The Witch and The Hunters

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX

Page count: 9

"Ricky, what did I say about brining mice to the car? Dean will have a conniption if he sees it," Hermione scolded the little owl, before swiftly looking behind her to ensure that Dean and Sam were both still in the shop, choosing snacks and beverages for their trip towards their next case.

Hermione kicked the dead mouse under the car before taking the package attached to Ricky's leg.

"You heading home?" She asked him. He hooted in response. "Off you go then, but don't be taking any mice into the apartment, you don't want Mimsy chasing after you," she warned. He hooted before pecking at her finger affectionately and then flying off.

She looked around before enlarging the package and opening it up and she groaned when she saw the contents.

"I'm sure I just saw your little demon owl out here."

She turned her head to see the brothers approaching her.

"You did," she told her husband. "He was just dropping off a package, I've sent him home."

"Anything good?"

"No," she sighed, showing him the large stack of papers that sat inside the box with The Ministry of Magic logo stamped across the first page.

"That looks fun," Sam commented.

"I wish, it's the annual performance review which I have to carry out on not only my department itself, but I also have to do individual performance reviews and staff appraisals with each member of my team, meaning we'll have to return to England at some point in the next few weeks so I can call a meeting and get all my agents to return to England. It's going to mean long office hours, so unfortunately we probably won't see much of each other."

Sam shrugged. "Ginny mentioned that she was going to return to her Quidditch team soon, we can have the kids for her whilst you're at work. It'll give Molly a break and allow us to spend some time with them since we don't see them that often."

Hermione turned to look at Dean and he nodded in agreement with his brother. "I don't mind watching the kids for a few hours," he shrugged.

"See, that's sorted. We'll take care of this case then head to England for however long you need."

"I should be able to get it all done in less than a week. I can do the department analysis in the car, it's the staffing reviews that I need to do on a one to one basis, some can take thirty minutes, others hours."

"Then let's go," Dean said, making his way to the driver's side.

"You just want to get this over with so you can see Lily Petal," Hermione snorted.

"She's cute," he argued.

"And got you wrapped around her little finger," she said amused.

"She has not!" He denied.

Hermione and Sam looked at each other disbelievingly.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger like a succubus does a man's heart," Sam said and Hermione sniggered.

Dean scowled at them.

"He's not wrong, that little girl owns you and you don't even know it," Hermione shrugged.

"When you two have kids, Lily is going to be introduced to the emotion of jealousy for the first time," Sam shook his head, before moving over to the car and missing the pained look on Hermione's face.

Dean walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and he kissed her forehead.

"It'll happen, sooner or later it will, we just have to keep trying," he muttered.