WTR #37: Progression (Hermione/Teddy)
Title: Progression (Worth the Risk #37)
Pairing: Hermione/Teddy
Summary: Harry drops by before Hermione's Monday meeting
Word Count: 4335
Rating: Teen
Betas: florahart & heather11483
Note: This contains spoilers for Deathly Hallows. Previous chapters of Worth the Risk can be found here.
“What happened?”
“Hmm?” Hermione looks up from her paperwork and blinks at Harry. “Sorry, what?”
Harry steps into her office and shuts the door behind him. “Charms up?”
“Of course. No one can hear anything that happens in my office, which is good to prevent eavesdropping but bad if someone happened to get in here and attack me.”
“As if they could get past the strong wards you keep on this place.” He snorts and sits down.
“Yes, well, it’s better to never say never so one doesn’t get too cocky and careless.”
“You’re being careless now, though, aren’t you?”
“Am I?” She rubs her temple and glances at the clock on her desk. The Warrington meeting is in fifteen minutes, so she hopes Harry stops being cryptic soon and says what’s on his mind.
“I saw you with him at lunch,” Harry says simply.
“Is there a crime in having lunch with Teddy?” She arches a brow. “If so, I suppose that means you’ll have to arrest me. If not, I don’t particularly think that it’s any of your business who I eat lunch with, Harry.”
“You promised, Hermione.”
She puts down her quill and gives him a look that she hopes alerts him to the fact that he’s pushing his luck right now. “Harry, I love you. You’re my best friend, my brother, and someone that I respect tremendously. I welcomed your advice and support the other day; however, I’m an adult and don’t need you to control my decisions.“
“I’m not trying to control---”
“Have you ever known me to break a promise?” she interrupts him. “To anyone, much less to you?”
“I---no.”
“Do you think that I’ve changed in the last week and become someone who makes false assurances?”
“Well, I think you’ve changed in the last few weeks, obviously, but, no, I don’t think you’ve suddenly become a liar.” Harry runs his fingers through his unkempt hair and frowns. “So it was just a business lunch? I mean, I didn’t see anything untoward, but I saw him looking at you, and you’re in much better spirits today, too.”
“Oh, no! Alert Azkaban. He was looking at me.”
“Stop being a smart arse. You know what I mean.”
“Sorry. It’s already been a long day, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes, and I doubt I get out of here on time today, so I’m snappish.” She shakes her head. “I kept my promise, Harry.”
Harry starts to speak before he closes his mouth and leans back in the chair. “So it’s not just a sex thing?”
“Did you ever actually think it was just sex?”
“Well, yeah.” He shifts and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You’re so much older, and you can’t possibly have that much in common with him except for the physical stuff that I really don’t want to discuss or even think about. He has a crush, but I thought you were old enough to know better.”
“Goodness. Two olds in one short ramble. That certainly puts me in my place, doesn’t it?”
“If it were me going after one of Victoire’s friends, you’d be smacking me upside the head and telling me to get real,” he points out. “Just because it’s you doesn’t mean you're exempt or something.”
She looks at him for a moment before she nods once. “I would,” she admits. “Unless I thought there was really something there, then I’d support you regardless of my doubts. And, if it didn’t work out, I’d be there for you when it was over.”
“And is there really something here?” he asks. “You promised you wouldn’t encourage him unless you thought you might be able to love him.”
“I know what I promised, Harry. It was just last weekend, and my memory hasn't gone yet. Though I suppose it could any day since I’m so old.” She glances down at her desk before she slowly nods. “I could or I wouldn’t have gone to talk to him on Friday. I wouldn’t do that to him or me.”
“Ron says you’ve been avoiding him unless it's about work.”
“Where did that come from?” She blinks, trying to figure out how they’ve moved from her relationship with Teddy to her avoidance of Ron.
“Since when has my thought process ever been methodical?”
“Point. Yes, I have been avoiding Ron except when it's absolutely necessary to discuss work. He said some really nasty things to Teddy and implied even worse things about me.” She holds up her hand. “I’m sure he didn’t actually mean them, but he needs to learn how to keep his broken nose out of my business. While I’m used to you two interfering in your own way, he crossed the line. I just needed time to get past my anger so I wouldn’t hurt him.”
“Yeah. Teddy told me what Ron said. It was uncalled for. Just wasn’t sure why you were avoiding him.” Harry sighs. “You’re really going to do this, then? Even knowing how difficult it’ll likely be and having to realize that the chances of it lasting very long are slim, you’re still doing it?”
She frowns. “I don’t think anyone can predict our chances any more than they could any couple. We have issues, Harry, but there are people out there with far more than us. But, yes, I’m realistic enough to know that, like any relationship, it could end tomorrow as easily as it could in a month or a year. I rarely do anything rash or foolish, and I’m not starting now. It might be unconventional, but I’ve definitely given it a lot of thought,” she tells him. “Can’t you just be happy that I’m happy?”
“I am happy that you are happy, Hermione. I’m also glad that Teddy’s happy. It’s just---” He trails off and glances down at his feet. “Ginny knows, and she doesn’t approve. She thinks I’m being irresponsible by supporting you both, especially when I helped raise Teddy. It’s just going to be stressful when she finds out you’re trying to make a go of it.”
“Why does Ginny even care?” She rubs the back of her neck and glances at the clock. “I mean, Teddy’s old enough to make his own choices, and it’s not like I set out intending for this to happen. Sometimes, I really wish it hadn’t because it’s changed so much of my life. You know how I hate change in my routines. But the rest of the time, I feel happier than I have in years, so I know it’s worth it.”
“Teddy is like a son to us. We helped take care of him when we could and, as he got older, he spent a lot of time at our house. Ginny can’t distinguish between the little boy who always asked for biscuits and the man who is sitting at the desk out there. I can understand because I’ve had trouble with that, too. His place in my family is honestly my biggest problem with the whole thing. If it was some random bloke, I wouldn’t care at all as long as he treated you well. But it’s my Godson, and you’ve been my best friend since I was eleven.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “The last thing I meant to do was cause trouble between you and Ginny. But, honestly, Harry, she’s as judgmental as her mother, and I doubt that it would have mattered to her if it was some random bloke. It would still be someone my age having an affair with someone that young.”
“I know she can be critical. I’ve been involved with her long enough to know all her weaknesses as well as her strengths. Maybe she would have been regardless of who it is, but I think the fact that it’s Teddy is what mostly bothers her. She’ll come around, Hermione. It’s not coming between us in a bad way; it’s just frustrating, I suppose.”
“If you’d rather withdraw your support to make things easier at home, I’d understand.”
“No.” He scowls at her. “Bloody hell, Hermione. Why would you even say such a thing?”
She shrugs. “I know you don’t approve, and I don’t want you to feel forced into accepting it just because I managed to get myself emotionally attached to Teddy.”
“If you came to me and told me that you’d fallen in love with that ugly statue of Poindexter Yardley in the atrium and were planning a wedding, I’d still support you, you daft bint.”
“Oh, well then.” She smiles mischievously. “I guess I wouldn’t have to worry about the statue never being hard, would I?”
“Hermione!” He gapes at her before he starts to laugh. “That was awful. I’m not going to be able to look at that thing now without being disturbed.”
“Blame yourself and Ron. After all, having two male best friends does eventually lead to some transfer of characteristics,” she says. She looks at him intently. “Seriously, Harry, I want you to talk to me if you have problems, okay? If it would help, I could talk to Ginny and try to explain, even if I hate feeling as if I have to defend myself for caring about Teddy.”
“No, it’s probably better if you don’t. You know Gin. She’ll rant and fuss and stew until she gets over it. But, um, it might be best if we have our monthly brunch at your house this Sunday instead of mine. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable if she’s being irritable.”
“Okay. I’ll tell Ron that the venue has changed. I think I’m in such good spirits, as you so quaintly called it, that I’ll be able to see him without having thoughts of payback.” She glances at the clock and makes a face. “I have to go to my meeting now. I’ve actually got some information about the Warrington case that you might find useful. You’re welcome to attend the meeting, if you want, or I’ll stop by in the morning.”
“Morning is probably best; I have a stack of reports to review before I can leave tonight. I’ll let Ron know so we can both be there. That way, you don’t have to track us both down.” He stands up and walks around the desk. After he pulls her to her feet, he hugs her tightly. “Regardless of what anyone says or my own concerns, I’m really glad you’re happy. And I’ll be here when it all falls apart.”
She returns his hug and doesn’t bother to correct his ‘when’ to ‘if’. Realistically, she knows that any relationship can end; her own divorce is proof of that, so it’s not worth pointing out that she’s being optimistic and not thinking that far ahead. After he leaves, she gathers her notes and enters the outer office.
“Caroline, I’ll be in a meeting until four,” she says. “Ready, Lupin?”
Teddy grins and gets his files together. “Yes, Boss.” Once he has everything collected, he joins her and they step out into the hallway. “What did my godpapa want? He shut the door and acted weird when he spoke to me.”
“He knows,” she murmurs, not looking at him or giving any sign that they’re discussing something personal. “We’ll talk about it later. Fill me in on your work with Greg while we go downstairs. I won’t have time to actually review your reports this afternoon, so give me the basics. I’ll catch up on my reading tonight when I’m home.”
“Oh. Right. Later.” Teddy sighs before he opens a file while walking. She waits to see if he drops anything and is rather impressed when he manages to keep it organized. “I’m actually helping Goyle with three cases now, besides Warrington. Two are relatively minor, mostly helping him talk to the children and research. The other one is the homeless boy. I really do like it, but I’m following your advice and considering it seriously before I make a rash choice or anything. I’m having lunch with him on Wednesday to discuss his job and ask some questions.”
“That’s good,” she says as they step onto the lift. It’s more crowded than usual, so they squeeze in near the back since they’re going the furthest down. “I’d suggest having a list of questions ready and writing down others as they occur to you during your meeting. It’s always good to have a pen with you during such interviews.”
“Sounds clever. Will do, Boss.” Teddy nudges her slightly but continues looking straight ahead. Only the slight twitch of his lips indicates that he knowingly bumped her.
She arches a brow and purses her lips but doesn’t say anything. The lift stops at level eight, and Kevin gets on. When he sees them, he grins. “Afternoon, Boss, Lupin.”
“Afternoon, Kevin. How’s Alicia today?” she asks, deciding that it’s not being nosy to ask a polite question. She doesn’t believe in gossiping, but Kevin’s attempted courtship of Alicia Spinnet is so well-known in her circle of friends that it’s not really a rumor.
“Cold and prickly as ever.” He sighs and shakes his head. “You’d think I’d just give up after being rejected for two years, but I guess I’m a masochist. At least I just ask her out for dinner once a month now, so I don’t have to hear ‘No, Entwhistle, so stop asking’ all the time.”
“Maybe if you did stop asking, she’d realize she missed you and would agree the next time,” Hermione muses.
“Well, I’d not ask anymore if I honestly thought she wasn’t interested. She just gets caught up in the past and thinks all men are just after one thing. It's understandable, of course. People say the cruelest things and make the most ridiculous assumptions just because she's never named Ellen's father."
“But if she keeps refusing a date, maybe that does mean she’s not interested,” Teddy points out carefully as they arrive on level nine and leave the lift. “I mean, it could be harassment if you keep pestering her about it, yeah?”
Kevin snorts. “She’s almost said yes twice, and we snogged at the Christmas party last year. She claimed afterwards that she’d just had too much to drink, which is ridiculous because she was drinking water. Besides, I know when a woman is attracted to me, even if she doesn't want to admit it. If she wasn’t so amazing, I’d just give up and move on.” He shrugs. “I will eventually if she doesn’t give me another sign, but I have to try or I’d kick myself for being cowardly.”
“We’re kicking Kevin? Where do I sign up?” Susan asks as she rounds the corner. She grins. “The meeting room is smelly and small. Can’t we just play the ‘Deputy Head’ card and kick Boot and his group out of our meeting room?”
“I get kicked enough without you joining the group, Susan,” Kevin says with a wry smile. He looks at Hermione. “She’s right, though. What’s the purpose of being titled if you let Boot have our conference room?”
“Boot requested the room weeks ago, before we knew we had this case. Stop your whining and practice your charms to get rid of the scent.” She leads them into the room, which is small and smelly. “Bloody hell, this is pretty awful.”
“See?” Susan makes a face. “I told you so.”
“I’ll take care of the smell,” Teddy offers before he casts a freshening charm.
“And the table is too big for just us four, which is part of the space issue,” Hermione says, focusing for a moment to shrink the table. “There. That’s better.”
“Eh, I’d still like to have seen you go all swotty authority on Boot’s bony arse,” Susan mutters. She smiles. “However, this is a definite improvement.”
They sit down and organize their notes before Hermione begins. “Kevin, you’re first. What’s new?”
“Not a bloody thing. I’ve hit a brick wall in gathering information on Warrington. Said brick wall is called Pureblood Society, for the record. A bunch of---”
“Ahem. Watch what generalizations you’re about to make regarding Purebloods, Entwhistle,” Susan warns.
“Close-mouthed people,” he continues as he shifts slightly, “who won’t tell me anything. They’ve closed ranks, regardless of the fact that he’s guilty as sin. Other than that, I managed to finally receive a reply from his company, but they refused to tell me anything except that he wasn’t working there now. Which is rather obvious considering the fact he’s still sitting in Azkaban.”
“Actually, that leads into my news,” Hermione says. She finds her notes and glances over them before looking up. “I got a hunch last week.”
“Oh! What is it?” Susan asks. She glances at Teddy. “Hermione rarely pays attention to instinct over logic, but, when she does, it usually means something brilliant.”
“What did you find out, Boss?” Teddy arches a brow and grins.
“When I was reviewing the file last week, I noticed the name of Warrington’s company and it triggered a memory.” She removes Rose’s Quidditch magazine from her file. “My daughter left this at home after Easter break, and my son has been practicing his reading from it, so I knew I’d heard the name but it took me awhile to figure out where. According to this, the Swift Air Broom Company is under new ownership following a hostile takeover last autumn. The magazine is several months old, but it gives a basic overview of how the company is in new hands and lists some of their marketing changes et cetera.”
“What exactly is a hostile takeover?” Susan frowns and taps her pen against her notepad. “I assume it means that Warrington no longer owns the company.”
“Well, after I located this information, I had a source investigate it for me, since I don’t keep up with broom makers and Quidditch,” Hermione explains. “From what he found out, the takeover was a complete surprise. After all, Swift Air has been the leading producer of racing and recreational brooms for decades, since the Firebolt was released in the early nineties. The company who bought it out quietly took over debts at Gringotts, since the goblins had no qualms trading worthless stock for galleons, and they just took over during a board meeting last October. Warrington was left without a company and, if rumor is true, very little in his vault.”
“That’s why there wasn’t some huge Christmas party last year,” Kevin says, snapping his fingers. “All the neighbors I interviewed mentioned how he became a recluse and didn’t even hold his annual holiday party.”
“I went to see a contact at Gringotts today,” she tells them, “and I found out that he no longer has a vault; it was closed months ago. I was also told that there were several substantial withdrawals during the last four years, all pre-dating the takeover. The first one is three months after his application for Oakwood was declined. My contact wasn't able to provide any more details since the goblins are so difficult, but it's enough to know where to start looking.”
They’re silent for a moment before Teddy sighs. “So, he probably bought the children, then?”
“That would be my assumption. At least, he did at one time. The amounts are exactly the same and sporadic enough that I doubt it was blackmail,” Hermione says. “After he lost Swift Air, there weren’t any more large sums withdrawn. It seems that he basically lost most of what he had saved due to the takeover. With the amount he used to donate and the reports of his spending habits, I doubt there's much left at all.”
“Which explains why he’s still sitting in Azkaban without a solicitor,” Kevin adds. “This can definitely work in our favor. Do we know anything else?”
“I’ve made inquiries regarding the company who was involved in the takeover, but I’ve not come up with anything yet. I’m not sure if it has any connection with his crimes or if it was just a simple business deal, but I figure it’s best to follow the trail to the end to rule it out,” she tells them. “The sums of money also brings up another possibility that I intend to pass on to Ron to handle. That being, who he was paying and whether he had an accomplice.”
“Bugger,” Susan mutters. “Lupin, have the children said anything yet? If they could confirm that Warrington is the only one involved in the abuse, that at least gives us some direction.”
“We haven’t mentioned the abuse yet. They’re just trying to heal and adjust right now, and we don’t want to push them too fast.” Teddy runs his hand through his hair. “They’re talking more, but it’s just general and ‘more’ doesn’t really mean a lot since it’s in comparison to not saying anything at all.”
Hermione listens and nods. “For now, we’re going on the assumption that he acted alone. If he paid such a large sum, it’s likely that he acquired the children from someone and that was the end of the arrangement. However, the last payment was made in August of last year, and the wounds on the children suggest only one to two months of abuse. That means there are possibly bodies hidden somewhere, unless he released the ones he bought, which isn’t very realistic.”
“He could have been doing this for years,” Teddy murmurs, frowning at the table. “God, we don’t even know how many might have come before Beth and Howard. This is just disheartening.”
“Well, we’ve got him now, so he’s not hurting any more children,” Kevin says firmly. “Our job now is to gather enough evidence to support what the Aurors find and make sure he pays for his crime.”
“The Wizengamot will want more than potions analysis and weapons, unfortunately. We need witnesses to show a behavior pattern, we need to tie him in with solid proof that can’t be disputed, and we need to convince them that he’s guilty, because, even if they believe it and agree with the Auror’s evidence, they want it all when it comes to a case like this. Considering the nature of the crime, they'll almost certainly have to sentence him to Endless Sleep if they find him guilty, and that means they’ll be even more cautious and hesitant than normal. Before they sentence death, they want to be convinced without any doubts,” Hermione reminds them.
“I’ve tried to get witnesses, but I’m just unable to move forward,” Kevin says. “Susan, you’re Pureblood. Do you have any links that we could use?”
“Not any that run in the circles Warrington did. He was a Slytherin, which makes it an even tighter and more difficult circle to get past. They protect their own generally,” she explains. “It’s silly, but that’s how it is. I’ll think about it, though, and see if I can remember any of my aunt’s friends who might be able to help. Aunt Amelia might have died over twenty years ago, but she still has loyal friends when I need help. I’ll let you know if I can find anything.”
“I’ll try, too,” Hermione says. “I have one or two contacts who might be able to get us information.” She makes a note to owl Flint for a meeting later in the week. “Susan, were you able to get hold of the files at Oakwood?”
“Still caught up in paperwork. There’s red tape and blue tape and purple tape, I swear. Even with the signed request by Shackelbolt, they’re following procedure to a point of annoyance. I should have them by the next meeting, though.”
“Good. Give me a copy whenever you do get them,” she says. “Ted, keep working with the children. Your reports are showing signs of progression, so that’s definitely a positive.“
“Got it, Boss. I’m paying attention to dialects and word usage, too, in the hope that it might narrow down an area to try to find out who they are.”
“Actually, I had information from the Aurors regarding that.” She looks over her notes again. “Ron followed Ted’s suggestion from our last meeting, and the Aurors have a unit working their way through missing persons reports in several of the largest cities in Britain. They managed to identify one of the deceased children and are currently working with a Muggle liaison to figure out the best way to handle the return of the body. So, good job there. At least we might have a chance of identifying them and giving their parents some closure, even if it‘s in such a horrible way.”
“That’s good news. I mean, not really but closure helps,” Susan says. “It’s the not knowing and wondering that can drive a person mad.”
“I have a little free time later this week. Let Ron know that I’d be willing to help look through the reports when I can,” Kevin offers. “If it was my child missing, I’d rather know something solid, even if it was something bad.”
“Me, too,” Teddy adds. “Unless a new case comes up, my Thursday afternoon is pretty light. I’d like to help.”
“I’ll pass it along.” Hermione looks at them and smiles. “Does anyone have anything else?” When they shake their heads, she nods. “Okay, then. Meeting’s over. We’ll meet again next week, same time. I’ve booked our conference room, fortunately, so we’ll meet there like usual.”
They all gather their things, and she changes the table back to its normal size before they leave. She talks to Susan about her intern training as they walk upstairs to catch the lift, feeling better after this meeting than last week's. There’s still a lot to do, but it’s nice to have development in their favor instead of nothing new at all. Tomorrow, she’ll meet with Ron and Harry to fill them in on her discovery, and then she’ll figure out where to go from there.
End Chapter 37
WTR #36: Interrogation. Teen. | WTR #38: Protection. Teen.
Pairing: Hermione/Teddy
Summary: Harry drops by before Hermione's Monday meeting
Word Count: 4335
Rating: Teen
Betas: florahart & heather11483
Note: This contains spoilers for Deathly Hallows. Previous chapters of Worth the Risk can be found here.
“What happened?”
“Hmm?” Hermione looks up from her paperwork and blinks at Harry. “Sorry, what?”
Harry steps into her office and shuts the door behind him. “Charms up?”
“Of course. No one can hear anything that happens in my office, which is good to prevent eavesdropping but bad if someone happened to get in here and attack me.”
“As if they could get past the strong wards you keep on this place.” He snorts and sits down.
“Yes, well, it’s better to never say never so one doesn’t get too cocky and careless.”
“You’re being careless now, though, aren’t you?”
“Am I?” She rubs her temple and glances at the clock on her desk. The Warrington meeting is in fifteen minutes, so she hopes Harry stops being cryptic soon and says what’s on his mind.
“I saw you with him at lunch,” Harry says simply.
“Is there a crime in having lunch with Teddy?” She arches a brow. “If so, I suppose that means you’ll have to arrest me. If not, I don’t particularly think that it’s any of your business who I eat lunch with, Harry.”
“You promised, Hermione.”
She puts down her quill and gives him a look that she hopes alerts him to the fact that he’s pushing his luck right now. “Harry, I love you. You’re my best friend, my brother, and someone that I respect tremendously. I welcomed your advice and support the other day; however, I’m an adult and don’t need you to control my decisions.“
“I’m not trying to control---”
“Have you ever known me to break a promise?” she interrupts him. “To anyone, much less to you?”
“I---no.”
“Do you think that I’ve changed in the last week and become someone who makes false assurances?”
“Well, I think you’ve changed in the last few weeks, obviously, but, no, I don’t think you’ve suddenly become a liar.” Harry runs his fingers through his unkempt hair and frowns. “So it was just a business lunch? I mean, I didn’t see anything untoward, but I saw him looking at you, and you’re in much better spirits today, too.”
“Oh, no! Alert Azkaban. He was looking at me.”
“Stop being a smart arse. You know what I mean.”
“Sorry. It’s already been a long day, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes, and I doubt I get out of here on time today, so I’m snappish.” She shakes her head. “I kept my promise, Harry.”
Harry starts to speak before he closes his mouth and leans back in the chair. “So it’s not just a sex thing?”
“Did you ever actually think it was just sex?”
“Well, yeah.” He shifts and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You’re so much older, and you can’t possibly have that much in common with him except for the physical stuff that I really don’t want to discuss or even think about. He has a crush, but I thought you were old enough to know better.”
“Goodness. Two olds in one short ramble. That certainly puts me in my place, doesn’t it?”
“If it were me going after one of Victoire’s friends, you’d be smacking me upside the head and telling me to get real,” he points out. “Just because it’s you doesn’t mean you're exempt or something.”
She looks at him for a moment before she nods once. “I would,” she admits. “Unless I thought there was really something there, then I’d support you regardless of my doubts. And, if it didn’t work out, I’d be there for you when it was over.”
“And is there really something here?” he asks. “You promised you wouldn’t encourage him unless you thought you might be able to love him.”
“I know what I promised, Harry. It was just last weekend, and my memory hasn't gone yet. Though I suppose it could any day since I’m so old.” She glances down at her desk before she slowly nods. “I could or I wouldn’t have gone to talk to him on Friday. I wouldn’t do that to him or me.”
“Ron says you’ve been avoiding him unless it's about work.”
“Where did that come from?” She blinks, trying to figure out how they’ve moved from her relationship with Teddy to her avoidance of Ron.
“Since when has my thought process ever been methodical?”
“Point. Yes, I have been avoiding Ron except when it's absolutely necessary to discuss work. He said some really nasty things to Teddy and implied even worse things about me.” She holds up her hand. “I’m sure he didn’t actually mean them, but he needs to learn how to keep his broken nose out of my business. While I’m used to you two interfering in your own way, he crossed the line. I just needed time to get past my anger so I wouldn’t hurt him.”
“Yeah. Teddy told me what Ron said. It was uncalled for. Just wasn’t sure why you were avoiding him.” Harry sighs. “You’re really going to do this, then? Even knowing how difficult it’ll likely be and having to realize that the chances of it lasting very long are slim, you’re still doing it?”
She frowns. “I don’t think anyone can predict our chances any more than they could any couple. We have issues, Harry, but there are people out there with far more than us. But, yes, I’m realistic enough to know that, like any relationship, it could end tomorrow as easily as it could in a month or a year. I rarely do anything rash or foolish, and I’m not starting now. It might be unconventional, but I’ve definitely given it a lot of thought,” she tells him. “Can’t you just be happy that I’m happy?”
“I am happy that you are happy, Hermione. I’m also glad that Teddy’s happy. It’s just---” He trails off and glances down at his feet. “Ginny knows, and she doesn’t approve. She thinks I’m being irresponsible by supporting you both, especially when I helped raise Teddy. It’s just going to be stressful when she finds out you’re trying to make a go of it.”
“Why does Ginny even care?” She rubs the back of her neck and glances at the clock. “I mean, Teddy’s old enough to make his own choices, and it’s not like I set out intending for this to happen. Sometimes, I really wish it hadn’t because it’s changed so much of my life. You know how I hate change in my routines. But the rest of the time, I feel happier than I have in years, so I know it’s worth it.”
“Teddy is like a son to us. We helped take care of him when we could and, as he got older, he spent a lot of time at our house. Ginny can’t distinguish between the little boy who always asked for biscuits and the man who is sitting at the desk out there. I can understand because I’ve had trouble with that, too. His place in my family is honestly my biggest problem with the whole thing. If it was some random bloke, I wouldn’t care at all as long as he treated you well. But it’s my Godson, and you’ve been my best friend since I was eleven.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “The last thing I meant to do was cause trouble between you and Ginny. But, honestly, Harry, she’s as judgmental as her mother, and I doubt that it would have mattered to her if it was some random bloke. It would still be someone my age having an affair with someone that young.”
“I know she can be critical. I’ve been involved with her long enough to know all her weaknesses as well as her strengths. Maybe she would have been regardless of who it is, but I think the fact that it’s Teddy is what mostly bothers her. She’ll come around, Hermione. It’s not coming between us in a bad way; it’s just frustrating, I suppose.”
“If you’d rather withdraw your support to make things easier at home, I’d understand.”
“No.” He scowls at her. “Bloody hell, Hermione. Why would you even say such a thing?”
She shrugs. “I know you don’t approve, and I don’t want you to feel forced into accepting it just because I managed to get myself emotionally attached to Teddy.”
“If you came to me and told me that you’d fallen in love with that ugly statue of Poindexter Yardley in the atrium and were planning a wedding, I’d still support you, you daft bint.”
“Oh, well then.” She smiles mischievously. “I guess I wouldn’t have to worry about the statue never being hard, would I?”
“Hermione!” He gapes at her before he starts to laugh. “That was awful. I’m not going to be able to look at that thing now without being disturbed.”
“Blame yourself and Ron. After all, having two male best friends does eventually lead to some transfer of characteristics,” she says. She looks at him intently. “Seriously, Harry, I want you to talk to me if you have problems, okay? If it would help, I could talk to Ginny and try to explain, even if I hate feeling as if I have to defend myself for caring about Teddy.”
“No, it’s probably better if you don’t. You know Gin. She’ll rant and fuss and stew until she gets over it. But, um, it might be best if we have our monthly brunch at your house this Sunday instead of mine. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable if she’s being irritable.”
“Okay. I’ll tell Ron that the venue has changed. I think I’m in such good spirits, as you so quaintly called it, that I’ll be able to see him without having thoughts of payback.” She glances at the clock and makes a face. “I have to go to my meeting now. I’ve actually got some information about the Warrington case that you might find useful. You’re welcome to attend the meeting, if you want, or I’ll stop by in the morning.”
“Morning is probably best; I have a stack of reports to review before I can leave tonight. I’ll let Ron know so we can both be there. That way, you don’t have to track us both down.” He stands up and walks around the desk. After he pulls her to her feet, he hugs her tightly. “Regardless of what anyone says or my own concerns, I’m really glad you’re happy. And I’ll be here when it all falls apart.”
She returns his hug and doesn’t bother to correct his ‘when’ to ‘if’. Realistically, she knows that any relationship can end; her own divorce is proof of that, so it’s not worth pointing out that she’s being optimistic and not thinking that far ahead. After he leaves, she gathers her notes and enters the outer office.
“Caroline, I’ll be in a meeting until four,” she says. “Ready, Lupin?”
Teddy grins and gets his files together. “Yes, Boss.” Once he has everything collected, he joins her and they step out into the hallway. “What did my godpapa want? He shut the door and acted weird when he spoke to me.”
“He knows,” she murmurs, not looking at him or giving any sign that they’re discussing something personal. “We’ll talk about it later. Fill me in on your work with Greg while we go downstairs. I won’t have time to actually review your reports this afternoon, so give me the basics. I’ll catch up on my reading tonight when I’m home.”
“Oh. Right. Later.” Teddy sighs before he opens a file while walking. She waits to see if he drops anything and is rather impressed when he manages to keep it organized. “I’m actually helping Goyle with three cases now, besides Warrington. Two are relatively minor, mostly helping him talk to the children and research. The other one is the homeless boy. I really do like it, but I’m following your advice and considering it seriously before I make a rash choice or anything. I’m having lunch with him on Wednesday to discuss his job and ask some questions.”
“That’s good,” she says as they step onto the lift. It’s more crowded than usual, so they squeeze in near the back since they’re going the furthest down. “I’d suggest having a list of questions ready and writing down others as they occur to you during your meeting. It’s always good to have a pen with you during such interviews.”
“Sounds clever. Will do, Boss.” Teddy nudges her slightly but continues looking straight ahead. Only the slight twitch of his lips indicates that he knowingly bumped her.
She arches a brow and purses her lips but doesn’t say anything. The lift stops at level eight, and Kevin gets on. When he sees them, he grins. “Afternoon, Boss, Lupin.”
“Afternoon, Kevin. How’s Alicia today?” she asks, deciding that it’s not being nosy to ask a polite question. She doesn’t believe in gossiping, but Kevin’s attempted courtship of Alicia Spinnet is so well-known in her circle of friends that it’s not really a rumor.
“Cold and prickly as ever.” He sighs and shakes his head. “You’d think I’d just give up after being rejected for two years, but I guess I’m a masochist. At least I just ask her out for dinner once a month now, so I don’t have to hear ‘No, Entwhistle, so stop asking’ all the time.”
“Maybe if you did stop asking, she’d realize she missed you and would agree the next time,” Hermione muses.
“Well, I’d not ask anymore if I honestly thought she wasn’t interested. She just gets caught up in the past and thinks all men are just after one thing. It's understandable, of course. People say the cruelest things and make the most ridiculous assumptions just because she's never named Ellen's father."
“But if she keeps refusing a date, maybe that does mean she’s not interested,” Teddy points out carefully as they arrive on level nine and leave the lift. “I mean, it could be harassment if you keep pestering her about it, yeah?”
Kevin snorts. “She’s almost said yes twice, and we snogged at the Christmas party last year. She claimed afterwards that she’d just had too much to drink, which is ridiculous because she was drinking water. Besides, I know when a woman is attracted to me, even if she doesn't want to admit it. If she wasn’t so amazing, I’d just give up and move on.” He shrugs. “I will eventually if she doesn’t give me another sign, but I have to try or I’d kick myself for being cowardly.”
“We’re kicking Kevin? Where do I sign up?” Susan asks as she rounds the corner. She grins. “The meeting room is smelly and small. Can’t we just play the ‘Deputy Head’ card and kick Boot and his group out of our meeting room?”
“I get kicked enough without you joining the group, Susan,” Kevin says with a wry smile. He looks at Hermione. “She’s right, though. What’s the purpose of being titled if you let Boot have our conference room?”
“Boot requested the room weeks ago, before we knew we had this case. Stop your whining and practice your charms to get rid of the scent.” She leads them into the room, which is small and smelly. “Bloody hell, this is pretty awful.”
“See?” Susan makes a face. “I told you so.”
“I’ll take care of the smell,” Teddy offers before he casts a freshening charm.
“And the table is too big for just us four, which is part of the space issue,” Hermione says, focusing for a moment to shrink the table. “There. That’s better.”
“Eh, I’d still like to have seen you go all swotty authority on Boot’s bony arse,” Susan mutters. She smiles. “However, this is a definite improvement.”
They sit down and organize their notes before Hermione begins. “Kevin, you’re first. What’s new?”
“Not a bloody thing. I’ve hit a brick wall in gathering information on Warrington. Said brick wall is called Pureblood Society, for the record. A bunch of---”
“Ahem. Watch what generalizations you’re about to make regarding Purebloods, Entwhistle,” Susan warns.
“Close-mouthed people,” he continues as he shifts slightly, “who won’t tell me anything. They’ve closed ranks, regardless of the fact that he’s guilty as sin. Other than that, I managed to finally receive a reply from his company, but they refused to tell me anything except that he wasn’t working there now. Which is rather obvious considering the fact he’s still sitting in Azkaban.”
“Actually, that leads into my news,” Hermione says. She finds her notes and glances over them before looking up. “I got a hunch last week.”
“Oh! What is it?” Susan asks. She glances at Teddy. “Hermione rarely pays attention to instinct over logic, but, when she does, it usually means something brilliant.”
“What did you find out, Boss?” Teddy arches a brow and grins.
“When I was reviewing the file last week, I noticed the name of Warrington’s company and it triggered a memory.” She removes Rose’s Quidditch magazine from her file. “My daughter left this at home after Easter break, and my son has been practicing his reading from it, so I knew I’d heard the name but it took me awhile to figure out where. According to this, the Swift Air Broom Company is under new ownership following a hostile takeover last autumn. The magazine is several months old, but it gives a basic overview of how the company is in new hands and lists some of their marketing changes et cetera.”
“What exactly is a hostile takeover?” Susan frowns and taps her pen against her notepad. “I assume it means that Warrington no longer owns the company.”
“Well, after I located this information, I had a source investigate it for me, since I don’t keep up with broom makers and Quidditch,” Hermione explains. “From what he found out, the takeover was a complete surprise. After all, Swift Air has been the leading producer of racing and recreational brooms for decades, since the Firebolt was released in the early nineties. The company who bought it out quietly took over debts at Gringotts, since the goblins had no qualms trading worthless stock for galleons, and they just took over during a board meeting last October. Warrington was left without a company and, if rumor is true, very little in his vault.”
“That’s why there wasn’t some huge Christmas party last year,” Kevin says, snapping his fingers. “All the neighbors I interviewed mentioned how he became a recluse and didn’t even hold his annual holiday party.”
“I went to see a contact at Gringotts today,” she tells them, “and I found out that he no longer has a vault; it was closed months ago. I was also told that there were several substantial withdrawals during the last four years, all pre-dating the takeover. The first one is three months after his application for Oakwood was declined. My contact wasn't able to provide any more details since the goblins are so difficult, but it's enough to know where to start looking.”
They’re silent for a moment before Teddy sighs. “So, he probably bought the children, then?”
“That would be my assumption. At least, he did at one time. The amounts are exactly the same and sporadic enough that I doubt it was blackmail,” Hermione says. “After he lost Swift Air, there weren’t any more large sums withdrawn. It seems that he basically lost most of what he had saved due to the takeover. With the amount he used to donate and the reports of his spending habits, I doubt there's much left at all.”
“Which explains why he’s still sitting in Azkaban without a solicitor,” Kevin adds. “This can definitely work in our favor. Do we know anything else?”
“I’ve made inquiries regarding the company who was involved in the takeover, but I’ve not come up with anything yet. I’m not sure if it has any connection with his crimes or if it was just a simple business deal, but I figure it’s best to follow the trail to the end to rule it out,” she tells them. “The sums of money also brings up another possibility that I intend to pass on to Ron to handle. That being, who he was paying and whether he had an accomplice.”
“Bugger,” Susan mutters. “Lupin, have the children said anything yet? If they could confirm that Warrington is the only one involved in the abuse, that at least gives us some direction.”
“We haven’t mentioned the abuse yet. They’re just trying to heal and adjust right now, and we don’t want to push them too fast.” Teddy runs his hand through his hair. “They’re talking more, but it’s just general and ‘more’ doesn’t really mean a lot since it’s in comparison to not saying anything at all.”
Hermione listens and nods. “For now, we’re going on the assumption that he acted alone. If he paid such a large sum, it’s likely that he acquired the children from someone and that was the end of the arrangement. However, the last payment was made in August of last year, and the wounds on the children suggest only one to two months of abuse. That means there are possibly bodies hidden somewhere, unless he released the ones he bought, which isn’t very realistic.”
“He could have been doing this for years,” Teddy murmurs, frowning at the table. “God, we don’t even know how many might have come before Beth and Howard. This is just disheartening.”
“Well, we’ve got him now, so he’s not hurting any more children,” Kevin says firmly. “Our job now is to gather enough evidence to support what the Aurors find and make sure he pays for his crime.”
“The Wizengamot will want more than potions analysis and weapons, unfortunately. We need witnesses to show a behavior pattern, we need to tie him in with solid proof that can’t be disputed, and we need to convince them that he’s guilty, because, even if they believe it and agree with the Auror’s evidence, they want it all when it comes to a case like this. Considering the nature of the crime, they'll almost certainly have to sentence him to Endless Sleep if they find him guilty, and that means they’ll be even more cautious and hesitant than normal. Before they sentence death, they want to be convinced without any doubts,” Hermione reminds them.
“I’ve tried to get witnesses, but I’m just unable to move forward,” Kevin says. “Susan, you’re Pureblood. Do you have any links that we could use?”
“Not any that run in the circles Warrington did. He was a Slytherin, which makes it an even tighter and more difficult circle to get past. They protect their own generally,” she explains. “It’s silly, but that’s how it is. I’ll think about it, though, and see if I can remember any of my aunt’s friends who might be able to help. Aunt Amelia might have died over twenty years ago, but she still has loyal friends when I need help. I’ll let you know if I can find anything.”
“I’ll try, too,” Hermione says. “I have one or two contacts who might be able to get us information.” She makes a note to owl Flint for a meeting later in the week. “Susan, were you able to get hold of the files at Oakwood?”
“Still caught up in paperwork. There’s red tape and blue tape and purple tape, I swear. Even with the signed request by Shackelbolt, they’re following procedure to a point of annoyance. I should have them by the next meeting, though.”
“Good. Give me a copy whenever you do get them,” she says. “Ted, keep working with the children. Your reports are showing signs of progression, so that’s definitely a positive.“
“Got it, Boss. I’m paying attention to dialects and word usage, too, in the hope that it might narrow down an area to try to find out who they are.”
“Actually, I had information from the Aurors regarding that.” She looks over her notes again. “Ron followed Ted’s suggestion from our last meeting, and the Aurors have a unit working their way through missing persons reports in several of the largest cities in Britain. They managed to identify one of the deceased children and are currently working with a Muggle liaison to figure out the best way to handle the return of the body. So, good job there. At least we might have a chance of identifying them and giving their parents some closure, even if it‘s in such a horrible way.”
“That’s good news. I mean, not really but closure helps,” Susan says. “It’s the not knowing and wondering that can drive a person mad.”
“I have a little free time later this week. Let Ron know that I’d be willing to help look through the reports when I can,” Kevin offers. “If it was my child missing, I’d rather know something solid, even if it was something bad.”
“Me, too,” Teddy adds. “Unless a new case comes up, my Thursday afternoon is pretty light. I’d like to help.”
“I’ll pass it along.” Hermione looks at them and smiles. “Does anyone have anything else?” When they shake their heads, she nods. “Okay, then. Meeting’s over. We’ll meet again next week, same time. I’ve booked our conference room, fortunately, so we’ll meet there like usual.”
They all gather their things, and she changes the table back to its normal size before they leave. She talks to Susan about her intern training as they walk upstairs to catch the lift, feeling better after this meeting than last week's. There’s still a lot to do, but it’s nice to have development in their favor instead of nothing new at all. Tomorrow, she’ll meet with Ron and Harry to fill them in on her discovery, and then she’ll figure out where to go from there.
End Chapter 37
WTR #36: Interrogation. Teen. | WTR #38: Protection. Teen.