The Epilogue : Part I - The Shadow Army

CHAPTER TWO

The Auror Office

On a warm Saturday evening in the middle of August, in the centre of London, a clocked figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She walked for few minutes through the streets, her white wand at the ready as she finally engaged into Grimmauld Place. As it often happened throughout the summer, she secretly came to that street and stayed for hours in front of the houses number eleven and thirteen in the hope of seeing the Potters, and one of them particular. The number twelve was concealed by many powerful charms and enchantments to anyone passing by. Inside that house, a thirty–nine years old wizard was working on the large kitchen's table.

With his messy black–jet hair with a couple of threads of silver, his startlingly green eyes behind round–rimmed glasses and his growing beard, Harry Potter's face showed intense tiredness, but also an ardent will of finding the responsible of these last months' attacks.

Since the second of May, the entire Ministry of Magic was under constant pressure, especially Harry being Head of the Auror Office.

Even though he was working harder than any other Auror, Harry was totally overwhelmed. He read the same investigations reports again and again, in order to find the crucial evidence that he must have missed. His eyes had a mental block on the sentence from an impenetrable investigation report that seemed to slip through his brain; so he began to think about something else.

He first thought about Hermione Granger, the closest person he had. Harry sometimes caught sight of her at the Ministry before she'd go to attend never–ending legislative sessions, hearings and trials. She spent her time voting acts and judgments at the Wizengamot, Britain wizarding high court of law and parliament.

Thinking about Hermione, he couldn't help thinking about his other best friend, and Hermione's husband, Ron Weasley.

At that point, he felt guilty: Ron and Harry had lost track for a few months now. The last time he talked to him, Ron was working at a British subsidiary at the «Weasleys Wizard Wheezes», an international joke shop owned by his older brother, but Harry knew he didn't like that job and wished to become an Auror like him.

Harry tried to not let these thoughts driving his mind away from the case any longer and got back to work.

A cold cup of tea in one hand, and a white peacock quill in the other, he summed up the information he had. The only major evidence, apart from the crimes scenes analysis, was a lone testimony of an eyewitness who has been mysteriously found dead shortly after witnessing.

According to him, an attack occurred in the following way: a thick, dark and icy fog suddenly appearing from out of nowhere, wild beasts emerging from it, kidnapping or even killing people, and disappearing as fast.

However, despite the late hour, Harry refused to rest before having made any significant progress in the case.

"Harry..."

He turned his head and saw, in the kitchen door's frame, a flaming haired woman, wearing a light green housecoat.

"Oh Ginny, I'm sorry I stayed late at work..." stuttered Harry, a bit embarrassed. "I — will join you in one hour top..."

"Will you?" Ginny sighed. "You often stay late at work recently, and now you're even working here? Please come to sleep now, I'm waiting for you."

"Well."

Harry gave a final and panicked look to his piles of files, but he knew his attempt was destined to fail. He then made all papers vanish with a wand waving and followed his wife to the bedroom.