Author's note: I own neither Harry Potter nor Sherlock nor The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Features mild slash.

Chapter 7: Return to the Department of Mysteries

They didn't see Harry again until the next morning. It was a good thing too, considering their evening activities. A knock at the door interrupted their breakfast.

"Come in." Sherlock called out, the door was unlocked as usual – anyone they wanted to keep out would have been able to get in anyways, so they didn't bother locking it during the day.

Harry entered and walked into the kitchen, he took the remaining seat and turned towards his son, "I thought you might want to hear what we found out; he confessed."

John quickly went and prepared another cup of tea, before returning and giving it to Harry.

Sherlock nodded and pressed his fingertips together, he focused his intent gaze on his father, "Go on."

"Right now we're arresting the rest of them; he was only one of a whole group of Unspeakables. They were all working on some research, trying to create a zombie army to overthrow the ministry, or so they say."

"Really?" John interrupted.

"Apparently." was Harry's reply, "I just got back from seeing Rose. At first she didn't remember what she saw, but after undoing the damage they did, her story agrees. She saw something she shouldn't have and they tried to shut her up. The same probably happened to Mr. Kirkland, he just wasn't as lucky."

Sherlock nodded, deep in thought. Harry finished his tea in one gulp. Suddenly he froze. His features began to bubble and change, like that potion, whatever it was called.

"John!" Sherlock exclaimed.

John grabbed his gun and pointed it at the woman in front of them. She had her wand out and was rapidly switching her aim from Sherlock to John and back again. John circled her, so that he was opposite to Sherlock and she couldn't aim at both of them so easily. She began to spin around to focus on him when Sherlock spoke.

"So predictable." he yawned "I realized last night might have been an ambush; too easy otherwise. I also happen to know my own father. Even if it was really him, acting a bit unusually, reverse polyjuice potion wouldn't have hurt him if it was really him. So, let me guess, you're here to finish off the job, to Obliviate me and pretend like it never happened." the woman didn't make a move, so Sherlock just continued, "And my father, he's back at home with his memories perfectly fixed so that he doesn't remember a thing. Well, I can't have you waking up on me..."

Sherlock then went to the pantry and grabbed a vial filled with some glowing red liquid "The great thing about this one, is that it doesn't need to be ingested to work." he poured it onto her, and the instant the first red beam hit her head, she collapsed.

"Essance de stupify." Sherlock explained, before turning to John, "Well, lets go, we have a department to raid."

John put back his gun and focused on Sherlock "You know I can't use magic."

"I know. I also happen to know a few of the best witches and wizards in the world. Also, you'll need to drink this," Sherlock pulled a vial filled with gentle blue tinted liquid from the cabinet and dolled it off into two cups "It protects you from loosing your memory."

John nodded and they both drank up, once they were finished, John said, "Where to now?"

"First, Grimauld Place, then St. Mungo's-" Sherlock froze cold as he finished the statement.

"What is it?"

"We need to go, now!"

They ran up to the fire Sherlock went first, shouting "St. Mungo's..." before he left. John followed suit. They arrived in the crowded hospital. Sherlock ran up to the lift and John barely made it. They went up to the 2nd floor and, thanks to Sherlock's amazing memory, managed to run straight to Rose's ward with no need to ask for directions. They ran in to find nothing out of the ordinary. Scorpius was at the bedside holding his sleeping wife's hand, their children were no where to be found, probably back with Ron and Hermione or Arthur and Molly. And there was no one else there.

Sherlock stopped dead in his tracks, glanced around, and threw some of the potion from earlier around the room, nothing out of the ordinary showed up. That was when it must have clicked. Sherlock spun around and ran from the room. John followed, and soon enough they found themselves back in the atrium. John glanced around frantically for Sherlock, finally he found him next to one of the many fires lining the room, leaning over into it, so that his head was almost entirely consumed. John ran over, but Sherlock didn't seem to notice him. He placed a gentle hand on Sherlock's back, telling the detective he was there, but Sherlock just shrugged it off.

Finally, he emerged from the fire "We need to get home, now." was all he said before throwing some more powder into the fireplace and calling out "221B Baker Street."

John followed suit. By the time he got home, Sherlock was already texting like a madman. John decided it wasn't worth asking. He was about to go into the kitchen and grab something to eat; who knew when he might get the chance to eat next, with Sherlock like that, when a knock sounded at the door. John sighed. He walked to the door and opened it. Outside was Lily. She greeted him with a hug and jumped in the room.

"I'm here!" she exclaimed.

She ran into the next room and hugged her older brother, but he ignored her and just kept texting.

She turned back to John "What's his deal?"

"He's working on a case, doesn't want to be disturbed." John shrugged "Even I can't talk to him when he's like this."

That last statement earned John a slight smile from his partner, but Sherlock quickly returned his focus to the conversation he was having, as another message announced its arrival with a buzz. John was content to return to the living room and sit in silence, working on his new blog, until Sherlock finished. Lily, on the other hand, followed him, and sat down, but stood up a few seconds later.

"Why is he taking so long?" she exclaimed.

John shrugged.

"What are you working on?" she bounced over and looked over his shoulder "What's this?"

"It's a blog, my blog actually."

"So this is called a blog...?" she asked pointing to the computer screen.

Suddenly it registered "Do you know what a computer is?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"This entire thing is a computer, a laptop computer. Computers used to be a lot bigger, but they've gotten a lot smaller over time." he explained, he felt like he was explaining to an unusual little kid.

Lily frowned pointedly "You know, even though I don't use muggle technology, I'm not a little kid."

"I'm sorry," John held up his hands in a surrender "I can't say I'm much of a teacher." he smiled as he heard Sherlock laughing slightly from the kitchen.

"So, this is a computer. What does it do?" Lily interrupted John's train of thought.

"Well, a lot of things, I can write on it, using this keyboard and I can contact other computers using the internet." John attempted to explain "A blog is a journal on the internet that everyone can see..."

"Well that seems counterproductive..." Lily remarked.

"Not really-" John began.

Sherlock walked into the room and cut him off "Mycroft was so kind as to provide us with a ministry car and a few of his 'special agents'. So it's just us. Shall we?"

They pulled on jackets and coats, and, in Sherlock's case, a scarf, and left, bidding Ms. Hudson good-bye on their way out.

"Have a nice day, dears. Don't get hurt." she called after them.

Both John and Sherlock grinned at the statement, that had become a running joke between them. Lily just shrugged and assumed the old woman was being motherly. They walked out to the ministry cars. Lily got shotgun, while Sherlock and John sat in the back. They drove through London at a breakneck pace, that John was quite confident couldn't be legal. On multiple occasions John found them going the wrong way, driving on the pavement, and generally going places they weren't supposed to.

Neither Sherlock, nor Lily, nor anyone else, for that matter, seemed to notice, let alone be a bit unnerved. John decided that it would probably be best if he just stopped looking out the window and instead turned to focus on Sherlock. The detective seemed to have been watching him the entire time, for a moment they sat there, looking at each other in a way that could easily have been called staring, and would have been awkward if they weren't a couple. Finally Sherlock decided to break the silence.

"So, you have questions." he smiled.

John laughed "It just so happens that I do. What's the plan?"

"We're going to lead a team of Mycroft's 'special agents' into the Department of Mysteries where they're working on the memories of everyone they could get a hold of. Lily will take us in, but we'll need cover. Be ready to shoot, just in case." Sherlock explained.

"You sure Lily can manage it alone?" John glanced at his partner's sister, humming and "dancing" along to something John couldn't hear.

"She won't be alone, she'll have us and Mycroft's people, but they're just back up, she would probably be fine on her own."

John shrugged, "Okay..."

"You'll see." Sherlock smiled mischievously.

"Now you're just scaring me."

Sherlock turned to look John in the eyes, his expression serious despite the joking tone to John's comment "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"I know, and I'm saying we'll both be fine. I know what I'm doing." Sherlock held his head in his most arrogant "don't underestimate me" way.

John sighed "I hope so."

Sherlock was about to reply when the car suddenly stopped. They grabbed for the other as they were thrown forwards, almost out of their seats. Somehow they managed to survive, with no pain at all. Lily completely ignored the sudden stop and was the first out of the car.

"You okay?" John asked, quickly scanning Sherlock for any injury.

"Never been better. You?" the detective replied.

John smiled, "Perfect."

Their little conversation was interrupted by Lily tapping impatiently at the window.

"Let's go." John motioned towards Lily.

"Let's."

Sherlock got out of the car and helped John do the same. They all left the driver to park the car, and walked to the phone booth that Rose had been shot at. Reflexively, both Sherlock and John scanned the horizon. When their eyes met and they realized that the other was doing the same they both smiled and had to stop themselves from laughing. Lily ignored them and ran up to the phone booth. She coughed impatiently and held the door open for her brother and his "cute friend" who were being so slow.

Finally they both entered, John first followed closely by Sherlock. After a glance at John, who was busy focusing on Sherlock, Lily dialed the phone said she and her brother were there to give a friend a tour. She listed all their names and soon enough name-stickers fell from the phone. They each put theirs on and soon found themselves in a lift, speeding down into a large lobby. From there, Lily led the way, taking them into a lift, down to the same floor as before, and out into the hallway and that circular room with doors. John had a feeling he was being watched.

Lily, almost immediately, pulled out her wand and muttered a few words under her breath, while waving the stick around in quick little motions. One of the doors popped open and she led them through, her wand outstretched. It was the Brain Room. Leaning up against the green glowing tanks were Hermione and Harry and several aurors, recognizable by the insignia on their robes. They all seemed free, but from the way they were sitting they must have been tied by some invisible rope. It wasn't the most outlandish thing John had seen – or not seen – with Sherlock.

Lily waved her wand and suddenly they all fell, as if released from ropes. Suddenly a shout echoed around the chamber and a flash of light nearly hit Lily. She had just enough time to block it. Suddenly flashes of different colored lights were flying across the chamber. John dove to the ground and pulled Sherlock down with him. Lily had somehow managed to not get hit once and had made their assailants visible as well. Suddenly the door flew open. A team of people, in what could only be described as armored robes, ran in the room. They started casting spells too.

John was glad both he and Sherlock had already gotten out of the way. With just Lily they had been barely surviving, but once what had to have been Mycroft's people, as Sherlock had called them, they were winning. The Unspeakables were shackled, their wands were taken, and they were lead out of the room by Mycroft's people. Lily leaned against the wall, exhausted. The aurors left to get their wands back.

They all made their way back upstairs. Those who were injured were immediately sent to St. Mungoes. Harry led everyone else to his office, and one by one they walked in to give their statements. Sherlock and John were last, and eventually they found themselves alone in the hallway.

"So, what was that all about?" John asked.

"Mr. James Smith, the current head auror. His wife died a few months back. He was trying to bring her back to life. The rest were either intimidated into it or decided to help."

John nodded and they fell into a pensive silence. Eventually Harry called John in, and then his own son. They each gave their statements before being herded off to St. Mungo's, just in case. They were released with little trouble and by that night they found themselves at home. Sherlock complained of being bored the very next morning.

Author's Note: Thank you to all who read this story, particularly those who favorited it and story alerted it. Special thanks goes out to those who reviewed. As always, constructive criticism is much appreciated.

If you liked "Murder and a Family Reunited" go check out it's sequel: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"