"Sounds like he's got some daddy issues, yeah?" Ron blurted as he, Hermione, and Harry took a table inside the Morning Brew cafe.

"That's not funny, Ronald," Hermione reprimanded.

"No," Ron squeaked in protest, "I didn't mean that it was. All I'm saying is that this Gerald's obviously got some problems he hasn't worked through."

"Harry, Ron, Hermione!" a voice called.

"I got it," Harry stood and walked to the counter several feet beyond their table.

Standing behind it was the man that had been sweeping the lot earlier. Harry looked at him, noticing that he was actually much younger than previously thought. He had to be fourteen? Fifteen perhaps, but no older. The boy was just very tall and sturdily built.

Harry took the three latte cups that were on the counter in front of him and nodded. The boy smiled, wishing him a good day before returning to his work. When he reached his group again, he spoke, "It actually made me feel sorry for him."

The two other wizards stared at him as he took a seat and handed them their drinks. Confused expressions quickly turned understanding and the three sat sipping their coffees in silence for several moments, deep in thought.

The small cafe was warm and inviting. It was fragrant of flowers outside and of coffee beans in. Besides the workers, which there seemed to be only three, there was just one other party seated inside. A teenage couple, obviously on a date of sorts. A woman had walked inside and ordered a cappuccino and stood impatiently drumming her fingers on the counter waiting for it.

"What do you two plan on doing next, then?" Hermione broke the silence.

Harry set down his coffee, cupping it in both hands on the table before him, "I was thinking we would contact Igor Karkaroff," He looked up at Ron who appeared worried.

"That man gives me the creeps," Ron admitted.

"Oh grow up," Hermione mumbled, taking another sip of her drink. "I think it's a good idea. Just because it never came up before, doesn't mean other death eaters have never heard of Gerald," she continued, "There could actually be several reasons he was never spoken of, if you think about it."

Harry nodded, "Exactly. In any case, we can't rule anything out at. We need as much information as we can get."

"Does that mean we have to talk to Malfoy too?" Ron whined.

Harry and Hermione just stared at the redhead. The answer was obvious and Ron already knew it as well. The two refused to waist their breath on such a stupid inquisition and instead waited for Ron to move forward.

"Aw you've got to be kidding?" Ron continued his complaint, "You know that's no use. They don't care. They got away from standing trial so they're free. That's all they're worried about, ya know?"

"Are you done ranting, Ronald?" Hermione sighed, raising an eyebrow. "It's your job to be thorough even if you don't end up learning anything."

Harry shook his head and smiled, accidentally letting out a soft chuckle. The couple turned their attention to the auror, which caused him to laugh even more. Ron and his wife both eased. Smiles crept onto their faces which quickly evolved into laughter as well. The three friends sat in the middle of the cafe, oblivious to their surroundings in their inappropriate time of merriment. Some things just never changed...

Igor Karkaroff, headmaster of Durmstrang Institute and reformed death eater. The floo network unfortunately did not span all the way to Russia. Since Harry and Ron were currently the only acting auror's, Harry decided against immediately taking the trip to see Karkaroff. Instead, they opted to send the headmaster an owl, informing him of their desire to speak with him in a secure manner.

"Headmaster Karkaroff,

The Ministry of Magic is currently conducting an investigation on an individual which you may have information regarding. We would like to have a meeting to speak with you on this matter. We feel it best for this to take place in person as to remain secure. Please respond as soon as it is possible. Thank you for your time.

Harry Potter
Auror's Department"

Harry folded the letter, placing it inside an already addressed envelope before addressing it and handing it off to the red and white barn owl that sat in the window across from him. The bird bit the paper enthusiastically before flitting around and soaring out of the opening he was in. Harry rose from his seat and stepped toward where the owl had exited. The auror watched as the bird continued his flight over the town and into the distance, out of sight.

The work day was almost at its end. After returning to London, Hermione saw her husband and Harry back off to the ministry. She told them she would be spending some time seeing if she could find anything else of interest about Gerald or Oliver in the muggle world. At the office, the aurors searched through paper after paper after book after book. Nothing new had surfaced about their targets or what could possibly have been them.

But they still had a long way to go to finish sorting through the information.

Harry left Ron to organize the paperwork into what had been seen and what had not while he went to send the owl in an old building near the outskirts of the city which also belonged to the Ministry of Magic. When he no longer saw the outline of the bird, he sighed. Descending the spiral steps to the bottom floor and to the chimney there to transport back.

He was with Ron on this one...he really didn't want to talk to the Malfoys.

It wasn't even Draco, either. The boy had grown up quite a bit and was surprisingly civil. He was still annoyingly egotistical and petty, but Harry could handle him. No, it was the thought of talking to his father, Lucius, that really nagged at Harry. That wizard hadn't changed an ounce...ever...and that was definitely not a good thing.

His money and the way he could twist words to his advantage had kept him from standing trial for crimes committed under Lord Voldemort more than once. He was arrogant, cruel, and evil. There was no redeeming quality to his character except his apparent love for his family. But even that, at times, didn't seem so strong.

"Oh there you are," Ron piped, "I was just about to leave."

Harry popped back into reality. He had gone through the ministry's lobby, onto the elevator, and down the hall to the Auror's department without even thinking about it. He watched as the redhead put an armful of scrolls down onto a desk, almost dropping them all in the process. He didn't reply to his partner, but instead went to the desk opposite and picked up the receiver, laying it down on the wood gently.

"Call Draco Malfoy," Harry commanded.

The phone vibrated to life as the rotary spun six times on its own. Then the receiver turned into a speaker, projecting the sound of a handful of rings as the machine connected to Draco's residence. Ron glanced over at Harry, but the wizard didn't acknowledge him.

"Hello?" a female voice answered on the other end.

"Hello, this is Harry Potter. Is Draco available?" Harry spoke in a completely professional tone.

"Oh, um..." the owner of the voice was in thought, "Just a moment."

A small clunk was heard presumably as the woman set the phone down to call on Draco. A few moments passed during which Harry shifted his position a few times and his counterpart inched closer to him and the conversation.

"Potter?" The two aurors would always recognize that criticizing voice.

"Draco? I-I was wondering if Ron and I might speak with you...with your father too, if he would," Harry said, losing a fraction of his resolve.

"What for?" Draco spat. The ex-death eater was obviously annoyed at the thought of such a meeting.

Harry sighed, looking over to Ron, whom met him with a shrug and an eye roll. "We're gathering information on a case. You and your father might know something that could help."

"Can you be a tad more vague, Potter?" Draco chortled sarcastically.

"I'd rather not share anything specific over a line," Harry was doing his best not show his distaste for his old classmate.

There was a brief pause. Soft shuffling sounds were heard through the speaker.

"Fine," Draco relented, "I can see you tomorrow evening. I can't speak for my father, but I'll inform him of your request," he added.

"Thank you," Harry nodded even though the man on the phone couldn't see.

"Five. You know where I am. Don't be late," the orders left the haughty man's mouth before the line went dead.

"Well," Ron spoke up as Harry put the receiver back onto the phone base. "That went well."

Upon leaving the ministry for the day, Harry decided to meet up with Ron and Hermione at their home to see if Hermione had found anything useful over the past several hours. He stopped by his own home long enough to change into a more relaxed outfit instead of his work suit. After quickly slipping on a plain white t-shirt and dark fitted blue jeans, he apparated to the Weasley/Granger residence.

The small village home was set in the country-side, a good quarter mile from any other houses. There was plenty of room for livestock and even a small farm. It was actually in Hermione's plans to keep animals at some point after she felt more settled in her position as representative of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Harry gave a small knock on the door which was immediately answered with a yell from inside. He let himself in to the pleasing aroma of a pork roast cooking. Stepping into the living area, he found Ron sitting on the sofa that Hermione had been lounging in earlier that morning. He was focusing on a paper held in his hand. In front of him was a short, but long table that held a handful of other papers.

Hermione walked into the room, wand in hand, "Hey Harry, dinner is almost done. Ron will get you started on all this," she made a circular motion over the paperwork with her free arm before returning to the kitchen.

Harry took a seat in a chair opposite his friend, "What did she get?"

Ron looked up at his friend while he sat the paper down, "So Gerald does have a criminal record."

Harry learned forward, "doing what?"

"Well, nothing major," Ron clarified, "but Hermione found that in the past three years, he'd been arrested for assault five times, three of which while intoxicated."

"Assault and battery," Hermione had suddenly reappeared into the room, "As well as aggravated assault."

"Well," Ron pouted, "What's the difference?"

"Assault could just be acting threatening, but battery means an actual attack," Harry explained.

Ron and Hermione stopped to look at their friend before Hermione smiled, "That...that's right. and aggravated assault is basically assault and battery with a deadly weapon," she continued. "Would you like me to make plates for you?"

"Yes, please. Thank you," Harry smiled while Ron nodded and smiled as well. Hermione was once again in the kitchen.

Harry reached over the table and picked up a few papers, "I didn't find any of this on the computer," he muttered, reading the articles in his hands. There were five different papers and each was formatted like a court proceeding. He scanned the minor details as he waited for Hermione to return.

As she walked back into view, he spoke, "How did you get these?"

Hermione placed a plate on the table in front of Harry and handed a second to her husband. "It's all public record," she was looking directly at Harry now, "I just called the judicial systems and requested copies," she went to the kitchen once more, but returned quickly with a third and final plate. Sitting down on the couch next to Ron, she put the plate in her lap and returned her attention to the conversation.

"These are all in different states...well, in four different states..." Harry was switching through the papers. "How did you know which ones to check?"

Hermione shrugged, dropping her eyes to her food and pulling apart her serving of roast. "I didn't...so I called all of them."

Harry stared at her, slowly dropping the papers toward his lap. He couldn't believe- actually, yes he could. Hermione's dedication to knowledge and to whatever mission she had had always gone unsurpassed. He gave a short chuckle, "Too bad he wasn't more popular."

Ron and Hermione stopped eating and exchanged glances before looking at their friend. "Why is that?" Hermione asked.

"Because then, there would be stories about what actually happened on public record too," Harry said.