A/N: Some people have asked why local Aurors are just now being called in. In my head because Ron and Harry are Aurors they wouldn't need to call in anyone to deal with Hermione's case, once the murder was discovered that's when local Aurors would have to be called. I'm sort of mixing real `muggle' police procedures and what works for me for the story line. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!
Unfortunately Ron and Hermione had no time to dwell on Harry's abrupt departure. The next thing they knew, five wizards, obviously Aurors, apparated into the sitting room with their wands drawn. Their leader was a woman in her mid to late thirties and who was exuding the air of someone who doesn't appreciate being messed with. Ron's wand had come out as well and he had placed himself in front of a still shocked Hermione.
"I would recommend putting that away sir, unless you'd like to be on the receiving end of some nasty spell work." The stranger directed towards Ron.
"Yeah, see, that's not going to happen until you tell your goons to lower their wands so that I can show you my identification." Ron bit back, relieved when he felt Hermione recover enough to draw her wand as well.
With a nod of understanding and a sudden flash of recognition, she waved her hand towards the other Aurors. They lowered their wands, but had certainly not dropped their guard.
Ron reached into his pocket and produced a small badge that all Aurors carried, they weren't usually necessary back home but right then he was very grateful he had it. He had assumed that Kingsley was going to have explained the situation to them, but he couldn't be sure.
Holding the badge out, he introduced himself "I'm Special Auror Ron Weasley, from the Ministry." He had heard several of the other Aurors murmuring when he had said his name. Ron and Hermione names had become just as familiar as Harry's after the war.
After inspecting the badge she handed it back. "Inspector Quinlan Caige with the local Auror bureau."
Hermione chose that moment to step out from behind Ron.
"And what do we have here?" Inspector Caige asked "What's your name Miss?"
Hermione generally liked most people, but there was something about Inspector Caige that was rubbing her the wrong way, call it woman's intuition, but she planned on keeping a close eye on her. "It's `Dr.', Dr. Hermione Granger." Again, there was another murmur that went through the group. Hermione rarely used her professional title, but the way that woman had said `Miss' hadn't set right with her.
"Dr.Granger. Of course." Caige responded with a heavy charge of disdain in her voice. She turned to address Ron, "I've talked to your superior briefly, would you care to fill me in on what's been going on."
Ron brought her up to date, starting with finding Hermione in her room through the discover of Donnegan's body. He saw Caige flick a quick glance to Hermione periodically and he didn't like the feeling he got from it.
"Alright, you two need to stick around, we'll need to see about the body." Caige started, but she was cut off by Hermione.
"Donnegan, Max Donnegan. That body has a name Inspector."
Caige ignored the correction and continued on "As I was saying, we're going to need to talk to you some more, especially you Dr. Granger. I can only hope that the scene hasn't been impacted in any way." Her tone implying incompetence.
Ron's temper got the best of him for a moment and he started to react, but Hermione's touch on him arm stopped him. "Don't worry Inspector, nothing has been touched."
"Where will be able to find you?" she asked
"We'll be at Dr.Granger's hotel. Let us know if we can be of any help." Ron ground out, clearly reaching the end of his patience.
"Oh, we'll be in touch Special Auror Weasley, don't worry." Caige replied with a small smirk obviously enjoying the small amount of power she currently had.
Ron moved his hand to rest on Hermione's back and guide her out of the room so that they could head back.
They were silent until they hit the street, "I really, really.." But Ron was cut off by Hermione finishing his sentence "Hate that woman." They shared a small chuckle before Hermione's face fell.
"This is all such a nightmare Ron. You know I don't think Harry is at fault for this, or you. I didn't mean that the way he took it." Hermione had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and was worrying her bottom lip.
"Hey, I know you didn't." Ron assured her, rubbing her upper arms briskly, trying to make her feel better. "You know how Harry is, he's always going to have a guilt complex." He took a deep breath before deciding to continue. "Especially when it comes to you `Mione, you have to know that."
"Yeah, I guess I do." She admitted "But, Ron, he can't think I blame him. How could he think that? I just meant that there are things I have to do, and he has to let me do them."
"It's hard for him, for me too. We know you're tough `Mione, Merlin knows I don't want to have your wand pointed at me, but we also don't want you to get hurt and we've seen you hurt too many times. I think the last few years we've taken for granted that things are always going to be quiet. Harry probably thinks he hasn't been as proactive as he could have been." Ron hoped she was hearing him, understanding where Harry's protectiveness was coming from.
Hermione hung her head, wishing she could take her words back and hoping that Harry would want to hear her explanation the next time she saw him. "I know, I think we've all been lulled into a sense of security that we shouldn't have been, but we fought so hard to have this peace it's difficult to look for the dark."
Ron gave her a hug and then guided them back down the street again. "Come on, we'd better be where we said we would. Wouldn't want to anger the Inspector."
They picked up some food on the way and sat down at a small table in her room as far away from the destruction as possible. "Guess we can't clean that up yet." Hermione observed.
"No, they'll probably want to take a look at it. But I'm pretty sure Harry checked it out and didn't find anything." Ron told her.
Hermione picked at her food distractedly, looking as if she wanted to say something several times before she finally did. "Ron…do you…do you think Harry will come back."
"Don't worry `Mione, he just needs to shake it off. He'll be back…." Ron's voice trailed off as something across the room caught his attention.
"What?" Hermione asked, following his line of sight although she didn't see anything.
"Stay here." Ron said in a tight voice and crossed a few steps to the bed. He pulled his wand out and levitated a few pillows out of the way, revealing the solid wooden headboard. His knees went weak for a moment as he saw what had been mostly hidden, burned into the wood was the Dark Mark.
Hermione had come up behind him and he knew she saw the symbol when he heard her soft chant. "No.No.No.No….No. How…we ended it…how is this possible?" she clutched at his arm. Ron's shocked eyes met her own, he had been thinking the same thing.
Her hand flew to her open mouth as a thought struck her. "He can't be back. He can't. Harry killed him, there was a prophecy, he's gone."
Ron didn't respond to her, he had no idea what to think, much less say. But he did know that Harry needed to be there, regardless of if he was ready to be or not. He reached into his pocket to use his Auror badge to contact Harry, it was one of the ways they could get in touch with each other immediately if they needed to, but this time it wasn't necessary. Harry chose that moment to apparate into the room, now fully outfitted in his Auror robes and looking rather dangerous.
Harry's eyes were searching for something as soon as he appeared and Hermione pale white and still holding on to Ron's arm was that something. Ron looked as frightened as Hermione did and a bad feeling sat in the pit of his stomach.
"What's wrong?" he demanded just as he saw the headboard. The Dark Mark. Impossible, his head told him. A roar filled his ears and he felt Hermione grabbing his arms and pushing him backwards to sit in a chair. "How?" was the only word he was able to get out.
"We don't know mate, we just got back here and found it. It had been covered up by the pillows." Ron explained.
Harry dropped his head into his hands and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. How was this possible? It wasn't. Voldemort was dead. He knew it in his soul.
"This has got to be someone's idea of a sick joke or something." He said, trying to explain the unexplainable.
"I don't think it's a joke. I think this is all connected. Hermione, Donnegan, the Mark. It's got to be." Ron proclaimed
Hermione had moved away from Harry, her arms wrapped around her middle, staring out the window.
Ron let out a sigh "I'm going to go contact the Inspector, she needs to hear about this. I'm also going to contact Kingsley, this should get us the jurisdiction we need. There is no history of the Dark Mark being on this side of the ocean." Ron was out of the door before the other two could respond.
Harry sat in the same spot, staring at the floor, trying not to think of what the implications of the Dark Mark reappearing could be. He was so distracted by his thoughts he barely heard Hermione's soft words. "Harry, we need to talk."
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