Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: A new chapter! Yey! Hope ya'll like this one as well!

Consciousness slowly came to Harry as he woke before dawn. He opened his eyes and turned his head towards the window and saw that it was still a bit dark outside. He stifled a yawn then turned to his side only to see Hermione's sleeping face in front of him. She slept prone with her face turned towards him, her hair wild around her. He felt his heart swell at the sight and a small smile graced his lips. He belatedly realized that his arm was still wrapped around her as memories of last night's events came crashing down on him. Hermione was in danger and possibly the most powerful organization in the world was after her because of an item she took from them. He let the mix of emotions he'd had last night to wash over him again. He was angry with her for leaving him five years ago, far from where he could have protected her, for putting herself and their daughter in danger. He was worried for their safety. He knew he would do anything to protect them but would his power be enough? He was frustrated that Hermione's sense of independence and pride had almost caused her to set off on her own and would have left him behind again. He loved that she'd always do what was right, but sometimes her stubbornness frustrated him to no end. Must've rubbed off on her, he thought, silently chuckling. The laughter left him as quickly as it came, as he felt scared for Hermione and Iris. Cerberus wasn't just after the weapon she took, but Marius was undoubtedly furious because she was able to escape him. Of course he wasn't going to hand over Hermione that easily, he would fight tooth and nail for her. But these people were ruthless, he was pretty sure they're the kind that will do anything just to get what they want. And yet, in a way, despite of the troubles they would surely face ahead, he was happy. He was happy that Hermione and Iris were with him, even if things between him and Hermione weren't completely resolved yet. Maybe this thing with Cerberus would pave the way for things to settle between them.

He wasn't sure how long he stared at Hermione sleeping, finally he decided to get out of bed since he couldn't go back to sleep anymore anyway. He gently moved off the bed so as not to wake her, he realized he wasn't even able to change his clothes before going to sleep last night. He still wore his shirt and jeans, which were covered with dust from the debris. It was a wonder neither he nor Hermione began sneezing from all the dust. A shower seemed like a good idea, he mused, and then quietly headed to his own room. Harry wasn't sure how long it took him but when he emerged from his room, freshly showered and shaved, he found that Hermione was still sleeping on her bed. The previous night's events must have really taken a toll on her, he thought. He walked by her side of the bed and bent down to kiss her lightly on her temple. He gave a last look at Hermione before leaving the room. After he checked up on his daughter and made sure she was sleeping peacefully, he silently went down to the kitchen and began making coffee and breakfast for his family. As he cooked some pancakes (his pantry was pretty well-stocked, always ready whenever Ron would suddenly show up and decide to eat a week's worth of food there), he thought of the day's agenda. He and Hermione would need to drop off Iris at the Burrow before they headed to the Ministry to meet with Neville. There was no doubt in his mind that Molly would be happy to have Iris in the house. She loved looking after her grandchildren, especially now that all her children were grown ups and had already moved out of the Burrow. He wondered if Hermione would tell Neville everything that she told him last night. He would have to consult with her during breakfast. After the meeting at the Ministry, they would also need to discuss about their upcoming trip. Hopefully, Iris wouldn't mind being left behind for a while. Oh but he would miss his little girl terribly. Maybe they can visit her some time during the trip, but he also knew that would be difficult for them. While he plated the fourth pancake, he heard some movement from the second floor. Steps echoed through the flat and he saw Hermione, with Iris yawning in her mother's arms, turned from the stairs and headed towards him. "Good morning, Daddy!" the little girl greeted her father with a happy smile. He walked around the counter and gave each of his girls kisses on their foreheads before guiding them to the bar stools in front of the counter table.

"Good morning! Would you like some pancakes, pumpkin?" he asked his daughter while he put one pancake on a plate for her.

"Yes please! With lots and lots of chocolate syrup!" Iris answered excitedly.

"Now, now. You can't have chocolate so early in the morning, love," Hermione reprimanded. The little girl looked at her mother with the cutest pleading look Harry had ever seen and he can't help but laugh.

"Don't laugh, Harry. She got this puppy-dog look from you. I can't believe you taught her this. You doing it was already too much," Harry knew Hermione tried to fight her growing smile so he decided to imitate his daughter and gave her the same pleading look. She couldn't help but burst in laughter because both Harry and their daughter were too adorable for words.

"Oh all right!" she finally acquiesce while she giggled. "Fine, you can have a little chocolate syrup on your pancakes. Just a little!"

The father-daughter duo cheered and gave each other a high-five in celebration of winning against the stern Hermione. Even though Harry loved to indulge his daughter, he still kept in mind Hermione's wishes so he simply drew a smiling face on the pancake before putting the plate in front of the excited child.

"Daddy's so silly," she said as she laughed at the drawing her father made.

"You still love me," Harry teased.

"Very much!" Iris replied, "And so does Mummy, too!"

Harry simply smiled as he and Hermione shared a look before each dug into their breakfast. Breakfast was a noisy and fun affair and Harry had grown used to mornings like this ever since he found them a couple of weeks ago. Once Iris was done eating, Harry told her to go up to her room to get ready because they would be bringing her to the Burrow for the day. The little girl was ecstatic to find out she would be spending the day with Nana Molly and her `cousins.' She hurriedly ran up the stairs to her room to prepare. It would take a while for Iris to get ready so Harry took the chance to speak to Hermione about what they were going to do that day.

"Will you be telling Neville all that you told me last night?" he inquired as he gathered the used plates and begun washing them the muggle way.

"I think I will. If it would help them, even a tiny bit closer to getting Marius and Cerberus," she answered in a quiet voice.

He wiped his hands on a towel and reached for both of her hands across the counter top.

"Hey," he said, softly. He patiently waited until she raised her head and looked directly at him. "I'll be there. You don't have to be afraid. You're not alone in this. Okay?"

He knew Hermione was trying to search for any doubt in his eyes so he resolved to show her none. They were together now, things would not be easy but he was confident that they would emerge victorious after this ordeal, not unscathed, but still victorious. When she did not see any doubt, she simply nodded.

"Good girl. Now go get ready. We have a full day ahead of us," he told her as he walked around the counter and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. Harry waved his hand towards the dishes in the sink and they began to wash and dry on their own. Together, he and Hermione went to their respective rooms to get ready for the days events.

---

"I'm really sorry for bothering you like this, Molly. I hope you don't mind watching over Iris today," Hermione said apologetically.

"Oh shush, dear. I don't mind at all! I love having the kids here, you know that," Mrs. Weasley reached out and rubbed Hermione's shoulders, "We'll be fine! Stop worrying!"

Hermione turned around and looked at where Harry was giving Iris some last minute instructions while the little girl was nodding her head and looked so serious. She wondered what the father and daughter were talking about and decided to ask Harry later on their way to the Ministry. She was brought out of her thoughts as the sound of her second mother.

"I'm really happy you came back," Mrs. Weasley said softly, one arm still around Hermione's shoulders. Hermione looked at her and she could see tears forming in the Weasley matron's eyes.

"We were all so worried and we missed you terribly. We knew you were still alive because the clock there simply pointed to "Away" all this time, but we never knew where you were," she paused and drew a deep breath, "The change in Harry was monumental after he finally found you and learned about his daughter. For years, his eyes had this far away look in them. They were dull and had little life in them. But now, his eyes are so alive and the spark is back in them."

Mrs. Weasley then turned to Hermione with a smile, "Thank you for coming back. It brought Harry back to us as well."

Hermione couldn't stop her own tears from falling and she hugged the old woman who was as much as her mother as her biological one.

"I'm sorry. Truly sorry for worrying everyone," she whispered.

"It's fine now, dear. We're family, we forgive each other," she answered as she rubbed the woman in her arms. This girl - no - woman was like a daughter to her, much like Ginny was. She would be there whenever Hermione needed her and her maternal instincts are telling her that she and Harry would need her now.

"Is everything all right?" Harry's concerned voice broke the women's moment and they pulled apart slowly.

"Of course, Harry. We're perfectly fine. Just one of those mother-daughter moments, you know," Mrs. Weasley answered with a smile.

He looked at Hermione with concern in his eyes and she simply looked back at him with a smile and nodded. He returned her smile and nod then faced Mrs. Weasley, "Please call us if something happens," he said.

"Harry, I think you're forgetting I had seven children who weren't exactly angels growing up," she countered.

Harry and Hermione laughed at this, then Mrs. Weasley ushered them both out the door. They both kissed and hugged Iris before moving to the garden to apparate.

---

The couple appeared at one of the apparition points, off to the right side of the entrance to the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. Ministry workers apparated and disapparated one after the other; all walked in a rush to make it to work or appointments on time. None took notice of them and they preferred it that way. After passing thru security (Harry gave Patrick the security guy a nod as they passed by, not bothering with the standard procedure of logging in the visitor and giving them a visitor's pass), they went straight to the lifts and headed to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

While they waited in the lift, Harry looked down at Hermione and noticed that she was nervous. To the casual looker, she would seem calm and collected, but with his knowledge of her spanning for more than a decade, he knew in an instant that she was far from being calm. He took her right hand in his left and rubbed little circles at the back of it. She looked up at him and they stared for a few moments. She gave him a smile in thanks before there was a sound of a bell ring and the lift doors open. Hermione straightened her back, squared her shoulders and exited the lift with Harry by her side, neither let go of the hand of the other. They passed rows and rows of cubicles where aurors were just arriving or were busy doing paperwork. They belatedly took note that the room had gone silent. The couple slowed their pace and braved a look around to see almost everyone openly stared at them and their enclosed hands. Harry felt a tugging on his hand. He looked around to see Hermione, with a blush on her cheeks, her brows raised with an expression on her face that said, "What are you waiting for?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "On with you lot," he said out loud to their audience as they walked faster towards the offices of the higher ups. It wasn't an uncommon sight to see Harry in the DMLE as he worked alongside the aurors quite often as a prosecutor in criminal cases. The aurors were more surprised to see Hermione Granger, who, from the last of their knowledge, had been missing for the past five years. She looked like she belonged there and didn't seem like she was gone for several years at all.

The couple headed to the direction of Neville's office. When his secretary saw them, she jumped up from her seat and greeted them with ill-hidden excitement, "Good morning, Harry. You're quite early. Good morning, Ms. Granger."

"Good morning. And it's Hermione, please," she replied with a small smile. The woman blushed terribly and apologized. Hermione looked at Harry and saw that he was amused by the young girl's reaction.

"Good morning, Cara. Neville is expecting us," he said, his amusement gone and his face bore an expression of professionalism. Cara immediately took a somber expression and nodded her head. She then lead them to the door to Neville's office, "Yes, he informed me you will be coming in today," she said as she knocked, "It seems he had been in his office the whole night and didn't sleep at all," she continued before there was an inaudible voice from inside. Cara opened the door slightly and can be heard telling Neville that they were there for their meeting with him. They didn't hear what Neville replied but Cara turned to them with a smile and opened the door wider, signaling them to enter. Harry and Hermione thanked Cara as they entered the office of Lieutenant Auror Longbottom.

Neville looked up from the numerous parchments in front of him when his secretary had opened the door to admit Harry and Hermione into the room. Harry took note of Nev's disheveled appearance and confirmed Cara's suspicion that her boss did spend the night in this office and had not slept a wink.

"You look like a fright sight, Nev," he teased.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Harry," Neville answered with sarcasm as he stood up, went around his desk and gave Hermione a tight hug, "How are you doing, Mione?" His face wore an expression of concern. Hermione pulled back a little and gave him a smile, "I'm quite alright. I'd be lying if I said I'm not scared, but I know I'm not alone in this fight anymore." Neville nodded, he let go of Hermione and went to give Harry a hug, as well.

"All right?" he asked Harry. Harry simply nodded then each went to take seats; Neville sat at his high back leather chair behind the desk while Harry and Hermione each sat on the two armchairs in front of it. Neville then called Cara and asked her to bring some coffee and tea for them. They had small talk while waiting for the beverages to arrive. After Cara had brought their beverages and left, Neville casted silencing and privacy charms at the door to prevent any eavesdroppers and intrusions. He then looked at the couple in front of him, his shoulders squared and his stance spoke it was time for business. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Let's get started…"

---

For an hour and a half, Hermione told Neville everything that she told Harry the previous night. She had told him of everything that had happened since the day she left, even the reason why she left so suddenly. She felt she owed Neville an explanation and apology for simply leaving like that, as she considered Neville to be one of her closest and dearest friends. Neville understood, of course, knowing how their lives were once affected by a prophecy made before they were even a year old. After hearing Hermione's story, they all took the time to absorb all the information she had given. The Quick-Quotes Quill had just finished taking note of Hermione's statements on the desk. In the silence of the room, each of them thought which steps they would be taking after this meeting. The couple was surprised when Neville suddenly stood up and went to face the window behind his desk. Hermione looked at Harry with worry in her eyes and he took her hand in his to comfort her. They waited patiently for Neville's reaction to everything that had been said in the past hour. In what seemed like hours, Neville returned to his seat, composed and collected. The two knew that behind the calm exterior of the auror in front of them, there was fury and tension within. Harry understood the need to hide emotions for work. He did the same whenever he was in the middle of the trials of his cases. As a teen, he had been very emotional and that had proven to be possibly fatal in certain circumstances.

"Thank you for telling me all this, Hermione," Neville said after a long moment of silence, "This will prove useful in our mission in apprehending Cerberus."

"Of course, Neville. I'm willing to do anything to help stop this menace," Hermione replied.

Neville nodded and spoke again, "You mentioned about the weapons of Achilles. How you stole the first weapon they were able to retrieve and brought it here with you," Hermione nodded, "Where did you hide it?"

Hermione took a deep breath, looked at Harry for a moment before she answered, "As I have mentioned, when I had been sneaking around Cerberus, I also used my time working there to research my colleague's notes on Cerberus and their history. I found that after Achilles died, his six Myrmidon generals where divided into two factions: Keroberos-led by Menesthius, Eudorus and Peisander-who wanted to use their magic and Achilles's weapons to invade and rule over the lands around Greece. They are Marius Ambrose, Haemon Marduk and Dareia Nomisma's ancestors-,"

"Huh. Now we know where Marius and his got the name and their twisted mentality from," Harry interjected.

Hermione gave him a smile before continuing. "The other faction, called Diadromí Tou Fotós or Path Of The Light, was composed of Phoenix, Alcimedon and Patroclus-Achilles's nephew-who wanted to use their magic to bring peace among the lands and to keep Achilles's weapons from falling into the wrong hands. The two factions fought each other for the weapons and when Menesthius and other were defeated, Patroclus and his companions took the weapons and assigned each to protect one weapon," Hermione paused to take a drink of water. "To this day, their descendants have been tasked to continue protecting the weapons as clans. As Cerberus had taken the spear, it would be a safe assumption that they were able to find one of the clans. The clans are pretty hard to find. They do not stay in one place for too long. They tend to travel around the world every few years, and two clans are never in the same place at the same time.

"As for where I had hidden the spear, unfortunately, I can't disclose the location yet. Before I came back, I contacted Minerva if she could help me to look for the clans. Of course, I had to explain to her why I was looking for the Diadromí Tou Fotós. She helped me hide the spear until the remaining members of one of the clans tasked to protect it come forward and claim it back. Minerva has been helping me in looking for the other clans."

Neville studied Hermione for a moment. "You intend to look for Diadromí Tou Fotós to warn them about Cerberus, correct?"

"Well, I doubt they would need any more warning if one of the clans was attacked," she replied, "They may be far from each other but they keep close watch on the other clans. They keep tabs on one another on a regular basis," she looked at Harry again, "But we still intend on finding them, yes."

"You'll be travelling, then? Quite similar to what you did in our seventh year?" Neville asked.

Harry tore his eyes from Hermione and decided to answer, "Yes well, we'll definitely be more prepared now than the last time. We don't necessarily have to stay in a tent the entire trip now that we have money to spend."

All them laughed, breaking the serious atmosphere in the office. But it didn't last long and the seriousness came back.

"When do you plan to leave?" Neville inquired the couple, "What about your daughter?"

The couple looked at each other for a moment, a silent conversation went between them. Neville had seen this happen for years before and it made him smile. Even if they two were separated for year, there are some things that never really change. This act simply showed that Harry and Hermione still knew each other best and it's always nice to witness such connection between two people. It seemed that the couple have reached a decision for Harry gave Hermione a slight nod then faced Neville.

"We will be leaving as soon as possible, once our affairs are in order," Harry said, and Hermione nodded at this, "In regards of our daughter, we'll be leaving her in the care of the Weasleys. We just need to make sure that the wards at The Burrow are intact and we'll see if we need to add a few more."

Neville nodded and added, "I'll assign one or two of my guys to watch over The Burrow."

"Thank you, Nev," Hermione said, tearfully.

He waved off her gratitude. "No need for thanks. Iris is pretty much my niece and the Weasleys are family so I'll do what I can to help and protect them while you're not here."

"Still, thank you for everything you've done for us up until now," Harry said. Both men knew what Harry meant by his statement. Neville had helped Harry search for Hermione, using his contacts all over the world to get word in case one of them spotted her somewhere.

"We're family, it's what we do," Neville stated. The couple simply nodded in agreement.

The trio was quiet for a while before Harry spoke up. "What are you going to do now?"

Neville thought for a second and began writing a note in a small parchment. He then waved his wand and the note disappeared. Harry and Hermione were beginning to wonder what Neville intended to do. After a few minutes, they felt apparitions within the room. The couple whipped their heads toward the new presence and saw three figures standing at the corner of the room. The silent apparition didn't at all surprise them as aurors were trained to do it for easy infiltration and avoid detection. Although Hermione knew Harry could apparate silently, as well, him being powerful and all. All three were dressed in robes that were different from the standard issued uniform for aurors. The black robes were made of dragon hide and high quality leather, for higher resistance to curses and jinxes, and buckles held the upper half of the robes together. Black tactical slacks were tucked in black, high-cut combat boots. Each wore a full-face tactical mask to hide their identities.

"Hermione, you said that you witnessed a man being questioned and tortured by the leaders of Cerberus. You also mentioned that they asked the man if he was part of a certain group," he said, not at all surprised at the sudden appearance of the three figures in his office, "Harry, Hermione-meet the Blackwatch."

A/N: So, what did you think of this chapter? How about the Blackwatch? Any idea who they are? Don't forget to review please!

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