More Than Just A New Beginning
Chapter 4
Harry along with the rest of his MACUSA's FBCVT team that were involved in the arrest of Jason Scott were called to give evidence in court for the following fortnight, during the time of Jason Scott and his accomplices trials. Talking through their process with every witch and wizard on jury duty for this particular trial. Thanks to his teams wonderful efforts, they had more than enough evidence to send them all down for a life sentence, while they wouldn't be tried for the death penalty, they would spend the rest of their lives in prison with absolutely zero chance of parole. He'd watched them remain smug in the first week of the trial, but as the days wore on, they begun to worry, be confused, clearly they were expecting their families to come for them. Which would not happen, of course, even if it miraculously had, they'd need to fight through not only a jury of wizards and witches, Auror guards and of course his team.
So by the time of their sentencing, they were pale, drawn and absolutely terrified, it was a good look on them. They deserve to feel everything every single one of his victims felt, this was nowhere near enough, unfortunately MACUSA didn't believe in torture to get answers…and when he wasn't in court, he was busy hunting down – badly worded he knew – the families, he'd had to watch them grieve all over again, and endless thank you's for bringing them back. He had not cremated them, he knew werewolves had rites and ways of burying their own and oftentimes took the claws as a way to remember the deceased.
"So another case closed?" his therapist said, "How does it make you feel?" especially considering it had to do with his mate. Staring at Harry waiting for him to reply, when Harry had first came to him, he'd been sullen, silent, refused to talk about his life and was very bitter. He wasn't his first uncommunicative patient, and most definitely wouldn't be his last. He had kept at it, and slowly chipped away at Harry's walls, helped him see that everything he was holding onto his shoulders WASN'T his fault. He had grown and flourished, and he couldn't have been more proud of the process Harry was making. Not everyone wanted to helped, not everyone could, but he refused to give up on any of his patients.
He was good at his job, and it paid very well, allowing him to work in one of the best buildings in New York, and allowing him to support his family with ease. He had many certifications adorned his wall, including his PHD, Masters, even his high school diploma he was proud of every phrase of his life. Roger Anderson blazoned across them all.
"Good, Scott was a disgusting piece of work, but I'm glad I was able to get closure for the families, and stop further atrocities he might commit." Harry said, sitting across from his therapist, who was also a creature of some kind, he didn't know what, he hadn't asked, he worked with MACUSA in helping Aurors and everyone deal with the things they did at work. Which meant that Harry could discuss things that he'd normally not be able to mention if he had taken on a different therapist. Scott's next target had been his mate, if this case hadn't been solved…he would have never known his mate. It was a terrifying prospect.
"And your mate?" Roger asked, his voice a little quieter, he understood more than most regarding mates. He only knew Derek as 'Derek' Harry never gave any last names.
Harry pursed his lips, "Nothing," he sighed, running his hand through his hair, "I just don't get it," a whole fortnight of silence, and he had tried to find him, but there was nothing other than his driver's licence available to him, slightly misusing his job, but only a little, after all Derek had been part of the case. He hadn't done a complete background check on him although he could, strictly speaking. "Who starts a courting process and then just goes radio silent?"
"Perhaps he's worried he screwed things up? He may be under the belief you're human?" Roger suggested, he hadn't heard Harry sound so defeated in a long while.
"I don't know, every creature I've met knows I'm not human…" Harry said, bewildered, "I mean they can smell the magic on me. Admittedly they always think I'm a 'spark' for some reason, not a lot actually seem to be aware of MACUSA or my taskforce…" it gets so annoying having to say the entire words by gosh every time. The funny thing was, they didn't think the same of his team…he seemed to be able to get more out of any supe' they deal with. "He's obviously a born werewolf, a bitten one wouldn't know or perform the rites and rituals…"
"Depending on which pack he's with, although considering he's here in New York I suspect his pack is rather on the small side." Roger soothed Harry, giving him something else to think about. "Which means his sense aren't what they could be." He could see Harry had thought of all this, he was just letting off some steam. All packs in New York tended to be small, because they don't have territory of their own. New York was neutral, no single pack had roots here, it was too crowded, too populated, too city like for any wolves liking.
"Well, for whatever reason, hunters I suspect, they've moved," Harry shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't hurt. "It wasn't even in their name, they were subletting."
"How does it make you feel?" Roger asked, Harry had hated that in the beginning but the whole point of therapy was to help him, give him an outlet and let him put together his own feelings if they were overwhelming him.
"Confused, gutted, small," Harry admitted, he knew this was a safe space where he could talk about anything. That it would not be parroted to the press or anything like that, Roger was physically incapable of it, magically bound to keep the secrets and he had signed it willingly. He didn't care how famous he was, or what he had 'done' unless it was to help him see it from new perspectives.
"Just remember you don't know what's going on in Derek's life, it may not be about you," Roger suggested, legs crossed, and both hands on his knee as he observed the man before him.
"Then why begin the courting process to begin with?" Harry asked bluntly, "I mean that in all seriousness, I would adhere to the traditions, Roger, I would, I'd lay a fresh kill at his feet…reciprocate the old ways, I know they're important to both man and wolf." their traditions were just as important and quite frankly he loved the sound of them.
"I know you would," Roger soothed, "Until you find him you wont be able to get answers as to why, perhaps he may be able to explain everything. Until then, you should try to keep an open mind as to why the courtship has been put on hold." He couldn't give Harry answers he just did not have, so he didn't. He also didn't give false hope, but truths that were in front of them at this moment. He himself didn't understand why he would make a declaration of courtship then bail, but there could be so many reasons, hunters for one, perhaps he didn't get them all, but he couldn't bring himself to say that, couldn't bring himself to worry Harry more than he already was. Plus, he believed that this thought had already crossed Harry's mind, he was smart, dedicated and aware of the world.
"What if I didn't save him?" Harry asked, a pained look on his face, "What if he's been caught and we find him in a decades time dug up in someone's goddamned hideout?" it hadn't been an easy feat digging up those bodies, nearly all of them cut in half, others into pieces, it was sickening.
"Do you believe that's what happened?" Roger asked patiently.
"No," Harry eventually sighed, "The apartment they were staying in was empty, in previous murders the hunters don't bother with that." In fact, there was someone else now living in the building, which should be condemned. The fact the items had been boxed up and put in storage by the landlord had allowed him to return the belongings to the families, a few didn't have any unfortunately, which meant they would remain in MACUSA's storage until someone was found.
"That's a good thing," Roger said, moving is much preferable to death after all.
"Yeah," Harry sighed, more resigned to never interacting with his soulmate again. It was actually quite painful to contemplate, but wasn't that the story of his life? No, he fought for the good things, why would it change now? He would continue to look for Derek for as long as it took to find him. If and when he did, and if Derek made it clear he didn't want anything to do with him to his face…then he'd stop, he'd give his soulmate what he wanted. Until then he wouldn't give up.
"What's your next plan?" Roger asked, glancing at the time.
"I'm not giving up," Harry declared.
"That's good, is there anything you'd like to discuss before our next appointment?" Roger then enquired, the hour was nearly up.
Harry shook his head, he'd pretty much said everything that was currently on his mind. From the closed case to how he'd felt during the meetings with the families 'pack's' may be a more accurate description actually, not that he'd seen a hint of fang the entire time he had been in the houses. It wasn't as if they'd be in a hurry to revel themselves to an outsider, he wasn't even sure how much of the 'magical congress' in MACUSA got through to them. They probably fell on the defensive at the 'Federal' word and just treated him like a cop.
His phone went off, which really should be off during his therapy sessions, but half the time Harry forgot to put it on silent. He was responsible for an entire department of people who might need him at the drop of a hat. He might be needed to go to work, so one of the things he demanded was phones on at all times. Grimacing slightly, knowing Roger hated phones in his sessions, he didn't apologise, knowing it wouldn't be fully sincere. "I'll try to remember to put it on silent," was all he said, all he could say really.
Roger just sighed in exasperation and resignation, "Very well, I shall see you next week," Harry had a standing appointment, which he sometimes had to miss but not very often, only when he was in court. He tried his best to ensure he came to every meeting especially when he realized it was helping him.
"Thanks," Harry sighed, before standing up resignedly, giving Roger a nod, deftly loosing his tie he'd worn to work, stretching his neck as he called back it picked up as he closed the door. "What's up?" he asked, Zane had been the one to call him on his phone.
"We've caught a new case," Zane informed him.
"Nothing to do with our recent case?" Harry asked, heart pounding with worries and fears.
"All we know is that a female has been found with AGSW," Zane explained, Aconite Gunshot Would, likely a werewolf. Bill was a squib, worked in NYPD, and got paid by MACUSA to inform them of supernatural cases, he wasn't the only one, they had dozens upon dozens of informants spread out New York and other states the extent of the operation was expansive to say the least. It allowed them to get to any new cases and actually contain the scenes themselves. Other times they had to just work with what they had of the crime scene that police had gotten together.
"Location?" Harry requested, keys already out as he exited the building, making haste towards his SUV.
"Between ninety-eight and ninety-nine St. Varick Street, Manhattan, its already cornered off and someone is keeping a watch on the scene, someone from NYPD." Zane explained, beeping in the background indicated he was opening his own black SUV.
"I'll meet you all there," Harry stated, "Everyone available?"
"Samara and the rest of the guys that are available are with me," Zane agreed, Samara would always be first on the scene as their pathologist. She found out who they were, what they were and how they died, most of it with blood runes and the works. "We'll be there in approximately thirty minutes," even with the lights on, they were going quite a distance.
"My ETA is twenty, I'll see you there," with that Harry hung up, they had nothing more to talk about and a need to get to the scene of the crime.
Harry true to his word, got there first and made sure the crime scene was cornered off properly, and that no evidence was disturbed. His badge had the guy from NYPD leaving with a dip of his head, that someone senior was on the scene and it belonged to the FBI now, he no longer had to just stand there and wait.
As soon as the familiar SUV pulled to a stop, the guys got out, handing Samara the things she'd need to process the crime scene. After they had everything out, photos were taken, measurements, and the usual procedure's they went through in order to memorise the crime scene while Samara got down to the nitty gritty.
"There's no defensive wounds," was observed by Harry, "She made no attempt to defend herself,"
"This is a high projectile bullet," commented Zane, "Not from a hand gun, a sniper rifle, we need to start a search for the cartridge." If she hadn't been a werewolf there wouldn't have been much of her left.
"Merlin, I hope not," Harry said his face wrinkling in worry, another fanatical bloody hunter they had on their hand, one with some serious firepower that's able to take them down without them even knowing they were being watched. "If she was standing here, when she was hit…then it was from that direction…" pointing northeast, before he could suggest anyone, Adam spoke.
"Got it boss," Adam and Will saluted, before leaving, they were normally paired together, and Harry often with Zane they worked best in those teams. They grabbed a bag filled with the usual paraphernalia for working a crime scene.
"I've done everything I can, we won't find anything on the suspect here," Samara explained, packing up everything, "And Bill was right, she was a werewolf," a simple testing of the blood had confirmed pretty much what they already knew, well, she had to be a Were, at least for them to use Aconite and most Were's were vulnerable to it.
"Go ahead," Harry murmured, using a spell to cover the fact she was leaving through using a Portkey, a simple stretcher eased the way for the female to be placed on and without disrespect. Harry kept the spell up for a little while, as he wrapped up the crime scene waiting to see if Adam and Will were successful, sure they could summon it, but knowing where it had happened might prove fruitful.
"We need to find whoever it is fast," Zane said, "The terror this is going to cause…the chances are they might actually end up hitting humans as well it could turn deadly." Not that he was implying the supernatural deserved it no, but humans were helpless, they didn't have their magic or abilities, victims in a way that nobody in the supernatural could be. They were completely and wholly obvious to the magical world or the supernatural world. Caught in a war between hunters and them, yeah, it sucked.
Harry faced Zane, observing the blonde, giving him a nod, "Yes, we do,"
"Are you still looking for the Hale siblings?" Zane asked causing Harry's eyes to widen and almost flinch at the abrupt change of subject.
"What?" Harry asked, blinking a few times, trying to get his head around what he'd heard.
Zane waited for his boss to find his footing, "I know," he explained, he knew what his boss was up to.
Harry inhaled sharply, "How?" he hadn't been misusing his departments resources no matter how much he wanted to.
"I overheard you talking to your contacts," Zane explained, "Adam and Will were with me, we put out word with our own contacts, and Patricia got back to me, apparently the girl in the photo, Laura Hale, is working at the convenience store around the corner from her, just started this morning, I'll send you the details if you want them?"
Harry paused, did he want the information? Wouldn't it be better to have this over and done with? Either have his soulmate in his life or not? Showing up out of the blue would probably not help his case any, and might end up making Derek run farther this time. Fuck knows why he kept running, who knows why he begun a damn courtship then bolted, seriously? "They both look well?"
Zane arched a brow, gazing shrewdly at his boss, "There's more to this than wanting to make sure they're safe…which I already suspected…Harry, is everything alright?" using his name instead of boss, right now he wasn't talking to him as one would a boss, but as a friend.
Harry let out a breath, "He's my soulmate, my magic reacted to him…quite vocally," rubbing at his chest as he remembered the feeling.
"Merlin's saggy balls!" Zane muttered, almost gaping, "I'll send you the info," and with that the conversation was done. He didn't congratulate him, it was obvious that it wasn't going well, it explained why their boss was more tired as of late. He was always tired to an extent, they knew he continued working when he went home. Considering everything he had to do for the entire department it was hardly surprising and he didn't have an assistant to aid him. "Good luck," he did add, after sending everything to Harry's phone.
"Thanks," Harry said wryly, meeting your soulmate wasn't exactly 'rare' like becoming bonded to a phoenix, it was it wasn't something that happened every day, those that did find their soul mate considered themselves very, very lucky. Two sides of the same coin, understanding one another in a way that wasn't done in a normal relationship, and soulmates never split up, they were always together for life, very happily at that. Most wizards ended up finding their soulmate in other wizards or witches, something that Derek definitely wasn't. From what he'd read, it wasn't odd for werewolves or other Were creatures to find their mates in humans though, and normally they ended up becoming one of them. Whether it was a werewolf, Werecoyote, Werelion etc… although he'd never come across a Werelion, although the case they'd just dealt with had Werebears. He ignored the buzzing on his phone for now, as Will and Adam made a reappearance, the bullet safely ensconced in a magically sealed evidence bag for Samara. And a piece of gum that they found near the crime scene but didn't think anything would come of it.
"They left barely anything discernible around, barely any footprints, I'm surprised we found the bullet, which by the way has some sort of symbol scribed into it." Adam explained, showing off the tiny scraping, they'd need to get it enlarged when they get back.
"Have Jerry get a copy of any CCTV that might help us catch a look at the perpetrator," Harry stated, while looking at the symbol.
"Probably the hunters symbol, expecting the pack to find it maybe?" Zane suggested, peering at it with shrewd eye. "I'll text him and Dan the coordinates," they never worked alone, always in pairs just to be on the safe side. Dan had just literally got off holiday and returned this morning.
"Looks like a plant, might just be to let them know it's an aconite filled bullet," Harry suggested, but until they had it largened they wouldn't know for sure. "Right, were done here, let's head back and see what Samara has for us." The evidence was put in the trunk of the car, and Zane decided to accompany Harry back while Adam and Will drove the other SUV. Just before leaving, Harry let down the wards leaving the crime scene pristine as if nothing had happened at all. There was no need for a crime scene clean up crew when they could use magic.
Zane and Harry didn't spend the ride in silence, Harry confided in Zane what had been happening. He wasn't afraid to let his team know. His therapist had encouraged it in the beginning, despite him being the 'boss' so to speak, but he was more than that now, friends and family to an extent. Harry didn't have anyone else, and had been too suspicious of everyone when he first moved to make friends easily or at all. After what happened to him and how the Weasley's had all reacted it was to be expected. Zane in turn offered him some very useful advice.
"Okay, first things first, the young woman now named as Kathrine 'kit' Madison, she wasn't from New York, she was studying here, she's attending Columbia University, and is from Westminster, a town in Windham County in Vermont."
"Rural, no surprise," Zane mused, already typing her name into the computer, it was showing up on the big screen since it was all wired up. "Well, she's got a big family," he added, looking at the list. "Her next of kin is her parents, in both her medical file and Columbia application." Was added.
"There are seventeen people registered living in the property, pack house?" Will continued.
"Packs always live together, there's safety in numbers," Harry explained, Will wasn't quite up to their level of knowledge on the supernatural yet. Although he was definitely getting drilled, quizzed constantly, he was what you'd call the 'Probie' the probationary agent, and part of that was learning on the job, which he was, quite well as a matter of fact. "Those that can anyway," not everyone stayed at the pack house, so there may well be a lot more members of the pack, could easily double that figure.
Harry breathed out, he couldn't, wouldn't, ask any of the others to do what comes next. "Will and I will head to Vermont."
"Boss this is a big pack, we have no idea how they'll react, she…she was the eldest," Zane was quick to jump in, his jaw jutting out seriously, which meant she was probably next in line to receive the Alpha powers, unless it was a Patriarch run family, which meant the next male in line became the Alpha but that wasn't often done in this day and age. The eldest became Alpha that was just the way it was. "Going with just one back up is a bad idea," as capable as Will was, he wasn't the best of them, not yet, Adam was, which was why Will had been paired with him.
Will didn't look offended, which meant he was just as worried if not more so than Zane.
"What do you suggest?" Harry asked leaning back, as always he was willing to listen to them even if he didn't agree. It was why they worked so well as a unit, sometimes even better than the MCD – Major Crimes department – next door.
"Three of us at least should go," Adam determined before Zane could speak, he nodded indicating an agreement.
"Will needs to begin learning how to break the news to the next of kin," Harry stated, "He's the only one thus far that hasn't done it yet. Practice helps, but out there, we all know its so much worse."
"Then he can observe how we do it in the pensive, and next case if its not so dangerous he and I can go, and I'll let him do it." Adam offered, so many people, werewolves, high emotions, grief, it had the hallmarks of a very dangerous undertaking they were about to do. It could go wrong in so many ways, they just wanted to be sure it didn't blow up in their faces, they weren't ignorant to the fact Were's could actually get the better of them, they were faster, deadlier, could have them impaled on their claws before they could use their magic unless the necessary steps were taken to protect themselves, and as sure as shit did not involve Aconite or mountain ash, those were the products of a damn hunter. Plus, potentially seventeen members in the pack with the prospect of more. He could only hope that the next case wasn't going to be as fraught with uncertainty as this.
"Will, you join Jerry, I want to know who has done this as soon as possible so I can offer the family closure," Harry determined standing up, which means all hands on deck, no idling. "Get your vests on," not only did it protect them from bullets, but would protect them from anything with claws too. They looked just as innocuous as the Mundane ones, and nobody would suspect otherwise.
The failed to realize they were missing one very important thing.
However that would be realized soon enough.
Will had received word of where Jerry was and immediately apparated away leaving the others to finish getting ready. Adam, Zane, and Harry all got their vests on before redressing, tense and alert for anything that might happen. After that it was as simple as Apparating near enough to the property, without actually appearing on their doorstep.
"Ten minute walk," Harry mused, glancing at the property in the distance, it was a manor, unsurprisingly, due to the numbers they'd expected it. Right at the edge of town, giving them optimal privacy and means to run free, an abundance of trees went as far as the eye could see along with fields. He reckoned it might have been a farm at one point, but one thing about animals, they sensed the predators in them and refused for most part to be near. The animals would have fled in fear if there had been any when they moved into the area.
"It's beautiful, reminds me of home," Zane said, "A little more Mundane though," with all the Mundane items strewn all over the place. Bikes, toys, and such, nobody was outside, and there was just a real foreboding to the air.
"You grew up in a manor?" Harry asked, genuinely surprised, "You're the first born, why aren't you living in one now?" okay, he'd never mentioned that before. He knew Zane wasn't living in a manor, he had been invited to many BBQ's and parties and just guy nights to know that for damn certain.
"Are you kidding? Sally would never go for that, she wanted a small place, my brother always wanted to look after animals anyway, and we get a lot of the family larder." Zane shrugged, "It was no hardship letting him live there. With me and Sally working long hours we wouldn't have had enough time to contemplate looking after such a huge place." His wife had made that clear from the day they got engaged so that Zane understood her views, not in a harsh way, just worried, she was a Healer, her own hours was just as bad as his sometimes, so the prospect of actually moving to look after animals after working, yeah, not a pretty prospect. Plus, his brother Zach, worked from home, he was an Author so he had the time to give them the care they needed.
"It's practical," Adam said shrewdly, he unlike Harry had been aware of Zane's wealth and the extent of his family. They'd known each other before they joined the Auror Corps, they hadn't been friends in school, but rather acquaintances. Got to know each other as newbies, and become closer when they realized they were both trying to join the same department. It helped that their wives – girlfriends at the time – got on too, Sally and Amelia got on really well, in a way only women can. "You're a Potter, isn't Potter Manor still standing?"
"Yeah, never seen it though, it's regularly maintained," Harry shrugged, it was the only property that wasn't rented out, his portfolio of properties was extensive to say the least. He had properties all over the world, and the goblins helped get them rented out, without his name being known to them. He had added to it by buying the building out that he was currently staying in. It had taken a chunk out of his vaults, but not by much, he already had it back and more in investments and profits. He'd been a childish fool not to realise that the vault he had taken from during his schooling wasn't his entire estate. He was ignorant of so much, but there you have it.
"You ever been back?" Adam asked, "Since you came over?"
"Nope, Luna and Neville visit me, when I came I was training to take over this Department when it was up and running I had no time to go back and forth. I was working probably twenty hours of the day, I wanted the job those are the consequences." Harry said thoughtfully, "Neville's married now though, so he doesn't come as often and not as long."
"What about Luna? We saw her six months ago, surely she isn't married?" Zane asked, not surprised Neville had settled down, they'd bet his wife was a hellfire, either that or she was as quiet as Neville. "Man, can you imagine Will's reaction to her?" he asked with a wicked chuckle, Luna was exactly Will's type, blonde, beautiful and smart, deadly combination according to will.
Harry groaned, "She'd eat him alive," sniggering in amusement. Will had been on a weeks intense training course six months ago, to better his skills and hadn't met Luna.
"She IS a devious little minx," Adam admitted with a quiet chortle, aware that they would soon be coming into hearing range of the pack of werewolves. This wasn't the time or place for a laugh, it would be entirely unprofessional, especially with the news they were about to bring to their door.
They were all thinking the same thing and it sobered them all up, as each absently checked compulsively for their wand on their wrist, attached to a wand holster, that had a strong summoning spell imbued in it to ensure they never lost their wands. They had a lot of nifty little gadgets as Aurors, even stuff that hadn't come out on the market yet, and others that would never be out on the market.
It took them another four minutes to reach the door, before they knocked three times and waited solemnly.
It was a diminutive twenty-something year old girl who answered the door, her polite façade cracking already, "Yes? Can I help you?" it was clear to see she had been crying, her eyes were rimmed red, but she was also very nervous. She was tense, alert and ready for anything that came her way.
"Hello, ma'am I'm Special Agent In charge Harry James Potter," Harry said, showing his badge properly and clearly, "I'm a member of the Magical Congress of the United States of America's Federal Bureau Covert Vigilance Taskforce, and this is Special Agent Williams," pointing to Adam, who showed his badge, "And this is Special Agent Zabini," gesturing to Zane, who did the same "May we speak to Mr and Mrs Maddison?"
"Magical congress?" she mouthed the words, "What are you?"
"Wizards," Harry explained slightly delighted that she'd asked an intelligent question. It didn't happen often so he was pleased. Normally they didn't seem to hear the 'Magical congress' in the statement he gave them, usually federal had them reacting as though they were cops and immediately going on the defensive. "We aren't a danger to you or your pack, I promise you that…but it's vital we speak to Mr. and Mrs Maddison." He was firm and polite but he wasn't going to back down and take no for an answer.
"They…aren't receiving visitors right now," she said, shaking her head making an attempt to close the door on them.
"Ma'am, we need to speak to the Alpha," Harry stated more sternly, "We will not outstay our welcome."
"Please, they're not in any condition to speak to anyone," she was a little more shaky herself now. "Please leave."
"The pack bonds," Zane groaned, "They already know why we're here." How could he have forgotten she would have been tightly bound to them even so far away.
"We understand you're grieving, but if you want us to find who did this to your daughter then you'll speak to us," Harry said softly, speaking to the people he knew could hear him inside now. "Only a few questions, I promise then we will leave you to grieve," compassion exuding from his every pore along with a great deal of sadness.
They were met with a Beta shifted werewolf with gold eyes, "Come in then," was snarled before he stomped off.
The three Auror's stepped in, and were quite quickly guided into the sitting room, where the two grieving parents sat sobbing, two sets of grandparents was at their side, trying to soothe them, to no avail. The rest of the Beta shifted werewolves were prowling for the lack of better terms, unable to sit still. Quite a few of them were human, it must be a mixed family either that or they were married into it.
"I am so sorry for your loss, I cannot even begin to comprehend the extent of it, but I promise you that myself and my team will do everything in our power to find out who did it and punish him to the full extent of the law." Harry said sincerely, "I just have a few questions I need to ask you, can you do that?"
The Alpha, the mother, her shift morphed into her human features, she didn't look old enough to have a fully grown family and judging by the presence of toys grandchildren. They aged different just like wizards and witches though. "What do you want to know?" she asked, her voice croaked as if she'd spent the last who knows many hours screaming, or howling, neither would surprise Harry.
"Do you have any grievances with any hunters?" Harry asked, crouching down, making himself purposely vulnerable, "I am not making accusations or implying your daughter deserved it." He added knowing it would be automatically where their thoughts would go. The snarling that had built up ceased immediately, they could hear the truth in his heartbeat.
"A hunter did this?" hissed out through the fangs of one of the male Beta's perhaps one of the brothers?
Harry paused for a moment before sighing softly, "Aconite was used, they clearly knew what she was, she was definitely targeted." Giving it to them truthful, they'd know if he lied which would build distrust. Five Beta's immediately left, clearly this was too much for them.
"I knew I shouldn't have let her go," the Alpha-mate insisted, his amber eyes, not quite red, not quite gold flashed in frustrated anger.
"Unfortunately, Sir, we can't keep our kids wrapped up in bubble wrap their entire lives, they would resent you for it, and it's no way to live." Zane said quietly, "I am sorry for your loss." Such useless sentiment it wouldn't bring their daughter back but he still felt the need to say it. He couldn't imagine what it was like to lose your child, and quite frankly he didn't want to, he had two children, a boy and a girl, still young and he DID want to smother them in bubble wrap to keep them safe but he knew life didn't work that way.
"Have you ever had trouble in the past from Hunters? Anyone that might have followed her to Columbia?" Harry asked, standing back up, unable to remain still at his legs strained at the way he'd been positioned.
"We're a peaceful pack, we keep our heads down!" the Alpha immediately insisted, "We've never had trouble from any hunters," we protected their territory and the people, they never gave a single reason for hunters to come or end up on their radar. The thought of what happened to the Hales a warning tale they passed down to their youngsters. It terrified them into making sure they didn't end up on any hunters radar. Oh, it was definitely hunters, no pack of werewolves would perish in a damn fire. They'd been indiscriminately murdered, the Hale pack had been a peaceful one too.
"Alright, okay," Harry said quietly, soothing the agitated mother/Alpha, a crime of opportunity then. Which didn't make it any easier, but hopefully Samara would be able to get some impression from the bullet, even a single piece of dead skin cell would be enough to find out who it was.
"When will we get our daughter back? We want her back!" the Alpha-mate insisted, tearfully.
"Two days, just two days and you'll get your daughter back and perform the rites, I promise you," Harry said, making no attempts to touch them, knowing it would cause them all to get protective and agitated. They wouldn't like the scent of a stranger on them right now, so refrained from offering up comfort. Werewolves were buried with their own rites and practices. She'd end up in the pack plot probably.
"I'll hold you to that," the Alpha-mate insisted, eyes flashing in warning not to go against them.
Harry nodded slowly, understanding and receiving the message for what it was.
"We will get who did this," Harry vowed, even if it took him years he'd do it. He didn't promise today, tomorrow or anything he couldn't live up to, but he wouldn't stop until he made who did this pay for their crimes. "Thank you for your time, Alpha, Alpha-mate," he murmured "And I apologize for intruding on your territory unannounced."
"Forgiven Special Agent Potter, you are welcome on Maddison Pack territory, for now." The Alpha stated, making it clear it wasn't a long term thing.
Harry wasn't offended, "Let's go," he said to his men who had for most part remained silent, respectfully so. It didn't take them long to be escorted out quickly by the same girl who had answered the door, she amongst a few others were fully human, either that or she had astonishing control. He knew she wasn't the Druid, he could feel the feminine magic farther back, presumably protecting the pups the moment the pack became aware of their presence. The lack of mountain ash and Aconite had probably put them in favor of NOT being hunters and actually answering the door.
They remained silent until Zane cast a silencing bubble around them, just in time for Harry to explode, "I can't believe I forgot about the damn pack bonds!" he hissed under his breath, running his hand through his growing locks. "I feel like such an idiot!"
"It's not just you, we all forgot," Zane sighed, feeling just as annoyed as Harry. From everything they'd read, the pack bonds were like their own bonding's. They felt what their partners felt etc…and to have it cut off? Worst feeling in the world, heart crushing it was. "We need to find out what symbol is on that bullet, and who it belongs to."
"And see if its in the archives," Harry added seriously. "Hopefully Jerry and Dan have had some luck in getting some evidence." They were all still in their suits from court, and they couldn't wait to get out of them. Zane and Adam loosened their ties, the constriction annoying, they only wore ties when they were in court. They veered off following Harry into an alley way.
Once they were squirrelled into an alley they apparated away, unseen straight back to MACUSA.
Where they worked diligently, even overtime, as they focused on their case.
Derek scowled darkly at anyone who so much as tried to look at him, trying to deter them from even thinking of approaching him. The three books he needed for class, which he'd spent the afternoon looking for in ten different shops, under his arm which did deter the brooding look he currently supported. He was looking forward to reading them though, he loved to read, its' why he'd chosen the course in the first place, it might not get him a career in anything but he loved it. Books couldn't hurt you, books let him get lost in another world for however long the book lasted.
He would have preferred going to the library, than going back to the apartment. If he thought the last one was bad…he'd been sorely mistaken. The new place was worse, driving him to spending his time in Café's and libraries and anywhere with an internet connection as he got his work done, it definitely smelt better. No matter how much cleaning he did, it permeated everywhere and made him want to gag. He didn't even want to get started on the damn neighbors, hopefully Laura wouldn't have them there long. Listening to some women inviting men into her flat where her kid was…well, he didn't exactly have a problem with that, it was the bloody fact he could hear and smell everything all night, which hindered what sleep he actually got. Which in turn made him more broody.
Jumping away to avoid being touched, ignoring the startled look on the humans face, he continued his trek to the apartment. Staring at the Starbucks, wondering if he should go in for a bit, but before he could come up with a decision, a tantalizing scent had his wolf relaxing and practically 'yipping' in delight. If they bottled it, it would make a good 'Wolf-nip' as it were. He didn't even get like that around Laura and she was his Alpha.
His mate.
His mate was nearby.
Suspicion thrummed through him immediately, he knew where his mate lived, and it certainly wasn't anywhere in this direction. What was he doing here? It didn't take him long to find out where his scent was wafting from, as dull as his senses were – and they were duller than they were two years ago – which he didn't like to think about. He was sitting in a pub, watching the apartment building that was his. Watching for what? Him and his sister? Was he under suspicion? If he got arrested his Alpha would be so disappointed in him. Did he run and make it worse? He froze when those green eyes met his, watching him impassively through the window, that sort of took his decision for him. If he run now he'd look guilty, and he definitely would end up arrested.
Stiffly, Derek stalked over to the pub, never taking his eyes off his mate, until he had to when he got to the door. Uninvitedly he strode over, ignoring his wolf's exuberance, "Are you stalking me?"
Harry's eyebrow quirked up, unimpressed, Derek was evidently trying to intimidate him, the way he was towering over him. "If this is your attempt at trying to intimidate me, Derek, you'll need to try harder, I've been powerless in front of bigger and badder things in my life."
Derek was struck by the truthfulness in his voice and backed off marginally, "What do you want?" he asked, scowling angrily, a little bit perplexed. Why was the human back in his life again? This past two weeks had been agonizing staying away, but he'd done it, and had been determined to see it through. Now here he was, taunting him, showing him what he could have if he just caved. He refused, he didn't deserve something good, he would destroy it, destroy his mate like all things good in his life. Kill the good things in his life.
"I am aware of the supernatural world, Derek," Harry said calmly, taking a drink of his beer eyes never wavering from Derek's. Honestly, he had magic, the guy had to be aware of that, and aware of his own understanding of what had happened…unless he honestly thought he was completely thick. "I'm also aware that it was you who put the deer at my doorstep, unless I've suddenly got two werewolves fighting for my affection." His humor dry.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Derek said automatically, playing it off, he would never trust humans again, not even his own mate, regardless of what his wolf thought. He didn't care if he was proclaiming to know about the supernatural world. He could just be a very good liar like…Kate.
Harry leaned back a little, "I see," was all he had to say, nodding his head feeling rather resigned. How could he fight for someone that clearly didn't want him? It was simple, he couldn't, it was clear Derek wanted nothing to do with him. Standing up, equal to Derek in height, he finished off the rest of his beer. "If that is how you feel, then I…will leave you alone." He couldn't say he understood, so to say that would be a lie. "I shall not reciprocate the courting and you can consider it null and void as of now."
Derek so badly wanted to whine, to take it back, but he remained stiff and stalwart.
"Just know that the hunters that were after you, the entire cell of them are in prison and will be there for life without the chance of parole. You are safe." Harry stated, passing over a folder with the pictures he'd found of them. "From them at least," he added a bit more sarcastically, "If you ever need my help or change your mind…my cards in there with my numbers." It was entirely up to him now.
With that Harry strode away, refusing to glance back, opening the door to the pub, planning on leaving, he added, "Be careful," he didn't want to go to a crime scene to find Derek dead regardless of how he was behaving. He was eighteen years old, he might not want to settle down, might not want anything to do with him because he was guy. There were so many reasons that Derek had decided against perusing the courting, and Harry would just have to live with that, but he couldn't get over the fact that mates were usually perfect for each other. Go figure he'd end up the first one to break that trend.
A/N – so what will happen next? Will Derek cave and tell Laura about Harry? Perhaps after being shot and dying of Wolfsbane poisoning? Somehow hoping that the cop would be able to help them since he was aware of the supernatural or know someone who could help him? Or will Derek call Harry himself injured and near death when he couldn't get through to Laura? Bringing Derek just a little closer to trusting him? And beginning to date? How long will it be before Harry finds out about Peter? The two year mark has just hit them! Will Harry find out about the Hale fire and investigate or will he wait until Derek tells him about it? OR rather some of it? R&R please
