped. "You are certain of this?"

"Did I not say she told me this herself? It was in front of Shacklebolt and, to be truthful, he didn't look at all surprised. Now, isn't that worth a more important role for me with your people?" Spear gave Malfoy a smug look.

Lucius favored him with a small smile. "It could very well be, Spear," he said silkily. "I will speak with my colleagues and I will be in contact with you shortly. Meanwhile, I suggest that you remain here and do not stray out of doors. Your former peers in the MLE believe you a traitor and, morbidly dense though they may be, the Aurors will eventually track you to this location. Our wards will hold, certainly. Step beyond them, however, and your fate is out of your – and our – hands. I would not advise it. This is the protection I meant when I offered you our assistance. I would recommend you hold onto it – at least for the short term. Unless, of course, you've recently developed a love of … azaleas, was it?"

Spear paled slightly and shook his head. "I'll stay out of sight and await word from you."

With a curt nod, Lucius turned on his heel and Apparated from view. Spear blinked once at the spot where Malfoy had just stood then, with one final, very nervous look around him, Spear walked back into the house and closed the door firmly behind him. Kate, shaken by what she had heard, murmured, "Audio normalus" and waited for Remus' Patronus to make a return trip to her surveillance location.

XXXXXXXX

While Kate waited for input as to their next move, Remus sat, stunned and let Spear's revelation sank in. While neither the Order nor Kate had intentionally kept her relationship to Harry a secret, neither had they thought far enough ahead to envision how it could be used against them. Now, regrettably, the error of that omission had been revealed to them. Bill's Patronus – a jackal - stood before him, snapping Remus out of his thoughts. In a moment, Bill's voice came from the spectral mouth. "I'm thinking that we need to regroup. We've seen about everything we hoped to see – and hear. Let's meet at the Apparition point and go from there."

Remus conjured his own Patronus, repeated the message and sent it to Kate. Listening intently, Remus heard two soft "pops". Confident his colleagues had successfully gone on ahead, he turned on his heel and Apparated away to the designated spot.