The Kingsley Chronicles 1: Life is beautiful
This is the first story in an intended series about Kingsley Shacklebolt's life. This one focuses on his first year as an auror and his struggle to prove himself to Scrimgeour. It should be about five chapters long, I'll try to update frequently. Please review because I find it helps my writing style. Constructive criticism is welcome.
Chapter One
Kingsley Shacklebolt looked round his small cubicle one more time to see if he had forgotten anything that might prove useful that night. He was preparing for a secret auror operation that night and since he rarely got to go on them he was determined that everything would go perfectly, he wasn't going to give Rufus Scrimgeour, his team leader, any reason to stop him going on missions anymore.
Kingsley was still in his first year as an auror and he had been on fewer missions than any other auror at the ministry. Even the other first year aurors who had qualified at the same time as he did had been on more. Scrimgeour seemed determined to keep him in the office doing paperwork and filing rather than have him out in the field. Kingsley couldn't work out why this was since he had qualified with the highest marks of anyone in his group during training. Whenever he asked any other aurors why he was kept behind so often they just said that Scrimgeour had his own way of doing things and he'd let Kingsley go on missions when he had more experience. Which was all very well, Kingsley had thought, but how was he supposed to gain experience when he spent all his shifts buried under a never ending stream of paperwork?
Still, Scrimgeour had finally relented and Kingsley was going to be part of the rear team that night when his team ambushed a meeting of Death Eaters due to take place in a forest in Yorkshire that night. He would have preferred to be part of the frontal assault but realised that on one of his first ops he would have to be satisfied with a less overt role, and Scrimgeour had said that the rear team would definitely see some action that night. Kingsley was resolute that after his performance that night even Scrimgeour would admit that he was useful in the fields.
"Ah, Shacklebolt," said a dry voice from the entrance to his cubicle. Kingsley turned to see Scrimgeour, already dressed in his forest camouflage robes standing in the aisle beside his cubicle.
"Hello, sir," said Kingsley standing up.
"There has been a change of plan about tonight's op Shacklebolt," Scrimgeour said airily, "we have received intelligence that the number of Death Eaters at the meeting tonight is going to be far less than we originally had expected. Planning and Intelligence have decided that we won't need all the aurors that we were going to take with us."
Kingsley had felt his heart beginning to sink as Scrimgeour spoke. He thought he could see where this was going…
"You've been working hard these last few weeks; I know how tiresome paperwork can be. I thought you might like the night off."
"No sir," said Kingsley quickly, "I'd much rather go on the op I haven't been on one since March."
"Nonsense," said Scrimgeour heartily, "You've earned yourself some time off. Go home and see your girlfriend, much better than trudging through muddy forests and waiting in trees for hours." Kingsley sat in silence, he was afraid that if he opened his mouth he might say something that would make Scrimgeour very angry.
"Yes sir," he sighed.
"Good lad," said Scrimgeour cheerfully, "you can clock off from now and get yourself some well-earned rest."
Kingsley flopped down into his chair and watched Scrimgeour walk away towards the briefing room. He supposed that he should be glad to be able to go home and see Annabelle, but things had been so strained between the two of them lately he had been looking forward to an evening away from home.
"There'll be other ops lad," said a gravely voice.
Kingsley looked around and jumped to his feet again when he saw Alastor Moody, the head of the auror office standing by his desk.
"Sit down boy," said Moody roughly, "I'm not your headmaster. Anyway, as I was saying, there'll be plenty of other chances for you to go on missions. We're busy enough these days.
"Yes but I'll never get to go on any missions because he always stops me," said Kingsley without thinking.
"Watch it lad," Moody replied warningly, "Not a good idea to be bad-mouthing your superiors no matter how angry you are." Moody watched him searchingly for a moment before continuing, "As it happens I agree, with you. I think you're a damned sight more useful in the field than you are stuck in here shuffling the paperwork. However, Scrimgeour disagrees and he's your team leader so you're stuck."
"But, sir, surely if you're his superior couldn't you just overrule him?" said Kingsley curiously. He was surprised to find that the head of the auror office was letting Scrimgeour leave him behind so often if he didn't agree with him.
Moody gave a wry smile, "I prefer not to order the team leaders around when it comes to their own teams," he said, "it undermines their authority with their team members and they don't like that sort if thing much. I wouldn't have assigned you to his team if I'd known he was going to waste your talent."
Kingsley felt a flicker of pride at the idea that the esteemed head of the auror office thought that he, a raw recruit, had talent. "Do you know why he leaves me behind sir? I qualified top of the year's recruits but he still lets the other new aurors out more than me."
Moody grinned darkly again, "He doesn't think that marks count for much in our line of work. Says that performing well under carefully controlled conditions can give you no idea about how well someone will perform in an emergency situation."
"But still, he lets the other people from my year out."
"Probably he just doesn't like you then." Moody gave a sigh and glanced at his watch, "I have to get to briefing. I'll have a word with Rufus for you and see if I can get him to send you out a bit more. Don't get your hopes up too high though, Rufus likes to things his way."
With that Moody walked off to the briefing room leaving Kingsley with a lot to think about.