Chapter 5: 31 October 2010

Parchment was spread on every surface in Theo's office. His chalkboard covered in calculations, and peer reviewed journals opened to different pages were scattered on the floor. His computer hummed as it worked to churn out a new formula and spell combination for Theo to test. It was organised chaos.

The sound of his door being thrown open didn't even phase him as he moved across the room for a new quill. His assistant clearing her throat still didn't earn any acknowledgement as she knew not to disrupt him. If there was one thing Theo hated, it was people not following instructions.

When another cough came, Theo still didn't bother to spare the irritating witch a glance. "I'm fairly sure the standing order remains." He clipped, pushing his glasses up his nose as he scratched out an error he found.

"I'm also fairly sure," his wife's voice came, causing Theo to spin around. "That you were told to be at the cemetery at two. Yet here you are. In the office, on a Sunday no less."

"Hermione, I…" Theo trailed off, looking around the space. "Yes, I set an alarm on my wand, I was to meet you there. You didn't have to come get me."

"Well, it's after four. You missed the service we had. Don't worry, Blaise, Ginny, Luna, Ron, and Padma were all there to pay their respects to our husband's parents. The children hardly noticed your absence."

Theo looked at his watch, seeing that it was indeed ten after four. He'd completely missed it. Every Halloween – even before they'd begun dating Harry – Hermione and Theo had always joined Harry in Godric's Hollow.

"What are you trying to prove, doing all this?" Hermione asked, waving her hand in the air, gesturing to the mess of his work. "We need you; our children need their father and I need my husband. We're drowning and instead of being home, you're off in your lab! Why's your work so much more important than us?"

Slightly speechless, Theo looked around at everything he'd built. The entire new Time Division was his responsibility. He'd built it from the ground up after it'd been destroyed in their fifth year. This work, it was everything that he'd been able to do, despite his family name. Even after marrying Harry and taking on the surname of Potter, he'd still had to fight to get out from under his father's shadow.

"Because our children deserve a legacy to be proud of." Theo sighed, taking his glasses off and setting them on top of the journal he'd been reading.

"What are you talking about? They're Potters, of course they'll be proud of who they are." Hermione snapped, grabbing the parchment closest to her and throwing it to the ground. "They don't need any of this!" She shouted, storming over to another stack and knocking it to the floor. "They don't need your bloody department or your research!"

"They're also Notts!" Theo bellowed, storming towards the irate witch. "Harry saved the goddamn world. You, well to be frank, you're perfection. What am I? The son of a mad man, a literal genocidal maniac. A person who strikes fear in every heart just by saying his name! And it was my name also until I somehow lucked into marrying you and Harry! I deserve to leave something good behind for my kids and not just ride off your successes!"

"And you think that this is the best way to atone for the sins of your father? By ignoring us and building your career?" Hermione screamed, now moving about the room, throwing anything she could get her hands on. The hourglasses shattered as they hit the wall, sand was thrown in the air, and even some of the paper was bursting with tiny explosions. Theo stood seething as he watched her but didn't dare make a move.

"I have to do something," Theo gritted out, surveying the mess his wife had made. There was nothing to do for it. Had he tried to stop her, it would have only escalated the situation. Hermione continued to carry on, throwing his research about, even going as far as to rip some of it to pieces. Years of work, she was destroying in an instant.

Everything he'd worked so hard for, and dedicated so much of his life to, she recked as she ploughed through his office. His hands were in fists at his sides, but Theo still didn't move. The fear that he might harm her was at the forefront of his mind. The day his father slit his mother's throat played on repeat, a constant reminder of who he was and where he came from. Why he could never touch Hermione when he was angry.

"Are you about done with your tantrum then?" He asked when she finally stopped. Small scraps of paper floated in the air around them, a sour burnt smell from some herbs he'd collected filling the space. It would take weeks to repair this, but it was better than harming his wife.

"Well," Hermione replied, glancing over her shoulder as she headed towards his door. "You've been so busy building that legacy of yours, you're missing out on our children's lives."

ooo

Theo's wand buzzed, and he sat up, looking around his home office in a panic. That's when his wand buzzed again, the sound of Portia screaming fully pulling him awake.

He'd taken it upon himself to set up the same detection charms used in nurseries on all four of the children's rooms. After they'd informed their children that they didn't know where Harry was, it'd been a downward spiral, especially for Portia.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he slipped from the office. He padded his way down the hall, passing the cracked door of the master bedroom. Not wanting to linger, he poked his head inside to confirm that Hermione was still asleep with Remus curled into her side whimpering.

Theo let out a sigh, shutting the door. Knowing there'd be another row over his absence the day before, Theo thought it best to let his wife rest without him. No need to push her and make her angrier.

Since Harry's disappearance, Hermione had stopped going to work. With her new project in the early phases, and her not coming in, the DRCMC had officially let her go a few weeks prior. Charlie Weasley, bless him, had tried to advocate for her, but there was nothing for it. They'd replaced her and hadn't looked back. Not that Hermione cared about her career. These days the only thing Hermione was concerned with was their children.

James had started his first year of Hogwarts, and it seemed him being away had put her even more on edge. Since they'd seen him off at Kings Cross Station, Hermione hadn't let their younger children out of her sight. She'd even been fire calling McGonagall twice a day to check in on James.

Theo ran a hand through his hair one last time before he pushed open his daughter's bedroom door.

Portia was sitting up in bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Her wild curls she'd inherited from her mother were sticking in every direction. Her little body trembled with the tears pouring down her face.

"My darling girl," Theo cooed to his daughter. "It's okay, papa is here." He soothed, pulling her against his chest.

"I. Want. My. Daddy," Portia cried, sniffling between each word. "Where's my daddy? Why can't you find him?" She asked, her dark blue eyes staring up at him.

"Uncle Draco's looking for daddy," Theo told her, rubbing a hand over her curls. "Uncle Draco is the best detective." He tried to assure her, but it'd been so long, and Draco hadn't had any new leads in the case since he'd found the threatening messages.

"Why couldn't the bad men have taken you?" The little girl asked, cutting Theo's heart out. "You're never here, but daddy is. I want my daddy back!" The girl cried, burying her face in her hands as her sorrow overtook as she became inconsolable.

Theo slipped her a calming draft laced with a small amount of dreamless in the water cup he gave her to drink. It didn't take long before her breathing evened out and she was once again asleep.

However, unlike his usual habit of slipping away after he'd gotten his children back down for the night and going to his office, Theo stayed. He wrapped his arms around Portia and pulled her small body against him, being rewarded with her wrapping her arms around his neck.

As Portia's breathing settled and she snuggled in closer to his chest, Theo could feel the tears spilling over and in his daughter's curls. He'd tried and failed to find his husband. At three months with no word, the hope that Harry would ever come home was dwindling.

He'd missed so much. Passing going on family holidays, Harry's games, and all the kids activities. Theo had been so secure in his marriage and felt that Harry and Hermione would always be there with him, that it was easy to let things slide.

In the albums he'd continued to flip through, following the births of the children, his presence in the photos had become less and less. He'd thrown himself so far into his work that he hadn't even taken notice to stop and appreciate what was here. Just as Hermione had accused him.

The morning of Harry's disappearance was ingrained in his mind. He'd been reading through the journals for work and Harry had – well Theo couldn't even say what Harry had been trying to tell him. Instead of paying any attention to his husband, Theo had made a clipped comment to Harry that he ought to just go into the office to find some peace. That's when Remus and Portia had come running in, excited to leave for day camp. Theo had rolled up the parchment he'd been making notes on and excused himself.

When he'd walked past Harry, his husband had tilted his head for a kiss, but being annoyed Theo had pretended he didn't notice. Now, he'd never get that chance again.