Chapter 2: A new mystery

The wizards plunged into the pensine in two groups, but the first to see the memory didn't say a word until the second emerged from the pool, before the bewildered eyes of the vampires.

The wizards didn't need to speak to understand each other; all had spotted the Mark of Darkness in the sky above the castle of the eradicated vampires. George, his face defeated, left the square without a word, intriguing the vampires except Edward, whose face showed sadness.

"If the Death Eaters are the ones who imprisoned him after the vampires, how...?" began Ron, interrupted by his father.

¨I seem to remember, before the first fall of You-Know-Who, there was a rumor about a Death Eater who single-handedly was capable of wiping out our camp. After its fall, the government announced that they had neutralized this Death Eater.¨

¨If that's him, how come he didn't return to the ranks of the Death Eaters when He came back?¨ asked Percy.

¨If he was sent to Azkaban, maybe he wasn't up to it," said Ron.

¨Arthur, would Kingsley know about this?" asked Hermione.

¨I think he would.¨

¨I'll go and see him then," said Harry.

The Survivor decided to check with George that he could do without him at the store before going to the Ministry with his best friends, who were on school vacation for two more weeks before returning to their higher studies. Arthur and Percy had to go to work. Before they all left, the vampires thanked them and offered to dust Harry's house, which he accepted, even offering to redecorate if they wished. He suspected that time would seem long to this family who never slept.

He didn't linger in the square or at home afterwards, and went straight to George's, whom he found in tears, a photo of him and his twin in his hands. Harry held him in his arms until his tears disappeared. George had become a friend and confidant since they worked together, they slept together occasionally to feel alive, but were not together, both had adventures with other men. However, these sexual relationships helped George forget the emptiness he'd felt in his heart since Fred's death and helped Harry get over the trauma of the war, of all the people who'd died before he could fulfill his destiny.

"I can't go stirring all that up," George whispered to him once he'd calmed down.

¨I understand, but I'm going to.¨

¨Okay, you do what you have to do, I'll figure it out."

Harry loosened his hold on the redhead's body, but the latter pulled him back to kiss him desperately.

"Make me forget," he whispered between kisses.

Harry understood what he wanted and couldn't go away leaving him in this state, he knew Hermione would harp on his ears with it again next, but it was a small price to pay for George to regain a shadow of a smile.

He then laid his lover on the bed, undressed him and lubricated his intimacy with two spells, before fingering him while kissing him. He knew from the time they'd been doing it with regularity that the inventor wasn't going to last long, so he did his best to be efficient. As soon as he thought his lover ready, he pulled down his jeans, drew the ready buttocks to the edge of the bed and gently inserted himself.

"Go hard," George encouraged him.

The phrase ignited Harry's senses and he began pounding the offered orifice, much to his delight. He loved it when he didn't have to hold back and could dismantle the sensitive prostate with every stroke of his loins. George was nothing but cries of pleasure and soon came without Harry touching him, the latter making a few more movements, but hemmed in by the flesh around him contracting, came in the hot den.

They lay side by side for a while until the older one got up to take a shower, without a word. Harry didn't mind; he'd got used to this reaction from his lover when they did it because he was unwell. He preferred to clean himself up with a spell and dressed before going into the bathroom to check on George's condition.

"Will that do for today?" he asked.

¨Yes, go save the damsel in distress."

Harry laughed at his quip, winked at him and went to meet his friends in front of the Ministry entrance.

"Where's Ron?" he asked, noticing his absence.

¨Having gone to the bathroom,¨ Hermione paused for a moment before resuming. ¨Why do you keep sleeping with George?¨

¨Hermione.¨

¨You don't like him.¨

¨And he doesn't love me either, we're both very clear on that. Look, George is depressed, these moments we share help him keep his head above water, and they help me chase away the memories of the dead.¨

¨One day, one of you is going to suffer, if not both of you.¨

¨We're both suffering already, Hermione. Do you have another solution for us?"

Harry waited for her to answer, but she didn't say a word.

"Let us manage as we see fit, okay?"

She could only nod, Ron's return automatically ending the conversation.

The trio entered the Ministry and headed for the Prime Minister's office, their status as war heroes ensuring them access. They had to wait just under an hour, during which time they talked about the Cullens, before being ushered into the office. Shacklebolt greeted them kindly, giving Harry the impression of chatting with a friendly uncle he hadn't seen for a long time. Once the courtesies had been exchanged and news of their respective lives given, Harry, complemented by Hermione, explained the reason for their visit. The Minister of Magic was very upset at the idea of having a permanent prisoner in a cell and ignoring it. He offered them to wait in his office while he went to see if he could find out more. Twenty minutes later, he returned with a stooped man in his sixties in a weathered gray wizard's robe. Bald, he had small rectangular glasses and a pointed nose.

"Meet Monsieur Windflow, you'll be interested in what he has to say," Shacklebolt enunciated, inviting the man to take a seat.

He hurriedly introduced the trio, but they all knew this was only superfluous; Harry and his friends couldn't take a step outside without being spied on by a reporter.

"During the first war against Voldemort, we found in the cells of one of the Black residences, a Muggle vampire, blond and hungry, except that feeding him never made him come back to himself and every time a wizard who wasn't dressed as a Death Eater entered the room, he tried to kill him, either with his empath powers or by biting him. The Ministry at the time concluded that he was under a spell and locked him up in the Department of Mysteries to try to free him from the spell in case You-Know-Who had bewitched other poor souls like him.¨

¨Except they didn't succeed,¨ Hermione interjected.

¨No, and people lost interest in him until they forgot he existed. The staff at the cells took care of feeding him and keeping him alive, but our appeals to the ministers were never heard.¨

¨Did you send me a note about him?" asked Shacklebolt.

¨No, not yet, we were waiting for things to calm down.¨

¨Is he still under the spell?" asked Harry.

¨It's been a long time since anyone tried to approach him without a Death Eater disguise. Too many have died taking that risk.¨

¨We'll look into it," promised Shacklebolt.

They all thanked the man, who left the office, and remained pensive for a moment.

"We've got to tell his family," Ron finally said.

¨His family, Ron, you're a genius!" exclaimed Hermione. ¨Edward's a telepath, he should be able to help us understand the spell.¨

¨It's worth a try," confirmed the Minister. ¨I'll get in touch with the Unspeakables and spell's specialists to find out what they think. I'll send you an owl."

The three friends thanked Shacklebolt and took their leave. They hoped they'd hear from him soon as they apparated to the square to explain to Jasper's family what they'd just learned.