o·mis·sion (noun)
the act of excluding or leaving something out

Harry woke up freezing and sore. He sat up, groaning softly. The world outside the window was dark. A Tempus charm told him it was just after one a.m. He groaned again and stood.

He undid his wards and opened the door. The sight that greeted him was surprisingly domestic.

Malfoy was curled up on a deep green armchair that, given the matching color, must have been transfigured from the swivel chair he had been perched on earlier. A fire had been lit in the corner of the room, casting a soft light over it. Silver glasses sat on the blonde's nose, and he was reading over the files that Harry had left on his own chair. Speaking of, Harry's swivel chair had been transfigured into a matching armchair in deep red.

It felt like something of a peace offering, and Harry said nothing as he sat down in the chair, relishing in the comfort.

The whiteboard had a single timeline going through it, with markers indicating three separate people on it.

Unspeakable Michael Corner
September 9, 2002
Approx. 3:15-4:15 p.m. BST

Auror Theodore Nott
October 12, 2002
Approx. 2:00-5:00 p.m. BST

Hit Wizard Silas Bones
October 16, 2002
Approx. 2:45- 3:50 p.m. BST

Harry stood slowly and approached the whiteboard, erasing four letters off of Theo's name. Then after studying the date for a moment, feeling a bit sick, he erased the 2 from the 2:00 and wrote a 3.

"How do you know that?" Malfoy asked quietly, the words ringing through the silent air. "The file says two."

"None of your business."

"Potter, if you have information about-"

"I was with them from 2:00 to 2:50," Harry said quietly. "They left to go to work and got stuck in our- in my Floo for another five minutes. So technically-" he paused to scratch off the 3:00 and wrote 2:55. "they could have gone missing immediately after that."

"You were with Theod- Theo the day h- they went missing?" Malfoy breathed, and Harry nodded, glaring at the floor. "Potter, why was Theodore Nott at your house?"

Harry scowled. "That's not important."

"Potter, I'm going to write Kingsley this instant and tell him that you're withholding-"

"Malfoy," Harry began in a deadly, dangerous voice. "If you write a single fucking word to Kingsley about any of this I will Avada you myself in this fucking hotel and finish this case with your body sitting in that fucking armchair."

Malfoy paled. Harry felt marginally bad until he remembered Malfoy was a homophobic piece of shit and he didn't care how the blonde felt.

"Shit," Malfoy muttered. "And I Transfigured you an armchair."

"After being about four seconds away from calling me a homophobic slur," Harry spat. "I owe you nothing, Malfoy. Your whole family is still in my debt."

Malfoy looked ill at the reminder. Harry had to will himself to not feel bad, and turned back to the whiteboard.

"Why is Michael so far apart from the others?" he asked aloud.

"Hm?" Malfoy's voice sounded shaky. Harry didn't allow himself to turn around.

"Theo, October twelfth. Silas, four days later. Why is Michael more than a month previous?"

The sound of movement came from behind Harry, and then a voice sounded right next to him, almost making him jump.

"Maybe Michael was a test run? Maybe they didn't want him, they were just working out the kinks in the operation and he was just a target of opportunity."

"Then we do have a pattern," Harry said slowly. "That would be two people in the DMLE. Theo from the Auror Headquarters, and Silas from the Wizengamot Hit Wizard Offices. Maybe they're getting one from each section of the DMLE?"

"If that's right, the Improper Use of Magic Office is next," Malfoy said worriedly.

"I'll write Kingsley," Harry said, grabbing a piece of parchment from his bag on the floor (he realized he was still wearing his clothes from earlier yesterday) and sitting in his chair. Just as he started looking around, Malfoy tossed him a quill. Seeker instincts kicked in and Harry snatched it with one hand. Malfoy raised one eyebrow, but said nothing, just turning back to the whiteboard and frowning.

Kingsley-

We think they're taking members of the DMLE and that Unspeakable Corner was taken as a test. We think they might go for a member of the IUMO next. You should warn all members of the department.

Harry

He stood, handing it to Malfoy, who nodded shortly. "That's fine. He'll probably bitch to you about formatting."

"Fuck formatting, people's lives are in danger," Harry said sharply. He threw Floo powder into the fireplace in the corner of the room, watching it light up green. "Head Auror Shacklebolt's office, Auror Headquarters."

The fire shifted, and Harry threw the letter into it, watching it dissolve instead of burn. The fire returned to its normal shade.

Malfoy yawned softly, and Harry glanced over at him.

"Did you get sleep at all?"

Malfoy shook his head. "Wanted to look over the case. Make sure you didn't die cracking your skull on a bathtub or anything."

"You wouldn't have heard if I had, I cast a Silencing Charm," Harry said quietly.

Malfoy frowned. "Why? You weren't wanking in there for six hours, were you? Would explain why your hair looks like that."

"No, Malfoy, I didn't want to hear whatever homophobic shit you were planning on shouting through the door," Harry spat.

Malfoy went quiet. Harry didn't look at him. "You should get some sleep. I'll keep looking over the case."

Malfoy said nothing, and Harry looked up. The blonde looked uncertain, and Harry sighed.

"I'll wake you up if I find out anything. Go to sleep. You're no use to me sleep-deprived. I promise I won't molest you in your sleep."

"That's not-" Malfoy sighed and shook his head, walking toward the bed. "Whatever. Wake me up if Kingsley writes back."

"Will do, blondie."

Malfoy glared at him, dropping facedown onto the bed and not moving.

Harry shook his head, returning to the board. He hoped Kingsley would write back soon. Sure, it was almost two in the morning, but his people's lives were at stake. Surely he cared enough to have some sort of alarm in case there was word.

Surely he cared enough to at least have someone watching the office.

Surely he cared enough to not leave Malfoy and Harry on their own.