It was odd to see Aaron in her old seat, at her old desk. It was odder still to be in Harry’s office as a victim, rather than his assistant and helper. Mira wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it, though just that moment she wasn’t entirely sure her emotions were reliable in the least. Someone had attempted to murder her the night before, but instead of her own demise she had witnessed the death of her assailant. Telling her parents had been anything but easy, and she’d stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking with her twin about the night’s events.

Everything had seemed more clear in the safe haven of their old bedroom at Falcon Court. She’d traded lingering fear for her temper, had chased away the sticky film of distress with the heat of anger at how she’d have felt if it’d been anyone she cared about in her place, magically bound with death over their head.

But the dawn brought with it a new day, and if she was a bit unsteady, and tired - well, there were definitely reasons.

“I feel as if I should be getting you tea, or sorting that pile,” she told Harry as she sat down in one of the chairs opposite his desk. “That would make this more of a normal day.”

If he thought letting her organize the incoming mail Aaron had brought him that morning would help, Harry would have gladly let her do it. He knew from first hand experience that distracting yourself from what you needed to do only made things worse. After what she’d gone through last night, after what had happened to her, he wanted the whole thing to be over as soon as it could be, and getting her statement would help that process along.

The Aurors on duty that morning had looked over the evidence. The body had been positively identified as Megan Jones, wanted murdered and escapee from Azkaban. Her wand had been tested, and a stunning spell on Mira shown to be the last spell it had ever cast. Whatever had happened after had been self-defense, and there was no question that Jones’ death had been accidental.

What her wand had revealed after that had been more than enlightening. There would be several other murders solved now, cases that had been open for months finally finding some sort of end. There were already Aurors in route to several families to let them know that the murderer of their son or daugther had been caught and could no longer hurt anyone else.

But what could have happened to Mira if that man and Cassie hadn’t been there to help still hung in the air of Harry’s office, both because he’d been pondering it all night since returning to the Ministry, and because he knew Mira probably hadn’t slept well thinking the same thing.

“Did you want tea? Aaron can go get us some if you’d like,” Harry offered, rising from the chair behind his desk. He wasn’t sure why, but sitting behind the desk and taking her statement seemed far too formal for his liking, and he couldn’t stand that right then. Instead, he took the seat across from her, mini recorder in hand.

He refused to use a Quick Quotes Quill and didn’t want to make her talk slower because he couldn’t keep up. This would be easier.

He hoped.

“I don’t think I’m very good at asking for others to do something I could do myself,” Mira said, which wasn’t really an answer to the question at all. In truth the warmth of the mug would be welcome to her cold hands, but what she had said was true, especially given the circumstances. Not so long ago, she’d have been the one fetching tea for Harry and his guests. It was odd to think she was here for reasons other than work, or even just a visit – something she planned on doing regularly even though she worked several floors up now.

Blue eyes went to the small, sleek machine in Harry’s hand. “It’s Muggle,” she said, more to herself than anything. It was too new, too mechanical, to be something produced in the wizarding world. Her gaze lifted to his. “What does it do?” She knew she was stalling, but she was curious.

“It records our voices,” Harry explained, handing it to her so she could investigate it like he knew she probably wanted to. “It’s so I don’t have to copy down everything as you say it. I haven’t had much use for it lately.” He’d managed to keep the disappointment out of his voice, but just barely. “It’ll make everything go faster.”

That made sense. The wizarding world had developed a Quick Quotes Quill, but it wasn’t half so simple or inconspicuous. Mira could see how Harry would prefer this to the more practiced wizarding methods, and wondered if some kind of charm could be developed to record voices - though in what, she wasn’t sure.

She turned it over in her hands, slim fingers sliding over the grooves and gently testing the buttons. It was not brand new and there were spots where the paint was worn, indicating how much it had been used. “You miss using this, don’t you?” she asked, blue eyes rising to his.

He nodded, reaching for the recorder when she held it out to him. Most witches and wizards hadn’t embraced the Muggle technology, but Harry found most of the time, if you didn’t bring it up, they didn’t really give it any attention. “I miss doing this,” he confided, “though, if I could not do it today, I’d be alright with it.”

Mira nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

She studied him a long moment, gaze ticking from the way he was slightly leaning towards her to the openness in his green eyes. Harry had rarely closed himself off from her and he was almost incapable of false pretence. As Mira watched him, it was as if a web of tiny, seemingly inconsequential things came together and she finally saw the whole picture. “You want to go back into the field. That’s why you were training when I found you,” she said with surety before tipping her head to the side. “You can, you know. Go back. You’re the one that makes the decisions around here, and it isn’t as if this office can’t run itself. I made sure of that.”

Harry leaned back in the chair, running a hand through his unkempt hair. He hadn’t really told anyone his plan other than Hermione, who made sure he knew he was an idiot for not doing it earlier, and he knew it wasn’t time just yet. Soon, though. He was almost back to the shape he knew he needed to be in, and as soon as he was sure, he’d tell Kingsley and Hestia. They’d be able to work it out, he knew, but he needed to be ready.

“I know. I couldn’t have done it before, and part of why I can now is because you somehow got this place in order. Impossibly,” he said with a small grin in her direction, hand resting on his neck as he looked at her.

Her lips curled into a tiny smile. “So you are going back into the field.”

“Sometime, yeah.” He had a date in mind, but saying it aloud meant that he might not meet it, and for the time being, Harry wanted that to be a personal goal. He’d been working hard almost every night after the Ministry seemed to quiet, last night one of the few exceptions.

Mira watched him another long moment, and the smile slowly hid itself away again when she realized it was time. No more dawdling. She reached out and pressed the ‘Record’ button on Harry’s little device.

“I handed in my thesis last night. Cassie came with me, but she distracted herself with one of the fellowship students while I talked to my professor...” Mira’s gaze traveled to the window and it’s magically charmed outdoor scenery - currently bright and sunny, and completely irritating. “I didn’t see her when I was done, and went outside. It was dark - I didn’t realize how long we’d been there,” she said by way of explanation as she brought her gaze back to Harry’s. “But the grounds are safe.” Supposed to be. “The university has security.”

A tiny frown pulled between her brow. “I was just dawdling on the lawns, you know? Waiting for Cass and ... just full of thoughts. I still can’t believe I’m done with school, and I ... I don’t work here anymore, and everything’s changing ... I guess I was distracted.”

Harry wanted to tell her that she had no reason to think anything would happen, but taking a statement wasn’t really about comforting, it was about facts. It was one of the things understood, but didn’t like. “And that’s when you saw Megan Jones?”

Mira shook her head. “No, that’s when I heard her.” She frowned again, swallowed and folded her hands in her lap to hide the slight tremble that she and Cassie had managed to banish for awhile the night before. “‘Should have let me in, should have let me have him’ ... something about how ‘he’ wasn’t mine, and then before I could even turn around all the way...” Mira didn’t like talking about it. She’d been so weak and unprepared. “... she put me in a full body bind.”

“She didn’t give you any time to defend yourself,” Harry asked, though it was more a statement for the record than anything. Mira’s wand had been free of any casting towards Megan Jones, so he knew she hadn’t had time to do anything but fall and watch as Megan came closer.

Mira started to shake here head, and then remembered Harry was recording. “No, I ... just fell down and ... couldn’t do anything. She she seemed displeased that I wouldn’t be able to fight back, but ... but I think she’s been waiting long enough that she was willing to take the opportunity however it presented itself.” Her voice was detached. Empty. It was the only way she could speak about it without turning into a trembling, silly mess. Again. “She put her hands on my neck and I could feel how hard her grip was... but I couldn’t do anything.” She lifted a hand to shift her dark hair over her shoulder, exposing the line of her throat. “You can take photos of the bruises if you need them for the file.”

Last night he’d seen her for such a short time that the bruises on her neck hadn’t been formed yet. Now, in the light of his office, they were dark and bright against the white of her skin. He resisted the urge to curse, though there were several key words on his tongue, as he reached out a hand, fingers hovering above the angry and mottled marks. “I didn’t know she’d touched you,” he said, anger bleeding into his voice, and even though he knew Megan was dead, he ached to make her pay for hurting Mira.

“I think she enjoys a more hands on approach to things. But for binding me, she didn’t seem inclined to use her wand at all.” Her voice was still detached and void of emotion, but awareness trickled through her. She could feel the heat of Harry’s hand. “She didn’t have very long to try and suffocate me though. My vision had only just started to go hazy when all of a sudden she was just gone. I... I couldn’t see what happened to her. I knew Cassie was coming though. I could hear her yelling, but she was far away.”

Green gaze still intent on the colors coating the skin of Mira’s neck, able to distinguish the print of Megan’s fingers and work out the angle she’d been using to cut off the air supply, it took Harry a moment to realize that Mira had stopped talking. He pulled his hand away from her, switching the recorder from one grip to the other simply to give his hands something to do instead of fisting like they wanted to.

“So you didn’t see Megan get hexed, or see her fall and hit her head on the bench?”

“I ... no, I didn’t see anything. One moment she was looking down at me, and the next she was gone. I couldn’t move until Cass used the binding counter-curse. I know it wasn’t Cass who cast the spell though... she was too far away, and I did hear the man - he was closer.” Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the exact details. Harry needed details. “He ... Stupefy. He just used a simple stunning spell.” Mira met his gaze. “I don’t think it was anyone’s intention that she die.” Mira didn’t add that she was glad the blonde had gone. She wasn’t sorry for it, but it wasn’t something one mentioned as an official witness.

Harry’s thumb pressed the button with two little lines on it, pausing the recording. His eyes were intent on hers when he asked, “Do you know the man who helped you?”

He knew Cassie and Mira had both seen the man who had done this. He hadn’t disappeared right away, but he’d left regardless. If anyone pushed the matter, both Cassie and Mira’s memories of the night could be taken and his identity could be identified that way, but if he could avoid making this anymore invasive for Mira, he would.

The fact that the man had left when it was clear Megan had been killed accidentally suggested that the man had reason to leave before the MLE arrived on the scene. Harry knew it should want to know who had helped Mira, but it seemed that Cassie and Mira were both content with leaving the truth of the man a mystery.

The Auror in him argued that it wasn’t protocol, but another part of him, a part he still needed to identify, could care less as long as Megan was dead and couldn’t hurt Mira - or anyone, he reminded himself to think - anymore.

Mira’s hands began to tremble even more and she clenched them all the harder. Talking about her near-death experience was nothing to how she felt in that moment. She had been futilely hoping Harry wouldn’t bring it up because the thought of lying to him made her sick to her stomach. The thought of betraying her twin’s trust was just as bad, if not worse.

She would just have to take it one question at a time. Fortunately, the first she could be honest and honor everyone important to her. Kind of. “No, I’ve never seen him before.” And she hadn’t - he’d knocked her unconscious on Halloween before she’d ever gotten the chance.

He looked at her for a long moment - the tightness in her shoulders, the way her fingernails were likely biting into her palms and would leave little half-moon shaped marks in the skin - and wondered when he’d learned when she was being evasive. They’d spent months working closely with one another, enough time that anyone would have started cataloguing information about the other, but Harry knew it wasn’t just that.

“Do you have any desire whatsoever to find out who this man was?”

Mira didn’t answer right away - she couldn’t. On the one hand she wanted to know as much as she could possibly find out. Cassie hadn’t known his name, and she felt at a disadvantage; he knew who they were. On the other hand, he didn’t seem at all interested in either of them like the blonde woman, and had even stopped her. Killing her had been an accident, to be sure, but he’d just walked away from all of it. There was no blood feud between them.

She shook her head slowly. “No. He did a good thing for me, but if he doesn’t want credit for it ...” Mira didn’t finish her statement as she raised her eyes to Harry’s. She hadn’t lied to him, but she still felt guilty for not having told the whole truth.

He took a deep breath at her words, nodding as his thumb pressed the button again, starting the recorder for the rest of the conversation. “And after your sister unbound you, what did you do?”

The abrupt change of subject startled her somewhat, and she blinked at him. “I ... I thanked the man and hugged my sister, and then came here to find you.” Not find any Auror - find Harry. Mira didn’t think it was necessary to add that, however.

“Is there anything else you want on the record?” he asked, hating how his voice sounded professional, but knowing it was needed for the official statement. He wanted this part over for her. His eyes flicked down to look at her hands, clasped in her lap and still trembling if you were paid close enough attention. Finishing this part would be the end.

She shook her head. “No. I was with you for everything else.” Thankfully. She wasn’t sure what she’d have done if it’d been any other Auror. Probably been a silly mess like she was threatening to become if the irritating shake to her hands was any indication. Harry had helped ward that off the night before.

There was a ‘click’ as the recorder turned off. The statement he needed from Mira was completed. Once written out, it would be compiled together with the rest of the statements and evidence on the attack, and would go to the board to be given a verdict. He had no doubt it would be ruled as simple self-defense. He’d been informed that the MLE could do with some good press; that Megan Jones was no longer roaming the streets of London was very good news. Harry knew he should be happy that things had turned out as they had - Mira was fine and Megan was dead - but he’d never been very good at accepting things as they were.

Mira would have never been in danger if she hadn’t tried to protect him at Halloween. She’d become a target because of her connection to him, like so many others before, and he knew that others - Cedric, Dennis, George - hadn’t been so lucky.

It was a good thing she wasn’t working for him anymore.

Harry set the recorder on his desk. “That should be everything we need. We’ve already gotten the evidence and Cassie’s statement. Hopefully this will be over soon.”

“At least she can’t hurt anymore people,” Mira said. “I think she liked doing that - hurting people. She seemed so disappointed that I couldn’t fight back...” Mira swallowed and shook her head, and said what she’d been thinking since talking to Cassie the night before. “I’m glad she’s gone.”

He understood the sentiment completely. Megan Jones had caused terror for several people he knew, and he’d begun to think that if a body came in with no concrete evidence as to who had murdered them, it was most likely her. The body count in the country would most likely drop sharply now that she wasn’t on the streets.

The fact that she could no longer hurt certain people made Harry feel especially glad that she was dead.

“Are you going to take the rest of the week off? I’m sure the charms department can do without you for a few days. After all, they do still have your mother and sister.”

Mira shook her head. “I’m sure they could do without me, but I’d rather keep myself busy, you know? Plus, what better place to be right now than with Mother and Cassiopeia,” she said, tiny smile curling her lips.

Harry nodded. He supposed it made sense, but he’d always found himself wanting to be alone after horrible things happened. Unfortunately, that seemed to be a running theme for much of his life and kept him in a constant state of self-imposed solitude. It was easier, he’d assured himself time and time again.

“Yeah. I’m sure they’ll be able to take care of you,” he said, knowing it would be different having someone take care of her when she was so good at taking care of everyone else. “They’re closer to you, anyway.”

“I’d hope so. They are my family,” she pointed out, some of the usual brightness lighting Mira’s eyes as their conversation drifted further and further from the content which she’d come to tell him in the first place. “You should come have lunch or something when you get a break from this. I know Aaron does a good job, but you might take some initiative and feed yourself, huh?”

“If you’re the one telling me to have lunch, it’s not exactly me taking the initiative as much as me following orders, yeah?” His eyes were warm with teasing amusement as he looked across the space. Aaron did do a good job, but he wasn’t Mira. It was possibly one of the man’s only downfalls.

“I’d like that, though getting a ‘break’ from this sounds a little too hopeful. Maybe I’ll have more time once I’m not holed in this office all day long.”

“That sounds a little too doubtful for my tastes,” Mira replied as a smile started to curl your lips. “I’ve always found that things just don’t happen if you don’t make them happen. Then again, we’re not all the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department ...” she added, a twinkle lighting her eyes.

“Be thankful for that, Mira. Be very thankful for that,” he said, a slightly more serious tone bleeding into the conversation. He knew they’d already finished what they needed to do, but he didn’t particularly want to end the conversation yet. Ending the conversation meant she would leave, and he’d gotten used to having her there.

He knew he needed to adjust, to get uesd to her not being there, but maybe he was being selfish in wanting something - and someone - familiar; someone he was actually comfortable with.

She sobered slightly at the tone in Harry’s voice, and nodded. “I am thankful. I know a lot of the Aurors now, but ...” Blue eyes found his. “... but I’m glad you were here last night.” She shifted in her chair to the edge of the seat and leaned forward to give him a light hug. “Truly. I’m thankful.”

Harry’s arms wrapped around Mira’s shoulders, though the angle of the hug was a bit awkward with the space between their chairs and bodies. He rose to his feet, pulling her with him. “I’m glad I was here, too.”

He might not have been consciously aware of it, but he’d gotten used to whatever scent Mira wore. He wasn’t sure if it was really her perfume, or what she used in the shower, but he’d noticed the difference. That wasn’t to say that Aaron smelled bad or anything, the man was actually quite well groomed, but it wasn’t the same, and Harry couldn’t help taking a deep lungful while he was standing so close to Mira.

Mira couldn’t help the slight speeding of her heart. Harry was usually startled when she hugged him, but for the first time he’d responded without surprised at her actions and had even brought them closer together. She knew it was because he was only worried for her safety, but it didn’t help the formation of coherent thought in that particular moment. She usually didn’t allow herself to linger close to him, but he was holding her, and against her better judgement, Mira let herself relax into him, lids fluttering shut.

“Sir, the Ministe-”

Harry’s eyes opened - he hadn’t realized they’d fallen closed - and from the look on Aaron’s face, he could only assume that his first expression at being interrupted was not particularly friendly. He took a step back from Mira, but didn’t leave her personal space entirely. “Meeting?”

“She’s expecting you presently, sir.”

“Okay.” He waited until Aaron had closed the door to look back at Mira, sighing softly. “I’d forgotten I’d set up a meeting with her ages ago. It took me two months to actually be able to sit down with her.”

“I know,” she said, lashes falling over blue eyes. She could hide the look in them, but unfortunately she couldn’t stop the heat she could feel sluicing beneath her skin. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice her blush. “You’re both exceptionally busy.”

When she trusted herself, she lifted her eyes and a small smile curled her lips. “I did spend a bit of time trying to sync your calendars.”

“You were probably the one that actually scheduled this for me,” he said with a small grin. It was warm in his office, not wholly uncommon, and the heat from Mira’s body was almost a tangible thing in the space. He thought it might have been just him, but her cheeks were flushed as well.

Taking another step back, his hands finally falling to his sides from where they’d been holding her upper arms, he nodded towards the door. “Your sister is probably wondering what’s taking you so long. Her statement only took ten minutes.”

Mira glanced at her wristwatch. “Oh! I hadn’t realized we’d gone on so long!” If it was possible, her cheeks heated even more. Harry didn’t seem to notice, but Cassie would and she would have something to say about how long it’d taken.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you,” she said as she moved towards the door.

“Hey,” Harry said, hand reaching out to grab her wrist, fingers wrapping around it easily. “You didn’t keep me. I wanted to do this.”

It was impossible for her turn any pinker, she was sure. Still, Mira let her fingers slip to his and she gave them a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad it was you.”

She slipped her fingers from his and slipped out the door. Cassie raised her brows at her, but Mira shook her head, slipped her arm into her twin’s as she moved to join her and whispered, “I’ll tell you later,” as the exited the outer offices.

Grabbing his discarded jacket from where it was draped over his chair, Harry slipped into it, despite the warmth in his office making him want to loosen his tie more than ever. He tucked the recorded conversation into his desk drawer and locked it. It would need to be transcribed soon so this whole thing could be put to rest, but other duties came first.

“I’m on my way,” he told Aaron as he stepped into the outer office, flipping his collar and running a hand through his hair. “Do you think you could call someone from maintenance? My office is unusually warm.”

He didn’t catch Aaron’s small smirk as he left, only hearing the “very good, sir” as he headed towards the Minister’s office.


Summary: Harry takes Mira’s statement regarding her attack and the death of Megan Jones.