Harry walked down the corridors of the Ministry's Law enforcement department, his uniform feeling very tight on him. Sometimes, he hated being an auror. Like when he had to give a press conference announcing they had failed to protect the Minister of Magic from assassination by renegade vigilante death eaters.
"Albus, are you ready to take the main damage from this news?" Harry asked Albus quickly walking becide the old man to the exit.
Albus rubbed a gnarled old hand across his purple robe and said, "Of course Harry, it's allowable in my current state of affairs to take the burdens of a few bumbling politicians." With a genial smile he put on his hat and exited the building.
Harry soon followed through the oak doors, which gave way to a platform, and surrounding it a press of wizard news reporters from around the world.
Harry cleared his throat, wandlessly casting the sonorus charm and said loudly, "Witches and Wizards of Great Britain, you have nothing to worry about. I, Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and beside me, Albus Dumbledore, will be leading us to triumph over dark forces."
Ablus frowned, the plan had changed. Harry was sharing the blame, which would ruin his already tarnished reputation. But for what, thought Albus. What does Harry want me to do, say, or announce?
Suddenly he had a flash of insight when he remembered two weeks ago, Harry commenting subtly about Sirius's name. Ah, he thought, Harry wants me to clear Sirius's name post humously. He took some of the blame for the debacle that happened in the attack on Azkaban, to let Dumbledore proclaim Sirius's innocence to the world.
Okay, Harry, I accept your challenge, Dumbledore thought. You are trying to gain political power, to further your own agenda.
But what did Harry want? Over the last four years, as the battle with Voldemort raged on, Harry had been extremely secretive, evading order members on watch to have secret meetings with criminaly minded people.
What did Harry have planned for tonight, for the press conference. Dumbledore's heart raced to find out.
He cleared his throat and walked forward, his voice ringing in the silence like a lone bell striking on top of a mountain overlooking a dark lake. He said in a tired and fatiguied voice, which Harry immediately considered to be an act, and said, "We have made some mistakes these recent years. Sirius Black is innocent. We have collected evidence to determine his innocence, and the Ministry's mistake, which we are eager to correct. As Minister of Magic, it is my duty to help the wizarding world in any way possible, and also as headmaster of Hogwarts, to trian the younger generation.
Harry nodded to Albus and smirked. Yes, he had the old man exactly where he wanted. He watched the press rip into Albus's reputation like wolves on sheep. They questioned and recieved replies that made Albus awkward when saying it. Harry won the battle today, in their private war. It had started when Albus revealed the prophecy, and his manipulative nature to Harry. Then Harry escalated the war when he denounced the Order publicly and sided with the ministry. Things spiralled downward and Voldemort watched, laughingly as Dumbledore and Harry fought each other. This might have actually saved the wizarding world.
Because Voldemort decided not to attack just yet, he had time. He would use it to get even more powerful. Most of his projects didn't succeed, they were just time wasters. But because of this Voldemort hadn't yet escalated the war on the ministry just yet.
Exactly as Harry and Dumbledore had planned in a secret meeting.
After the press conference, the two made their way back into their own dominions. Harry went to the auror department to chill with his buddies, the aurors. They left after work and smoked some weed, drank a few beers, and played muggle video games in an old house Harry bought just for this purpose. The house was fully stocked with cigarretes, beer, and a black book full of phone numbers to hire escorts, lovely beautiful prostitutes, expensive as hell.
Harry could afford it. He had the entire Potter fortune at his disposal, at least a quarter as much as Malfoy's. It was still a vast amount of money that afforded him with comfortable living.
Harry felt the effects come on right away as he took a drag off a fat joint. The smoke hit his lungs hard, burning him inside. He coughed, and grinned, feeling a tingling sensation on his eyes.
Red eyed and half drunk off three beers, Harry raced to the closet and pulled out his broom stick.
"Hey Harry, you can't fly in a muggle area!" shouted Ron, from the other side of the room. He was with Padma, and the two were making out. The couple were great friends with everyone, well liked, and popular. Rumour had it that they were about to be engaged. Harry spent numerous sundary afternoons with them, playing chess, drinking hot chocolate, swimming in Harry's pool.
"Why the fuck not," Harry said, giggling softly. "Voldemort's not going to find me now. He's too busy trying to murder the old fart, Dumbledore."
Ron looked scandalized, but tried to hide it. Padma put a hand on Harry's head, and pulled it back quickly. "I think you're having a fevor. You should just relax, and take it easy for a while, maybe sit down on the couch?"
Harry shook his head, and stumbled out of the house with his firebolt firmly gripped in his hand. He mounted the broom and took off, soon the muggle street was a small blur below him. Raising his head to let the wind blow his hair, he laughed loudly. It started to rain, as he flew downward slightly below the clouds. He felt really cold, but refreshed as well, as if all his pain and stress over the past few months were washed away.
He had practically had a nervous breakdown after Hermione was killed by Voldemort in a race to find and destroy the last horcrux. They never succeeded. Harry still had to find the necklace of Hufflepuff, and destroy it before he could go after Voldemort. But Voldemort had changed the hiding spot and felt confident he was unbeatable.
Dumbledore and the Order were doing their best to counter act Voldemort's raids on muggle villages. So far the death eaters were only attacking small towns, destroying them all brutally. Then they bombed the major buildings with magical friendfyre, fully destroying the towns.
It was a mystery to the muggles, and a dangeorus rip in the statue of secrecy to the ministry. That was all they usually focused on, not enough manpower to actually fight Voldemort's real plans. Exactly what the Dark lord wanted. Snape had to assassinate Dumbledore within one month, and Harry knew it would be impossible.
There was no way to get out of it. One of them would die by the end of the month. Voldemort had given that ultimatum.
So Harry stepped up the game a notch, and prepared a new plan.
A plan to end the war, end Voldemort. Put the dark lord back to his wraith form. Basically Harry wanted to duel Voldemort to the death, despite the horcrux's power protecting Voldemort's soul.
It was a suicide mission, but Harry was the only one brave enough to do it. So Dumbledore would have to suffer a few bumps, but it was all for the greater good.
Wasn't that Dumbledore's motto, Harry thought, enjoying the flight across the sky. He circled back, to return to his house. Were his guests gone now, or were they looking for him?
He hoped they were enjoying the party.
He entered back to find it deserted. All had left. They were feeling uncomfortable around Harry's impulsiveness nowadays.
But Harry knew he might die soon and was just trying to get the most out of life before his death, like Hermione did.
Harry went in the shower, and under the pouring hot water he cried over Hermione's memory. Then he went to a troubled sleep.
------
It was midafternoon and Harry had a headache. Dumbledore's stern lecture on yesterday's bold move was giving Harry a pain in the neck.
He tuned it out and instead focused on his upcoming new plan, which would completely annoy and anger Dumbledore. The old man hated being out of the loop but Harry had to keep the old man ignorant. He would never allow Harry to do the only thing one could do under the circumstances.
Beat Voldemort.
Dumbledore was subtle, an old war scarred lion. Harry was young, fresh, and roaring mightily in the flames of youth.
Who would win the battle of the two lions... and take control of the pack, of the wizarding world?
As they had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron Harry saw from the corner of his eye an old man watching them. He looked Chinese, and had yellowish eyes, pointy dirty fingernails and a dirty beard. He watched the pair like hawkes, and Harry didn't like it one bit.
His scar tingled. That meant the old man was a death eater.
Would he try an assassination here, in public?
The old man got up to his feet. Harry tensed and put his hand to his wand. Dumbledore noticed this at once and got ready for battle, moving with an easy agility, a grace that Harry did not possess.
Whirling to their feet, the old man launched a sickly red curse at Dumbledore and immediately pulled out a butcher knife, which he threw at Harry's face. Harry ducked under the thrown knife, only to see the assassin run away.
Growling in anger, Harry gave chase. Dumbledore followed as well, his eyes ice blue. Harry pointed his wand at the running assassin and shouted out a stunner, but the beam of light missed by a few inches.
The chinese assassin apparated away with a pop.
Harry swore and glared at Dumbledore. "I need to leave, I have another engagement I have to attend to."
Dumbledore nodded, slightly shaken up himself.
-----
Harry took a nap in his one room apartment. He lived alone, because he could not stand being around order spies. Ginny, Ron, Remus, they all worked for Dumbledore, and Harry didn't want them reporting his secrets to the old man.
As he tried to sleep, he thought about the assassin. The man reminded Harry of a bum, a hobo. But that bum was dangerous and apparently was a death eater.
He heard a knocking on his window, and opened it, seeing an owl holding a letter in her talon. He took the letter and read it quickly.
"I know who attacked us at lunch. Come to my office ASAP. Dumbledore."
Harry sighed, another meeting with the old man. He hated it because he was usually on the short end of these meetings but today he had come out on top.
But he still hated the meetings.
He pulled out a portkey from his desk and transported to Dumbledore's office.
A woman was seated in the chair. She had blonde hair and a thin but beautiful body. Her face were lit up by bright blue eyes, which were like lightbulbs lighting up the darkness.
"Good to see you again, Narcissa," Harry said. "And you too Albus. You had some information for me."
"I did. Narcissa, tell Harry what you told me."
"Everything, sir?" She asked, a worried look crossing her face.
"Yes, everything," Dumbledore commanded, drinking a cup of tea.
"My son, Draco, ordered an assassin on you. Voldemort gave him the command to attempt to kill you, Harry, and you too Albus. This was to keep you busy so you would not notice Voldemort's departure from Britian. That is all I know."
"I will kill your son," Harry said flatly.
Narcissa looked at him quickly and then started to sob.
Dumbledore glared at Harry, and said in a soothing voice, "Don't worry, Mrs. Malfoy, I will make sure your son is safe."
Harry scoffed and turned away. He grabbed some floo powder and shouted "Diagon Alley!" before jumping into the fireplace.
At diagon Alley, he went for an ice cream and on the way he met Susan Bones. "Hi Susan, are you shopping for new books?"
"No Harry," Susan said, "Just hanging out here, there's nothing to do today."
"I see," Harry said, "Then come join me for a drink? We can go to hogshead."
Susan shrugged, "I guess we could. We haven't talked in a while."
They walked down the shady parts of Wizarding streets into a dark and dingy bar. Harry ordered two firewhiskeys and told Susan about the assassination this morning.
"Oh really, that sounds horrible," Susan said.
Harry nodded. "Voldemort's on the move, and if I don't find out what he's doing, something bad will happen."
"I'll help," Susan said after a few moments of introspective silence. "I got fired from the ministry after the debacle at Azkaban. I guess I have a few months holiday now, so I could try getting some information for you."
Harry grinned, "That's great Susan," he said. "Look, I'm really sorry about the job and you getting fired and all. Have you had dinner?"
Susan smirked, "Are you asking me out, Mr. Potter?"
Harry nodded, feeling his mouth dry. He sipped the remaining portion of his firewhiskey and together they walked out.
"I know a muggle restuarant, good food there," Harry said.
"I don't have any muggle clothes," Susand said, sighing softly. "Let's just go to the Leaky Cauldron."
Harry shook his head, "It's too dangerous. Just trust me," Harry said, taking her hand. He apparated them a few miles south to downtown in London. They walked down the crowded street as the sun darkned. They whispered softly to each other, happy jokes and puns and flirtations as they recounted their Hogwarts years.
"Here, let's go in," Harry said and they walked into an airconditioned clothing store. A man in a suit and tie walked up to them and asked, "How may I help you?"
"I need a few pairs of suits and my girlfriend needs a few dresses."
Susan laughed softly as the man led them down the aisles. "I'm your girlfriend now?" she asked Harry, raising one eyebrow.
Harry shrugged and simply grinned.
They picked out a few pairs of clothing and changed in the store. Harry paid. They then went to a movie. Harry couldn't concentrate on the film, something about a man dressed in a bat suit, and found himself staring at his watch, willing the time to go faster.
Susan noticed this and punched Harry lightly with her elbow digging into his ribs. "Hey, let's get out of here. This is boring."
Harry nodded, "Thank god you see it that way too," He said, "Hannah sure didn't."
"Hannah Abbot? You went to a movie with Hannah?"
Harry nodded, "Why, what's wrong?"
"That slut," Susan said, "She's a nasty human being Harry. You should stay away from her. She gave Neville a blow job on the night before Neville was going to get married to Ginny."
"I love those kinds of bachelor parties," Harry said as they went to McDonalds. As they ate they talked about their sexual escapades. Harry rented a motel room that night and they had wild sex. Susan didn't know that Harry had an alterior motive for this.
Just as Harry was about to explode in Susan, he whispered a spell in parseltongue, pointing his wand at Susan's belly.
Susan's eyes widened and she tried to get away, recognizing the dark nature of the spell. Harry smiled, and then laughed aloud in sheer joy and ecstasy as he came in her pussy.
A bright yellow light glowed from Susan's stomach. Then it was gone. Harry got up from her and lay down next to her on the bed, breathing hard.
"What the hell was that," Susan said, her voice extremely cold and harsh, quieter than a whisper.
Harry was silent.
"What the FUCK was that?" Susan demanded.
Harry turned his head to her and pulled out his wand, shouted, "Obliviate."
As Susan's neck hit the pillow with a thud, and she fell unconscious, Harry got off the bed to go to the kitchen. He pulled a beer and a cigarrete from the freezer. Lighting it, he took a drag and watched Susan laying still, frozen on the bed.
He blew out the smoke and said, "I think I'll call my son, Tom."