What I Always Wanted
Chapter 14: Unanswered Questions
It had four weeks since Harry had discovered that the witch in the photograph was none other than Isolde Melbourne, the only and supposedly dead daughter of Agamennous Melbourne. Harry had thought that once he knew whom the witch in the picture was the truth of all the strange goings on would begin to unravel. However, finding out who Isolde Melbourne was hadn't answered any of Harry's questions about the case. In fact, knowing Isolde's identity had created a multitude of new unanswered questions, like what had really happened to Priam Melbourne? Where did he travels take him and what was the mystery illness that killed him? Did Hecuba Melbourne truly die of a broken heart and a bout with dragon pox? Why and how had Isolde faked her own death? And what did any of it have to do with the rash of Dark Magic cropping up abroad? Frustrated beyond words Harry chucked the magazine he'd been thumbing through back onto the table cursing under his breath. Robert Granger looked up from his newspaper and seeing the annoyed look on his son-in-law's face asked.
"Everything alright there Harry?"
Harry looked up wide-eyed, startled by the sound of his father-in-law's voice. Looking around the room, he was a bit taken aback when he realized that he was sitting in Hermione's parents lounge room. Then he suddenly remembered what day it was. It was Sunday and he and Hermione had come over to her parents' home for lunch. Once they'd arrived and exchanged pleasantries Hermione and her mother had drifted off to the kitchen to finish dinner. Harry and Robert had been left to their own devices. When there was no immediate response to his query, Robert Granger tried again.
"Harry."
Harry turned his head in the direction of his father in law and answered absently.
"Er…sorry what was that?"
Robert replied.
"I asked if you were alright but judging by the manner of your response the answer to my question is obvious."
Harry gave a half-hearted smile and mumbled.
"Sorry…guess I've been a little preoccupied."
Robert smiled in earnest as he replied.
"I'd say you're more than a bit preoccupied."
Robert paused for a second, during which a genuine smile crossed Harry's countenance, Robert then added.
"Anything I can help you with?"
Harry shook his head as he said.
"It's nothing really just thinking about a case I'm working on."
Robert nodded and said.
"I find that when I'm stumped about something it helps to bounce things off an objective party but I reckon there's not much that a dentist could tell you about magical law enforcement. Still if you need an ear I'm here."
Robert offered his son-in-law a smile before turning his attention back to his newspaper. Harry returned the smile and was about to return to his brooding when something Robert had said caught his attention. The only person Harry had spoken to about the Melbourne affair was Hermione. They had gone over every possibility they could conceive of to explain the events but had come no closer to figuring things out. Perhaps having some impartial input would add some heretofore-unseen perspective on the matter. Harry cleared his throat, and then spoke.
"Actually Robert I think I could do with a fresh perspective on this."
Robert folded and set aside his paper. With a look of interest, swathing his face Robert asked.
"What seems to be the problem?"
It was protocol for aurors not to discuss active cases with non-authorized personal but as this case had been closed and their was no way for his superiors to know he'd been discussing it with anyone, least of all his muggle father-in-law Harry took a deep breath and launched into the details of the case from the beginning.
"Well it all started some months back when I was set to work on a case in Transylvania where some really advanced dark magic was used…"
The ensuing twenty minutes or so were spent with Harry giving Hermione's father a run-down of the case from start to finish including his initial suspicions, Hermione's assistance, and his numerous rows with Melbourne, how he'd been booted off the case, his covert investigating and finally the discovery of Isolde Melbourne's identity. For his part Robert Granger listened intently interrupting at indiscriminately to get clarification on a point here or there and nodding his head as he muttered things like "I see" and "How very intriguing". Harry finished speaking and with an air of urgency asked.
"So what do you reckon?"
Robert absently tapped a finger to his lips before he responded.
"I'm no detective mind, but it seems to me that you and this Melbourne chap have a common goal here…"
Harry interrupted.
"A common goal…the only thing Agamennous Melbourne and I have in common is that we'd both love to see the other run over by a rampaging hippogriff!"
Robert smiled wryly and with a shake of his head said.
"Beyond that you both would like to know the truth of what's happened to Isolde…"
Again Harry interjected.
"You don't think that Melbourne was in on this from the start?"
Once again Robert shook his head. His voice took on a softer cadence as he briefly looked in the direction of the kitchen.
"You're not officially a father yet Harry so this may not make complete sense to you but believe me when I say that this Agamennous Melbourne took no part in his daughter faking her own death. She was all he had left in the world after he lost his wife and son. I believe he'd have done anything to keep her safe and whole after having gone through that…it's a good bet that that's what he's trying to do now, save her from whatever it is she's gotten herself mixed up in."
Robert sighed then added.
"That's what I'd do if it were Hermione. I can't imagine what it must be like to loose your entire family all at once. It must be horrible."
Robert lapsed into silence. Harry mulled over his father-in-law's last statement and quietly said.
"Its more awful than anything you could ever imagine."
Robert started at Harry's muttered statement and looking up, stared openly at his son-in-law wondering what could have prompted him to say such a thing. Then he saw the flicker of sadness that briefly crossed Harry's face and he remembered that Harry didn't have to imagine losing his family to tragedy. Hastily Robert apologized.
"Harry…I'm sorry…your parents…I was being thoughtless…"
Harry waved off Robert's apology.
"You needn't apologize Robert…you were actually spot on…a fresh perspective on things really does change up your way of thinking just enough to see what you've been missing."
Robert stared after Harry quizzically, wondering what he meant exactly. Just as he'd made up his mind to question Harry about what he meant Helen stepped through the door and summoned them to dinner.
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Harry and Hermione had arrived back at Grimmauld Place shortly after four. As Hermione had moved into the second trimester of her pregnancy she grew tired much more quickly than she had before. Thus she had gone upstairs for a kip immediately upon their arriving back home whereas Harry had closeted himself in his study along with the file Hermione had created on Isolde Melbourne as well as the information Ron, Kazimir and Aleksandra had compiled along with all his personal notes and files concerning the case. He carefully revisited every aspect of the case bearing in mind what Robert had said earlier. And suddenly it was clear to him what was wrong. Robert had been right when he'd suggested looking at things from a different perspective. Knowing what he needed to do and that he hadn't much time to do it Harry quickly collected his notes and wand, the he hastily scribbled a brief missive for Hermione so she wouldn't worry. Harry then headed off to conduct a bit of investigating.
It was nearly three in the morning when Harry quietly eased open the front door of Grimmauld Place and soundlessly stepped into the foyer. He silently thanked Merlin for the renovations the manor house had undergone, the old ungainly creaking door and the shrieking portrait of Sirius' mother would have had Hermione out of bed and toddling down the stairs to inquire where he'd been all night. He hoped that she'd fallen asleep early that way he could slip into bed without Hermione knowing what time he'd gotten in. As he mulled the situation over Harry decided that it may be best if he spent the remainder of the night in his office that way when he told Hermione that he had fallen asleep at his desk in the wee hours of the morning it wouldn't be a total lie.
Silently Harry crept down the hall to his study, he edged open the door and shut it without a sound. Harry was pondering whether to sleep on the couch in his office or conjure a bed for himself as the door closed, suddenly the gas lamps lining the walls blazed into life and Harry distinctively heard the perturbed voice of Hermione in his head say "I'd suggest the bed as you may be spending more than one there". Harry whirled around and came face to face with his less than pleased wife. She was perched on the edge of the settee in front of the fireplace, tapping here bare foot against the polished hardwood floor. Harry ran a hand through his hair as Hermione audibly inquired.
"Where in the name of Merlin have you been all this time?"
Noting the slight chill in the room and Hermione's dressing gown-less and slipper-less state, Harry answered Hermione's question with one of his own.
"How long have you been down here?"
Hermione was about to offer a rather scathing reply to Harry's query but before she could do so he was striding across the room firing off a mini tirade.
"It's bloody damn near freezing in here, and here you sit nearly bloody naked…you'll catch your death!"
As he'd spoken Harry had set a roaring fire burning in the fire placed and he'd summoned Hermione's warmest dressing gown and slippers. As he assisted her in getting into her dressing gown and slippers Hermione noticed the narked expression covering her husband's face as he grumbled.
"For Circe's sake Hermione you've got to be more mindful of these things in your delicate condition…you have the baby to consider…"
Incensed by Harry's cavalier behavior Hermione interjected.
"Oh I need to be more mindful of how my actions affect our baby do I…well perhaps you should take a bit of your own advice Mr. Potter and be mindful of how your actions affect our baby!"
"My actions! What the bloody hell have I done?"
"What have you done? More like what you haven't done! Did it ever occur to you that I wouldn't have been down here in the sodding cold in the first place if my husband had been home in bed beside me! But oh no…you were off traipsing about someplace or another looking for news about Isolde Melbourne! You're gone for nearly twelve bloody hours leaving me a two line note that tells me absolutely nothing about where you are and what you're doing and all you can think to say to me when you turn up at nearly four in the morning is that I need to be more mindful of my actions…"
Harry interrupted with a sheepish murmur.
"It wasn't Isolde it was Priam."
Taken aback by his reply Hermione frowned and asked.
"What did you say?"
Harry took a deep breath and responded.
"It was Priam not Isolde…but you're right I've acted a right arse I have…I'm sorry for how I've been act…"
Hermione cut across Harry's apology.
"What…why were you off rooting around for information about Priam Melbourne?"
Harry frowned a bit as he replied.
"I'm trying to apologize here for being a wanker and you want to know about Priam Melbourne."
"Of course you're sorry Harry; you're always very conciliatory once it's been pointed out to you what an idiot you've been. And naturally I forgive you seeing as how I can never manage to stay angry at you for more than a second. Now that that's all sorted tell me why you were researching Priam Melbourne."
Harry smiled as he leaned forward and brushed his lips across Hermione's forehead in a light kiss and said.
"For someone who's pissed with me for being gone so long you're a tad keen to know what I was up to."
Hermione returned her husband's smile and said.
"You were saying."
Harry directed Hermione back to her perch on the settee. Once he was certain she was comfortable he took a seat beside her and began to tell his tale.
"Earlier at your parents I got talking with your dad…I was a bit preoccupied and he asked if there was anything he could help me with. At first I wasn't going to say anything but as I'm sure I've reached my limit on ideas for this case I thought what the hell and told him everything…he reckoned I'd been looking at things all wrong…all this time I've been thinking that Melbourne has been in on this with his daughter from the start but your dad is sure that Melbourne is just as stumped as we are about his daughter faking her own death. He reckons Melbourne is just trying to protect her from whatever it is that she's involved in."
Harry paused to allow Hermione a word.
"A fair point…but what could Isolde have been involved in that would warrant her faking her own death?"
Harry leapt up from his seat beside Hermione and began pacing back and forth as he spoke.
"That's exactly what I thought. I mean for months before her supposed suicide Isolde was consumed with one thing and one thing only…"
Hermione cut in.
"Her brother…"
Harry nodded as he interposed.
"Exactly…you told me that Priam and Isolde were closer to each other than they were to anyone else…and that's when it hit me. All this time I'd been trying to suss out what Isolde was into and it hadn't occurred to me until then that it wasn't what Isolde was into but what Priam got her into."
Hermione looked up in shock at Harry and asked.
"Was Priam involved in something dangerous?"
Harry shrugged as he answered.
"That depends on whether or not you consider being a member of the Obsidian Order dangerous."
Hermione gasped.
"Priam Melbourne was a member of the Obsidian Order!"
Harry nodded.
"Yes he was…and unless I'm way wide of the mark I reckon it got him killed."
A/N: I know it's been a while and yes that is quite a cliffy but hang on just a bit longer and I promise you it'll be worth the wait. Happy Reading….
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