Semper Fidelis

Chapter 15.2

When Harry reemerged from inside James' room, with Ron tailing behind him, he was a changed man. His face was devoid of all emotion. His eyes were dark and his lips were set in a thin line. He noticed that the other Gryphons were not on the upper floor and a questioning look to Ron gave him his answer.

"Your team is downstairs, Harry," Ron said to his silent question. Harry closed James' bedroom door, felt the hiss of blood magic being recast as the shield went back to its place, and he walked down the flight of stairs.

Remus, Tonks, Draco, and Ansel were congregated in the living room. A lot of the mess had been cleared up and his team stood around the coffee table. The table was empty save for a pile of papers with what looked to be handwritten notes and a small rectangular slip of laminated sheet.

"Harry," Remus said at seeing his captain enter. "I've sent the others back to the office to resume their research on the traces we saw at the Met and in here. The two events have to be related."

Harry gave a sharp nod towards the table's contents. "What are those?"

"They're Hermione's notes, Harry," Tonks said. Harry had to avoid outwardly flinching at Tonks' use of Hermione's name so casually. "Well, it's some of her notes. They were what I could find in her office. They're on Greek myths."

"And the little slip of paper?" He asked.

"It's an airplane ticket," Ansel answered. "It was in her closet trash bin. I couldn't find her passport but the ticket was to Toronto Pearson from London Heathrow. It was for September 16th but we don't know how long she was there for."

"Did Granger have any family in Canada, Potter?" Draco asked, brow arching.

Harry's head shook from side to side. "No... I don't know... she was an only child and I don't think she had any cousins."

"She might have been there for work... or for her birthday. Hermione's birthday was the 19th of September, wasn't it?" Tonks asked to Harry's sharp nod. Yes, September 19th was her birthday. 

A commotion from the front of the house caught their attention. It sounded to be footsteps running up the stone stairs and someone muttering "Oh my God" over and over again. A woman's figure appeared on the other side of the busted door.

"I thought you put up a glamour, Draco," Remus whispered.

"I did," he muttered, frowning.

The woman's face was aghast, eyes wide and jaw dropped as she looked at the occupants of the room. At noticing the state of the entryway and the living room, she gasped and almost fell over had she not supported herself upright by the doorframe. At seeing the state of the doorframe she was leaning against, she jumped away from it and fell on her bum on top of the stone landing.

Ron winced and approached the woman.

"Stay back!" She yelled, her arms stretched in front of her. "Who are you people and what have you done to Hermione?!"

Harry rushed past Ron and knelt in front of the terrified woman. "How do you know Hermione?" He asked almost desperately.

Ron's grip on his shoulder was tight as the redhead also knelt by the woman on the floor. "Harry, stop. She's in shock," he said. Ron extended a hand to the woman looking at Harry with incredulity and a little bit of fear. She gratefully took his proffered hand and stood up.

Remus slowly walked towards the front and softly addressed the woman. "Miss, we're Aurors. I'm Remus Lupin, second in command of the Gryphons Auror team." He pulled his badge from the pocket of his robes and showed her. "We were called to this home because there had been a magical disturbance. I'm afraid... I'm afraid Ms. Watson had been taken."

Rose almost fell back down in shock had it not been for Ron who was still holding her. "Oh no, Hermione," she whispered. Her eyes were glazed with worry and her face had turned to such dismay. "Is James alright?! Does he know about this? Oh God, they're all each other has..." She bit her lip and tried to keep the tears which were pooling in her eyes from falling.

Harry's face grew darker and he felt wounded by her words.

They're all each other has...

Because he wasn't in the picture. Because he was forced out of the picture.

"Yes, Miss, James knows about it," Remus said grimly. "And it would really help us if we can ask you some questions. I'm afraid we don't know a lot about Ms. Watson."

"Oh yes, of course, any way I can help," Rose said determinedly. She was led further inside the home which she had just visited the night before and gasped aloud as she saw clearly the state of its destruction. The gallery which Hermione was so proud of was in ruins. The plants, some of which she had helped Hermione pick out, were dying as they lay crumpled on the ground. The once beautiful and homey living room of her close friend which Rose so admired was gone.