Learning Curve
A/N: This was written for the Teacher's Lounge Iron Fic Challenge. We were to write a story using the secret ingredient of "Diagon Alley." We had 24 hours to finish the story.
Harry Potter loved Diagon Alley. It was easily his favorite place in all of the magical world. This was why when the position of a DMLE officer stationed there came open Harry did something he never ever did. He used his fame from the war to secure this position. He had been offered a position in the primary Auror corps right after the war. Harry had declined instead choosing to start at the bottom of the DMLE in the enforcement division of the Investigations department; in the Muggle terminology he was a beat officer. Most of his co-workers thought he was crazy including his partner Charlie O'Toole.
"Why in the hell would you choose to deal with shoplifters and petty thieves all day long?" He asked Harry on his first day.
"This is where I will learn the job." Harry replied shrugging his shoulders. Charlie just didn't get it. The Alley was alive it had a pulse of its own and Harry was never happier than when he had his finger firmly on that pulse. The alley allowed Harry to keep abreast on all the happenings in the magical world as well. Literally nothing happened in the world of witches and wizards that wasn't gossiped about in the shops on the streets of Diagon Alley.
Harry's post in Diagon Alley also served a very practical purpose. Knockturn Alley was still the center of dark magic and if you wanted to try and curtail dark wizards but better way to do that than keep on eye on their suppliers, and the best place to do that was in Diagon Alley.
It also allowed Harry to keep in touch with his best mate Ron, who was working for his brother in their shop.
Harry and Charlie were making their normal rounds and were passing in front of one of the empty shops that had not reopened since the war.
"So Potter, you have anything planned for this weekend?" Charlie asked wagging his overly bushing gray eyebrows. Charlie knew that Ginny Weasley, Harry's girlfriend, was home from the Hollyhead Harpies' developmental league Quidditch team to which she was assigned.
"Not really. Just gonna spend it with Ginny and her family."
"You know they're your family also don't you?" Charlie asked crossing the street behind a group of shoppers.
"Yeah, they are really the only family I have ever had."
The two were stopped Florean Fortescue in front of his ice cream shop. He was holding two small paper cups.
"Harry, Charlie you two have to try this," he said shoving the cups into their hands. "It is my latest concoction."
Charlie smiled while Harry inwardly winced. The ice cream shop was well known for its unique and many times odd flavours of ice cream.
Harry took a bite and coughed. "That certainly is different,' he said mustering as much tact as he could.
Charlie saw Harry's face and discretely dumped his in a trash can.
"Salmon cakes with creamed peas. What do you think," the little man asked hopefully.
"While it tastes like fish," Harry started trying to find the wordes. "I'm just not sure people are ready for cold creamy salmon."
Charlie stifled a laugh.
"I will keep trying then," Fortescue said sounding a little disappointed.
Charlie's reply was cut off by a woman screaming from around the corner.
Harry took off down the street towards the scream with Charlie close behind.
Harry followed the sound to a dead end alley between two empty buildings.
A loud crash and a scream came from inside one of the buildings causing the two officers to start. They both drew their wands and approached the supposedly empty shop.
Harry started to move towards the door and and Charlie stopped him.
"We don't know what's in there so be careful."
Charlie waived his wand, "Expecto Patronum!" A large english bulldog burst from his wand,
"This is Diagon Alley patrol number two we need back up at the abandoned shop in the across from Fortescue's."
Another scream called out.
"Alright Harry let's go."
Harry nodded to Charlie and took the lead opening the front door.
The building was dark inside even though it was daylight. Harry felt a chill as he entered the first room. The screaming had stopped and Harry felt that was a bad sign.
The two officers made their way through the front room and into what was obviously meant to be a storage room.
Harry checked the room, called it clear and moved to another door across the room. Charlie followed Harry to the door.
Charlie heard the footsteps before Harry and turned to catch the curse in the face. Harry instinctively ducked behind some discarded shelves and fired three spells towards where he thought the intruder was. Harry took a chance and peered around the side of the shelves. The room was empty except for the crumpled bodies of his partner and the intruder who had been hit by one of Harry's spells. A lucky shot. A small closet Harry had missed when he cleared the room stood open. Harry rushed to his partner's side and rolled him over onto his back. It was too late as Harry was met with lifeless eyes.
Harry heard the footsteps of the backup and he called out.
"In here! Officer down," Harry put his wand against Charlie's chest and administered the shocking spell they were taught to use as a last resort. It had no effect. He tired it again, and again, and again.
"Dammit Charlie... Breathe you son of a bitch! Breathe!" Harry felt hot tears start to flow down his cheeks.
Someone, Harry didn't know who, pulled him off of Charlie and told him he was gone. A nmbness came over him and he dropped to his knees. He hardly registered that the other officers had found a young woman in the other room beaten, unconscious but alive. The woman had not been raped. It seemed that Harry and Charlie's arrival had interrupted the man before he could do anything.
-OOO-
The papers said Harry was hero. He didn't feel like a hero. They said that his quick action saved that girl and that Charlie had sacrificed his life to save another. When Harry first filed his report he accepted full responsibility for his partner's death. He had not properly cleared the room before calling it so. It was his fault this partner died.
The higher ups refused to accept Harry's report. It seems the people needed a hero and it benefited no one to have Harry's career ruined. Harry was promoted to Auror and placed on administrative assignment attached to the public relations department. Harry felt he was a dancing bear to be trotted out when the masses needed to feel better about themselves. He hated it.
Harry sat in the Leaky Cauldron with a bottle of fire whiskey in front of him.
"I thought I would find you here." Harry heard his best friend comment behind him. "Ginny said you spend most of your time here no days."
"Ron please, I am just not in the mood."
"Well that's just too bad cause I'm here and I ain't leaving until we have this out."
Harry sighed.
"Look I know losing your partner has you messed up. But you're pushing away those that care the most about you. Ginny and Mum say it's been weeks since they have even heard from you."
Harry laughed bitterly, "Yeah, well I've been busy. It's very taxing being a show pony ya know."
"Mate, what is going on?"
"It's my fault you know? Charlie would still be alive if I had only done my job."
Ron looked at Harry sideways poured himself a drink from the bottle in front of Harry.
"You're right. It's your fault," he said his voice taking an edge. "You think you're the only one to ever make a mistake? You screwed up and someone died. Now the only thing you're going to do about it is wallow in self pity? You're stronger than that mate."
"Is that right?" Harry scoffed swallowing the contents of his drink in one swallow.
"Yes it's right. Listen to me," Ron said pulling Harry to face him. "I don't have much of a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood, which doesn't always rush in the direction of my brain. I've made a lot of mistakes, a lot of wrong, bloody calls. But there is one thing I know. You have to learn from your mistakes or you will repeat them."
Harry looked up, his green eyes clouded with emotion. "I caused the death of my partner."
"And that is horrible and should have never happened. What needs happen now is you need to learn from it. Use that pain you're feeling to be a better cop. Channel all that guilt and anger into catching the next bad guy so no one else with ever lose a partner. You think you could do that mate?"
Harry looked at his best friend and nodded.
"I think I can try," he said.
"That's all any of us can do in the end. Now let's get you out of here and back home."
Harry needed help standing up as he was quite drunk now.
"Is Ginny really mad?" Harry asked sounding worried.
"She'll get over it," Ron said helping Harry to the door. "It's the natural order of things, men screw up and the women forgive us."
Harry stopped at the door turned and looked at his best friend. "Why do you all put up with me?" He asked.
"Simple mate," Ron answered opening the door. "You're family"