Authors' note: We hope you will understand why this one is a little short. It is the beginning of the really, really, really big storyline. That's all we can say because we don't want to spoil anything.
Just upstairs, Ashley was about to join the rest of the group downstairs when she ran into her mother.
"I think Will made his famous waffles," Julie said giving her daughter a hug.
"It smells so good down there," Ashley said happily.
"We'd better get down there before it's all gone," Julie said.
"Good idea," Ashley said.
"I heard Alexa talking about going into town with Saffy and Gabe," Julie said as they walked downstairs.
"They asked if I wanted to go, but I promised Caroline and Katie that I'd hang out with them today," Ashley said. "They want to build sandcastles."
"That's awfully nice of you," Julie said.
Ashley smiled. "I think it'll be fun."
"I'm sure it will be," Julie nodded.
"What are you and Dad going to do today?" Ashley asked.
"I'm not sure yet," Julie replied thoughtfully. "Just relax on the beach."
"That sounds like fun," Ashley said.
"When are Zander and Brittany coming?" Julie asked her.
"This weekend," Ashley replied. "Their uncle lives about seven houses down from us. Do you know that they were actually here last summer when we were and I had no idea! I mean, I didn't know them then, but still..."
"It's a small world sometimes isn't it?" Julie smoothed her daughter's hair back.
"It is," Ashley said. She couldn't wait to see her friends again.
Before long, everyone was up and sitting around the kitchen table.
"Sweetheart, are you sure you're okay?" Hermione asked her daughter who had been very quiet during breakfast.
"I'm all right," Saffron answered absently.
"If you need to talk, I'm here," Hermione said patting her daughter's arm.
"I might take you up on that later," Saffron said.
"What time are you heading out with Alexa and Gabe?" Hermione asked.
"Around four, I think," Saffron replied.
"Just be careful," Hermione told her. "Make sure you have your wand and your mobile...."
Saffron nodded. "I know. I'll be careful."
"That's my girl," Hermione said giving her a hug.
"Is Sean going with you?" Katie asked her.
"I don't think so," Saffron replied, not ready to rehash what had happened last night for the whole table. She hoped her niece wouldn't pursue this line of questioning. For all Saffron knew, she and Sean were finished.
"Why?" Katie asked. "He's so cute, Aunt Saffy. Almost as cute as Andrew."
Ashley elbowed her sister. "Stop asking about her boyfriends, Katie." she hissed.
"No one asked you, Ashley Beth," Katie said rolling her eyes.
"It's called common sense," Ashley said to her.
"Mummy!" Katie called out.
"What is it Katie?" Julie asked.
"Ashley is being mean!" Katie exclaimed, glaring at her sister.
Julie rolled her eyes. "Girls," she said in a warning voice.
"Sean and I had a row," Saffron whispered to Katie. "Okay? We're not really speaking right now."
"Why?" Katie pressed. "About what?"
"I really don't want to talk about it," Saffron said. "Can we just leave it at that?"
"Yes," Ashley answered for her sister. "You can."
"Fine," Katie relented.
Ashley caught her aunt's eye and made a face at her.
Saffron smiled for the first time that morning. "Thanks," she mouthed to Ashley.
Ashley sent her an encouraging smile before returning her attention to her meal.
Harry stood up to refill his coffee and motioned for his son to join him at the counter.
"What's up?" Ethan asked in a low voice.
"There's no new word on Dolohov," Harry said quietly. "Apparently, he's behaving himself. I'm going to call Neville this afternoon and see if he's found out anything new."
Ethan nodded. "Think Saffron needs an Auror when she goes into town?"
Harry had thought about that, but he didn't think it was necessary. "She promised she was going to be careful. I think she'll be okay."
He nodded. "All right..."
"I'm glad that you've stopped blaming yourself for what happened," Harry said.
Ethan shrugged. "There wasn't much good in it."
"That's right," Harry said. "You're a good Auror, Ethan."
"Thanks Dad," he said sincerely.
"So what are you and Maddie up to today?" Harry asked.
"Just going to relax on the beach," Ethan looked over at his wife.
"Your mother seems to have it in her head that she and Luna can beat Ron and me at volleyball," Harry said.
"Yeah right," Ethan said. "Mum's rubbish at all sport."
"I heard that!" Hermione exclaimed. "Ethan James. You should never doubt your mother."
Ethan sent her a sheepish grin. "You wouldn't want me to lie would you?"
"I think you and Hermione have a great chance of winning," Maddie said to her mother.
"Thank you dear," Luna smiled at her.
"They don't have snowball's chance in hell," Ron boasted. "Come on. No offence, Hermione, but you don't have an athletic bone in your body. As for my lovely wife, I love you with all my heart, but you have your head in the clouds most of the time."
Hermione and Luna both glared at him.
"I'll have you know that I read a book on volleyball once," Hermione retorted.
"Ooh," Ron said. "A BOOK on volleyball."
Harry chuckled, earning a death glare from his wife.
"I think Hermione and I can give you a run for your money," Luna said to Ron. "You should never judge a book by its cover, Ronald. We could be very good."
"I'll believe THAT when I see it," Ron replied.
"Ronald Weasley," Hermione said leaning across the table.
"What?" Ron asked rolling his eyes.
"Prepare to eat sand," Hermione replied.
"I bet it tastes great," Ron said in a smartass tone.
"Ugh, you are the most insufferable, arrogant---" Hermione started to say.
"Irresistible," Ron continued. "Good looking--"
"That would be me," Harry said with a grin, but Hermione and Ron were ignoring him.
"Moronic, infantile," Hermione countered.
"Charming and sweet," Ron stuffed a roll into his mouth.
Saffron couldn't help but laugh at the look on her mother's face. She could almost see steam coming out of her mother's ears.
"Uncle Ron," she said. "You're in for it now."
"I'm not worried," Ron boasted. "Especially not about my wife and old Bossy Boots here beating me and Harry."
"Bossy Boots?" Hermione asked angrily.
"Bossy Boots," Ron repeated gleefully. He loved getting a rise out of her.
"Ron," Harry warned, knowing his wife was about to blow.
"I'll see you out on the beach," Ron said grinning at Hermione before pushing back in his chair.
"I hate him," Hermione said furiously.
"You do not," Harry said.
"He is a wanker," Hermione said.
"I hate that I'm going to miss the big showdown," Saffron said. "But Lexie, Gabe and I are leaving in a few minutes."
Hermione calmed down. "You promise me you'll be extra careful in town?" she asked. "You'll have your wand handy, and your mobile, and you'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious?"
"I promise," Saffron said. "I imagine the worst thing I'll see will be some tourist with a hairy back wearing a Speedo."
"Gross, Saffy," Alexa complained.
"Just be careful, sweetheart," Harry told her. "If you see anything suspicious, you call me right away."
"I will," Saffron nodded. "I'll keep my mobile in my pocket."
"We'll be back before dinner," Alexa told them. "I heard that Allie's cooking."
"We definitely don't want to miss that," Saffron said.
"You should be worried about me," Gabe said. "I'm the one who has to spend time with these two who will probably drag me into all those shops."
"You poor thing," Saffron deadpanned.
"I'm not holding anyone's purses, either," Gabe said firmly.
"We don't need you to," Saffron informed him loftily.
"Thank you," Gabe said. "Are you ladies ready, then?"
"I am," Alexa said, grabbing her bag.
"Me too," Saffron said. "Good luck, Mum. I hope you and Luna kick some arse."
"We will," Hermione hugged her daughter. "Have fun, sweetheart."
"Can I get one of those too?" Harry asked.
Saffron smiled and gave her father a hug. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too baby," Harry kissed the top of her head.
Saffron followed Alexa and Gabe out of the house. She resolved not to think about Andrew or Sean today. She was going to have a good time with her best friend and her cousin.
"Come on," Alexa laughed at her. "You're a slowpoke today, Saffy."
"She's probably counting all that money in her head," Gabriel teased.
"Don't be jealous," Saffron told him.
Gabriel laughed. "I'm one of the little people. We don't get jealous, Saf."
"If you say so," Saffron waved her hand.
Alexa laughed. She was glad to see her best friend smiling. "It's really nice out today. You couldn't ask for a better day."
"No you really couldn't," Saffron agreed.
"I'm thinking we could start out at Seascapes," Alexa said referring to one of the small shops. "I want to get something for my mum's birthday."
"Sure," Gabriel reached for her hand.
"I also want to stop in at that used book place," Saffron said.
"Great," Gabriel joked. "Now we'll be there for hours."
"Oh, you love it," Saffron said as they turned the corner onto the boardwalk.
"Not really," he smirked as Saffron's mobile rang.
Saffron pulled her phone from her bag. "Hello?"
"Saffy?" Sean asked.
Saffron didn't answer him at first. "Um, hi."
"I think we need to talk," Sean said. "Can I meet you at your place?"
"I'm not at home," Saffron told him. "Lexie, Gabe and I are on the boardwalk."
"Can I meet you there then?" Sean asked. "In ten?"
"Sure," Saffron said. The truth was, they did need to talk. "I'll meet you just outside of Seascapes."
"I won't be long," Sean promised before hanging up.
Saffron clicked off her phone and looked at Alexa and Gabe. "Sean.. He wants to meet me."
"Well that's good, right?" Alexa asked encouragingly.
"I guess we'll see," Saffron said. "Why don't you and Gabe go ahead inside. I'll just wait for him out here."
"Are you sure?" Alexa asked. "Why don't we wait with you, then when he arrives we'll go in."
"I'll be fine," Saffron assured her.
"Are you sure?" Alexa asked.
Saffron laughed. "Go."
"We won't be long," Alexa promised.
Saffron sat down on one of the benches outside of the shop. She wondered what she would say to Sean. It wasn't fair to him if she couldn't give her whole heart to him.
If he was willing to be a little more patient, they might actually have a chance, however.
Saffron looked at her watch. Sean should be arriving any moment now.
"Excuse me, love," an older man said interrupting her thoughts. "Do you have the time?"
"Yeah," Saffron said. "It's half past ten."
"Thank you," the older man said sitting down on the other side of the bench.
Saffron nodded and stood as she saw Sean appear at the end of the street.
He gave her a slight smile as he approached her.
"Hi," Saffron said nervously as the door behind them opened and Alexa and Gabriel came back out.
"Hi," Sean replied. "Saffy, I'm sorry about last night."
Saffron nodded. "Me too. I--"
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. One moment, Saffron was looking at Sean and the next, she saw his face crumple in pain.
"SAFFY!" Alexa shouted. "LOOK OUT!"
Saffron whirled around as a jet of light shot directly at her.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" the older man that had been sitting beside her a few moments ago shouted.
Sean stepped in front of her just as Saffron pulled her wand from her pocket.
Alexa screamed as the man pointed his wand at her and shot a different spell, making her fall against Gabriel.
"Lexie!" Gabriel shouted. "Lexie!"
Saffron pointed her wand at the man but he was too quick. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted. "Stupefy!"
Saffron fell to the ground, hitting her head hard on the wooden planks of the boardwalk. Everything went pitch black.
The man smiled to himself as he gathered the teenage girl in his arms. The other boy was too busy looking after the redhead.
With a crack, he disappeared, holding the brunette. His thin, chapped lips curved up in a sinister smile as he appeared in the ramshackle house he'd set up for this purpose.
Everything had gone to plan. They had actually thought they'd be able to stop him. He'd been waiting for this.
He unceremoniously dumped the girl in the room he had prepared and locked the door, setting the wards firmly in place. There was no way she would be able to escape.
Back on the boardwalk, Gabriel was clutching Alexa to him. The police and an ambulance had arrived.
"Stand back," one of the medics said to Gabriel.
"I don't know what happened," Gabriel said, his eyes wildly searching the crowd.
Gabriel saw the medics putting Sean on a stretcher and covering his body with a sheet.
"He's dead?" Gabriel asked hoarsely.
"I'm afraid so," the medic replied before turning around and shouting to one of his colleagues. "We need a stretcher over here!"
"I have to call my dad," Gabriel said. "And... oh man...."
"Not so fast," a policeman stopped him. "We need to take a statement from you."
"I don't know how it happened," Gabriel said helplessly, moving towards his girlfriend as they put her onto the stretcher.
"What's your name, son?" the policeman asked him.
"Gabriel Boyd- Finnegan," Gabriel answered. "Is Lexie going to be all right?"
The policeman didn't seem to know or care about Alexa at that moment.
Back at the beach house, Ron and Harry were winning their volleyball game but only by two points.
"Come on, Luna," Hermione encouraged as the blonde prepared to serve.
"Maybe this time she'll get it over the net," Ron muttered to Harry.
Harry only shook his head. He wasn't about to get in hot water with his wife.
Luna served the ball and it went over Ron and Harry's heads.
"That's out!" Ron called out.
"OUT?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Are you blind? You missed it by a mile. Our point."
"IT WAS OUT!" Ron shouted.
"IN!"
"Come on you two," Harry said. "It's just a game, right?"
"Fine, take the point," Ron grumbled going to retrieve the ball. "We're still winning."
Harry's mobile phone trilled. He'd hooked it to the waistband of his shorts in case Saffron or Neville called.
"One minute," he said, walking away from the net. "Hallo?"
"Mr. Potter?" a gruff voice answered. "This is Inspector Travers. I'm calling about your daughter, Saffron."
An icy cold feeling washed over him. "What?" he asked, walking away from the volleyball net. "What happened to my daughter?"
Hermione heard this and froze as she watched the colour drain from Harry's face.
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Harry said tersely, snapping his mobile shut.
"Harry what happened?" Hermione asked.
"Something happened on the boardwalk," Harry choked out. "Um...the Muggle police are there. They...they don't know where Saffy is. Alexa's hurt and Sean....Sean was killed."
Hermione clapped her hands over her mouth in horror.
Luna put her arm around Hermione to support her friend.
"Ron---can you call Neville please?" Harry asked, trying to keep his emotions in check for his wife's benefit. "I have to go..."
"Harry," Hermione pleaded. "Where's our baby?"
Harry didn't have an answer. He knew he shouldn't have let Saffron go, but he'd done it anyway. He should have been there with her or insisted Ethan follow her. And now...he didn't want to think about it. "Dolohov."
Hermione blinked back tears. "I'll tell Ethan," she said hoarsely.
"She's going to be okay," Luna tried to reassure Hermione.
"We let her go," Hermione held onto her friend. "Luna, we let her go..."
"Shhhh," Luna said hugging Hermione. "You weren't to know this would happen."
Hermione sank to her knees in the sand.
Harry couldn't manage seeing his wife like this. He wanted to comfort her, but right now his first priority was finding Saffron. With a pop, he Apparated.
Ron headed over to where his daughter and Ethan were lying next to each other on some towels.
"Hi, Daddy," Maddie said smiling up at him. Her smile quickly faded when she saw the look on his face. "Daddy?"
"Ethan, you need to go to the boardwalk straightaway," Ron said. "Something happened to Saffy. Alexa's hurt, and Sean... Sean was killed."
"What?" Ethan asked getting to his feet. "Saffy?"
"She's missing," Ron's voice broke.
Ethan grabbed his t-shirt. "Dolohov."
"We don't know," Ron said. "Your father's already there."
"Mads, I have to go," Ethan said trying to think like an Auror. But, if Dolohov had hurt one hair on his sister's head, he was going to kill him.
"Go," Maddie nodded, her face etched in worry.
Ethan hurried back toward the house.
"Where are Julie and Nick?" Ron asked Maddie.
"Inside, I think," Maddie replied.
Ron nodded. "Come on inside, sweetheart. We should all be together."
"Right," Maddie nodded.
Once inside, Ron called Neville and told his friend everything he knew so far. Neville said he would arrive in Brighton shortly with a team of Aurors.
"I would know," Hermione was saying to no one in particular. "If something had happened to her, I would know. She's----she's my baby."
"She's all right," Luna soothed her. "Saffy's a tough girl."
Tears were streaming down Hermione's face as she thought about her youngest daughter. Saffron was tough, but would that make a difference against a sociopath like Dolohov?
Luna hugged her. "Come on Hermione," she consoled. "Harry's going to find out what happened."
Back at the boardwalk, Harry was trying to do just that. A crowd had gathered around the area where the crime had taken place and Harry was trying to get through. A burly officer held his hand out to stop him. "I'm sorry, sir. This is a crime scene. You can't get through."
"I was called," Harry said curtly. "My daughter is missing, her boyfriend is dead, her best friend is hurt, and I don't even know what happened to my nephew Gabriel."
"Oh," the officer said. "You'll need to talk to Inspector Travers."
"Right," Harry brushed past him.
The inspector was talking with Gabriel who looked a little worse for the wear.
"Uncle Harry," Gabriel said gratefully.
"Gabe," Harry put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Why don't you tell me what happened. Was it--?"
Gabriel sighed. "I don't know. She---Saffy got a call right after we left the house. Sean wanted to meet with her. She waited for him outside while Alexa and I went in the store." Gabriel wanted to get out of here to see how Alexa was doing, but he knew that the police needed to know what had happened. "We came out and she was with Sean and this old man---shouted something at them and then he---"
Harry knew the young man was worried about what to say in front of the Muggle police.
Thankfully, Neville came up at that moment. "We'll take it from here," he said. "Scotland Yard."
Inspector Travers looked at him. "Look---"
"We'll handle this," Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt said taking the inspector aside.
"Gabriel," Neville said. "You're the only one that saw what happened. We need to know EXACTLY what happened."
Gabriel sat back down. "Saffy, Alexa and me were going to spend the day on the boardwalk. We hadn't been here five minutes when she got a call from Sean. They'd had a fight and apparently he wanted to talk."
"Okay," Harry nodded. "Then what?"
"Saffy stayed outside while Lexie and I went inside," Gabriel continued. "We weren't in the shop very long. When we came out, she was standing with Sean. I remember seeing this older man staring at them. I thought it was strange that he was wearing a heavy sweater and trousers when it was so hot outside. He--um, he pushed past Lexie and me, and pulled out a wand. He aimed it right at them, he said 'Avada Kedavra', I believe. I don't know---"
Harry and Neville exchanged glances. "I can't believe it," Neville muttered. "Poor guy..."
"I don't know what he said to hurt Lexie," Gabriel said, tears welling up in his eyes when he remembered seeing his girlfriend fall into his arms. "She ---she has to be okay."
"I'm sure the doctors will do everything they can," Neville tried to reassure him. "Gabriel, can you tell us what happened next?"
"I... I'm not sure." he said. "I was looking after Lexie and the next thing I knew, he had grabbed Saffron and disappeared."
"Did you get a good description of the bloke?" Neville asked him.
"He was kind of tall," Gabriel thought. "Um... he was wearing a sweater and some trousers... and he seemed pretty normal, pretty average..."
"It's Dolohov," Harry said impatiently. "Neville..."
"Harry," Neville put his hand up. "We have to let Gabriel finish."
"I'm sorry, Uncle Harry," Gabriel said. "I should have done something to stop him."
"Gabriel you couldn't have stopped him," Harry said. "He's a psychopath."
Logically, Gabriel knew Harry was right, but it didn't make him feel less guilty.
"Gabe!" a familiar voice called out. "Let me through so I can see my son."
"Dad!" Gabriel turned. "Dad!"
Seamus pushed through the crowd. Ron had called him on set to let him know what had happened. "Gabe!"
"Dad," Gabriel hugged his father. "You have to take me to the hospital to see Lexie!"
"Of course," Seamus said. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Gabriel nodded. "But I need to see Alexa, Dad. Please."
"You can go," Neville said. "Thank you, Gabriel."
Gabriel nodded. "I'm sorry about Saffy," he said. "If there's anything I can do to help find her, or if I can remember anything else--"
"I know," Harry told him. "Thank you, Gabe."
Gabriel hurried away, Seamus following right behind him.
"We don't know that it was Dolohov, Harry." Neville said before his friend could say it.
"WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE?" Harry practically yelled at him.
"We'll find out," Neville said. "Come on Harry. We need you to stay calm while so we can figure out what happened to Saffy."
"Nev," Tonks came over. "The Muggle police found these items beside Sean's body."
Harry felt his heart plummet as he recognised his daughter's wand and mobile phone.
"Harry," Neville put a hand on his arm.
"There was also some blood," Tonks said gently.
Harry felt like his entire world was crashing down on him. "Saffy's?" he asked. "Was it my baby's?"
Tonks nodded. "I'm sorry, Harry."
Harry exhaled, and felt his knees buckle.
Neville grabbed his friend arm. "We're going to find her, Harry."
"We have to," Harry said weakly.
Tonks excused herself to interview some more witnesses while Neville tried his best to reassure Harry. Harry though could barely register that Neville was talking to him.
"Dad," Ethan came tearing over. "Dad what happened? Is that Sean back there?"
Harry nodded gravely. He somehow managed to tell Ethan everything he knew so far, which seemed like so little.
"Saffy's missing?" Ethan asked. "Dad--"
"I can't just stand here," Harry said walking over to the pier. He had been on this boardwalk so many times over the years with each of his children. Never in a million years did he think anything like this would happen.