Thousand Year Slumber
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.
Harry Potter washed his face in the bathroom hoping to cool it off and soothe his headache. He had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry just last year and had quite luckily landed a position within the Minister's Cabinet. Why? He could not say as he was just as surprised to receive an envelope by the Ministry as anyone who knew him would be. He lacked any special skills that made him stand out. Truthfully, he was content to blend into the crowd. He enjoyed rooting on Ron as his best friend saved a goal or complimenting Hermione when she answered a complex question correctly. He pressed down on his forehead as his headache exacerbated. He stared at himself in the mirror. His emerald eyes stood out starkly behind the black horn-rimmed glasses on his pudgy face. He had on the standard Ministry robes over a collared white shirt and black trousers which hid his flabby figure from sight.
No, Harry Potter was just your average wizard.
One year later, he did not picture this as what he would be doing for the rest of his life. 'A boring job for a boring person.' he thought morosely. It was a mundane desk job where he was responsible for checking for hexes and curses on all the incoming letters addressed to the Minister's Cabinet. But with all the security checks done before the Cabinet's mail reached his desk, there was nothing left to do but cast the same spells repeatedly on each letter. He had only himself to blame for his lackluster job so he could only dwell sullenly on this in silence. He headed back to his desk, prepared to sort through Lady Black's mail for any unsavory curses.
Auror James Potter surveyed the crowd as Headmaster Snape addressed the students of Hogwarts. First years to seventh years were quiet alike as he droned on about school regulations though it was not because of his presence that they were all uncharacteristically silent and paying attention. No, that was due to the appearance of one Minister and High Lord Thomas Riddle. The very reason James himself was here at Hogwarts. His duty was to serve and protect Lord Riddle just like his fellow members of the Phoenix Guard. The very man in question was seated on a raised dais slightly behind the Head Table awaiting the Headmaster's conclusion to his speech.
Everyone was anticipating what Lord Riddle would say and many already knew the subject matter as the school had not been subtle in its preparations of the Triwizard Tournament. As Riddle took to the podium, the room grew still. All eyes were on his handsome face as he began. James tuned his words out as he glanced down at the crowd, convinced he had seen something unusual. He was about to point this out and warn his partner, Kingsley Shacklebolt before a sound like a gunshot erupted from the audience. James quickly tried to identify the source before a stream of different colored beams of light was fired towards the podium from various directions; the first one, a particular shade of green light flew fast towards Lord Riddle. James ran towards the source of commotion, shoving students clamoring to get away out of his path while another threw himself in the Lord's path to shield him with his own body. James came to a stop, wand aimed steadily at the figure. His eyes traveled up the dragon-hide boot covered legs to a heaving chest and finally to a face framed by auburn hair and faced burning emerald eyes.