After conferring with Minister Shackelbolt again and confirming what could and could not be shared with Headmaster Karkaroff, it was more or less a waiting game. Surveillance of Dunsfold focused on Salt Box Road had shown no suspicious activities, Unspeakable Croaker made no advancements, and no other crime had come to the aurors' attention.
That Friday came upon them somewhat slowly. Mr. and Mrs. Weasely had contacted Charlie who decided to take a leave of absence to visit his family. It was Hermione who suggested they go to a new steakhouse opening Friday night. Her parents had been invited to the Grand Opening because the manager, having recently moved into Hampstead to take the position, hired the newly re-established Granger Dentistry Clinic as his care providers.
Hermione's parents had moved to Australia after their daughter erased the memory of her. However, once their minds were restored, they journeyed again to England to settle back into life as residents of Heathgate, Hampstead. Minus the magical parts, of course, it was this story shared with the steakhouse manager that prompted him to invite the dentists as a welcome back to the community.
The Grangers were told to bring guests if they wished. Molly Weasely was afraid that eight guests however might have been pushing the warmth of the extended invitation, but after being assured it was not so, she was excited for the evening. With it being a muggle establishment, the group should find easier to speak about matters without much fear of other magical folk learning about the case.
Outside the doors of Rarity Steakhouse, only four days before the planned confrontation with Gerald at the Maysfield Music Festival, Harry tried desperately to relax. He and his wife waited patiently outside with Ron, Hermione, and the Grangers for the rest of the Weaselys to arrive.
After a few minutes, they spotted Molly hurrying up the sidewalk with Arthur, Charlie, and George. The wizards were dressed in clothes somewhat plain compared to the dress robes of the magical world. However, Arthur assured them they were all of proper attire for the muggle event. The rest of the troupe likewise wore similar trousers, button down shirts, and casual dresses for the ladies.
As the two groups met to form into one, Molly greeted everyone as she always did and needlessly apologized for being moments late. Few words of 'hellos' and 'how are yous' with brief, friendly answers were exchanged before Howard and Nelly Granger led the way inside the restaurant that was steadily growing with excited energy.
"Welcome to Rarity Steakhouse, Mr. Granger!" the manager cheerily greeted the family. "We're so pleased that you and your company could be with us tonight."
"We are honored to take part, thank you," Howard beamed back at the man.
"Please, if you will come right this way," the manager stepped to the side and led them to an oval shaped table with cushioned seats in the back of the main room.
As the company slid into the booth, the manager called on a waitress who skipped quickly over just before he left.
"Welcome to Rarity, my name is Jenna. I hope we can make your evening here wonderful. What can I get everyone to drink?" she spoke politely through a plastered smile.
"Plain soda for the two of us," Howard answered.
And around the table they went- most everyone ending up with regular soda or water.
"So. Vampires, huh?" Charlie smiled at his brother by marriage as soon as the waitress had left.
"Right," Harry responded. "Igor Karkaroff mentioned something about his country being aware of vampires...that they came from Romania?"
"That's the story, yeah," the dragon tamer mused, watching the waitress who had already returned and was dispersing drinks.
She gave out the drinks simultaneously asking if the group had any interest in appetizers so as to not disrupt the conversation she had stepped in on.
Molly ordered a crusted bread and artichoke dip for her husband and unaccompanied sons. Hermione reluctantly ordered something for her bottomless pit of a husband, and the others passed by.
"Not again," Hermione complained the moment the server was clear of their sight.
The others subtly followed her gaze. Being brought inside the building by the same Matron who had invited the Grangers...was Oliver Smith and Gerald Davis.
"Holy hell," Harry shook his head angrily.
"You're right," George grinned, "He is queer...and short."
Molly furiously slapped her mischievous son across the shoulder, "Honestly, you..." the mother growled.
"They are celebrities," Arthur observed, "How well known they are is mostly irrelevant. In such muggle affairs, these types of people are sought after to attend to better the restaurant's reputation."
"Devil something or other," Howard Granger spoke up, "They're musicians, right?"
"You've heard of them?" his daughter asked in surprise.
"One of our younger patients was taking about them being at the Maysfield Festival next week," Howard explained. "He seemed pretty happy about it. He's a fan, apparently."
"But where is Brad?" Harry asked.
"Looks like you're going to get to ask yourself," Ron's gesture back at the two band members was nearly imperceptible.
Turning to face them again, Harry saw Gerald had spotted their group and was tugging against his friend who was desperately trying to keep him from bothering the aurors and their company. Finally, though, Oliver gave up and simply followed Gerald over to the family's booth.
It was Arthur and Molly sitting at the end of one row closest to the strangers in the room with Charlie and George at the end of the other row. The aurors and the Grangers were the furthest inside the booth and away from the approaching wizards.
The presence of others he didn't know surprisingly didn't phase Gerald though as he stepped right up to the table, setting a glare on Harry and Ron.
"Talking to us again, Mr. Davis?" Harry asked sarcastically but with a serious tone as he kept the man's gaze.
"It's just Gerald and no," the dark wizard spat. "I only wanted you to know that Brad has been missing."
There was a brief pause. Oliver touched his friend's arm who immediately threw him back off. Those at the table alternated between trying to ignore the rude American and keeping their eyes casually upon the scenario.
"Sorry, we can't help you," Harry replied with the same air as before. "We don't handle muggle affairs."
The white haired man scoffed, "I don't want your help."
"Then what do you want?" Ron asked.
"I want to not be suspected of it and I want us to be left alone," Gerald's hands crashed down upon the table between Arthur and Charlie.
The sudden, uncalled for motion obviously startled and discomforted Molly which in turn prompted Charlie to stand and speak to the dark wizard.
"Calm down," the man said soothingly but firmly, "Nobody wants any trouble here. We're sure you didn't harm your own friend," he said, glancing back at Harry to continue in his attempt to diffuse the the situation.
Gerald removed his hands from the table, his eyes circling the faces seated around it before beating his investigator to speaking, "I don't know about that," his breathing still showed anger, but his voice had relaxed, "But I wanted to be the one to inform you."
Gerald turned to his side, letting Oliver put a hand on his arm as he started to walk away. Before the couple could take even a step, Arthur Weasely unexpectedly spoke.
"He's right. None of us here would think that. You're only human," the elder Weasely stressed the last word in as thick a voice as was possible.
Oliver had rested his vision on the red haired wizard the moment he began speaking, but Gerald didn't turn his attention back until the last words. Emotional and unstable. A perfect combination for easy manipulation and Arthur had picked out as good a thing to say as any.
For a minute, Gerald locked gazes with Arthur, neither wavering in their stance as the others around struggled to respond, even just speak. Then in an abrupt and final act, the dark wizard's face spread into a smirk, a small, evil chuckle leaving his lips. He slowly turned his face to Harry.
"You've brought them in, Mr. Potter," he grinned, "That's on you."
Gerald had twisted and taken several paces away before the auror could even get to his feet. Oliver had fallen behind, awkwardly looking across the family members before gathering himself and bolting after his friend.
The two left the restaurant, leaving behind a baffled manager who gazed over to the Granger booth in confusion. Harry sat back down and Charlie did the same after giving the matron a smile and friendly 'it's ok' hand signal.
"I guess the threat is confirmation," Ron mumbled. "Should we go after? Dad just pissed the bastard off."
"It wasn't direct," Mr. Weasely said. "I'm not convinced he's dangerous."
"What?" Harry and Hermione gasped in unison, then the witch furthered, "How can you not believe he's a danger? With what we know?"
"I'm not saying that I don't think he's capable of atrocious acts," the man clarified, "All I'm saying is this encounter? He didn't seem vicious to me. Unstable, a bit loony perhaps..."
"I'm with dad," Charlie agreed, turning to face the others. "He may have acted angry, but he was scared. Whatever is going on, it has him frightened."
Harry's mind darted back to the moment he realized Gerald's caution around other wizards and beings of magic...how he chose to live a muggle life...rarely used his magic anymore...
"I know what's going on," Arthur spoke almost under his breath, staring studiously before him. "The vampire attacking Gerald without leaving any grave injuries, the robbery at Durmstrang, his own disappearance, and now the disappearance of his friend? These vampires are trying to get Gerald's attention. He has something they want...something they can't obtain simply by killing him."
"Something to do with his powers? What he is?" Molly observed.
"Likely," George spoke, "What else could there be?"
"What about Lucius then?" Ron wondered.
"We know vampires were behind the Durmstrang robbery," Harry stepped in, "They stole information we were looking for to help us determine what species Gerald is. It would make sense that if they're after what he can do because of what he is, that they got rid of the information to either learn themselves or to hide the truth from others."
"That means that they could be behind Lucius' death as well," Arthur concurred.
"What about the ghost then? Not being about to talk about Gerald, speaking in Greek," Hermione questioned, "If vampires don't have magic, how could-"
"According to the stories I've heard back in Romania," Charlie informed, "Vampires do have magic, but one that's different from wizards. A lesser magic, if you will. They say it's to do with their fangs. A poison that allows them to control and manipulate others."
"That would explain why the fangs on that body was removed," Ron whispered across the table to his partner.
"Yes, but you can't put poison in a phantom," Hermione objected.
"True," Arthur agreed, "Definitely something dubious about the situation, but it's still possible Lucius death itself was another attempt to get to Gerald."
Silence fell at the table, but the bustle of the restaurant continued around them. Howard and Nelly Granger tried to keep their smiles even though it was clear that they were completely lost with the conversation. It had been Mr. and Mrs. Weasely who had helped them become first acquainted with the world of wizardry when their daughter was discovered to be a witch. Through her own studies and experiences, Hermione had shared more about magic with them, but even so, living as muggles in the muggle world kept the couple largely without awareness of many topics relating to witchcraft.
Hermione leaned over to her parents and gave a weak smile, "Sorry, I-"
"Hey, it's no problem, dear," Howard grinned back. "We understand that part of tonight was about you all discussing this."
"Well, let us take a break," Molly chimed in with a beam, "It would be rude for us to keep you out of the bulk of the conversation with you having invited us here."
The rest of the evening went about as such. There was talk of the Romanian tales and the things they believed to be true about vampires and there was the looming, but unanswered question as to what happened with Gerald and Oliver after their departure. The family talked about their individual lives' most recent events. Ginny shared about Quidditch, the Grangers about their practice, and Arthur even asked to learn more about what was going on in the muggle world. Everyone seemed to have something to add.
Except for George.
Three years since his twin brother Fred's death and the wizard had not been the same. Sure, he carried on with their joke shop and put on the happy-go-lucky and fun loving attitude he was famed for, but those closest to him knew he was still hurting. Even so, Harry had picked up a strange vibe from his brother-in-law ever since he had learned about the case the aurors were working on. Harry could deal with his own frustration about there still being more to do with Voldemort. More dark secrets coming up about the evil wizard that had stolen so much from so many...but feeling that fear from others? He wasn't sure he could handle that...
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I said if I changed anything from the canon Harry Potter storyline, I would note it. It's not really a change, but Hermione's parents were given no first names in the original books, writings, and films. Bringing them in as part of a more familiar setting, I wanted them to have first names so I decided to call them Howard and Nelly.
In the books however, they were briefly given the names Wendell and Monika Wilkuns as their aliases during the time Hermione had erased their memories. Since these were not their real names and it was written that they had these names as fake place-holders, I did not simply use them.