This was his first job. Harry had been training for months to become a fully fledged Auror. Was it strange, then, that since he had wanted this so much that he felt a sense of nervousness and a little anticipation? He was happy, no doubt about it, however, he couldn't shake that feeling, that sense of anxiety.

Harry was walking down Knockturn Alley. His job was to keep track of Nott, make sure that he was up to no funny business. So far it had been boring, but at least his disguise was working. Nott had just stopped at a few shops, but had bought nothing. Harry was a little ways behind him, pretending to examine some cursed skulls when a large crowd passed between them. Harry craned his neck to see him. But Nott was gone!

Harry almost panicked. After all, it was his first job and an easy one at that. He didn't want to give a bad impression.

He pushed his way through the crowd.

"Sorry, sorry, kinda in a hurry here."

When he got to the other side, he scanned the streets for Nott.

"C'mon, c'mon, where are you" He muttered to himself.

Harry walked over to the nearest store, 'The Cursed Goblet' and walked inside. The door chimed as he walked through. Strangely, however, there were no customers inside even on this busy of a day. There wasn't even a cashier. That's what set his Auror senses tingling. He slowly pulled his wand out of his pocket. He glanced left to right.

Suddenly, there was an explosion of light and Harry was violently thrown against the wall. Clambering up to his feet, he saw two wizards pointing their wands at him. One was Nott. The other he didn't recognize.

"Slowly get up to your feet and drop your wand." Nott said, a hint of menace in his voice. Harry straightened up and dropped his wand.

"Accio wand!"

The other guy exclaimed. Harry decided to call him Bob. The wand flew to Bob. He rolled it over in his hand and examined it.

"Interesting" He murmured to himself. Then he addressed Harry.

"What're you doing, following him around all the time, huh?" Bob's voice sounded like Al Capone's.

"Who do you think you are, Harry Potter or something? Now scram, get out of here."

" Stupefy." Harry thought. To his amazement and surely to Nott's , Bob crumpled to the ground.

"Don't move. I am prepared to kill." Although Nott's voice was full of venom, Harry could see his wand shaking. However, you have to see it from Nott's point of view before you call him a wimp. He and his partner thought that they had the situation under control. Then, without a sound Bob collapsed.

"Accio wand!" Harry thought, again using speechless, and wandless magic. For others that particular talent may be impossible, but, well, it is Harry Potter.

Harry's wand flew to him.

"Avada Kedavra " Nott screamed, the curse erupting from his wand.

Harry dove to the side barely managing to dodge death. He felt a sharp pain in the side of his head. He looked down, and there was his wand.

Harry grabbed his wand just as Nott sent another killing curse his way. Again Harry managed to dodge it.

"Expelliarmus" Harry yelled.

Nott was so taken aback by this choice of spell that he hesitated for a nanosecond. And that pause was what allowed Harry's spell to slam into him, sending him flying backwards into the wall behind.

Nott's wand spun through the air right to Harry's waiting arms. Harry strode forwards. With a flick of his wand, Bob was bound head to toe in ropes. Harry pulled Nott to a sitting position. Then he bound him as well.

Back at the Ministry.

Harry and his prisoners came in by way of the wonderful thing called the floo. It must have felt a little awkward to have a couple of prisoners floating in front of him as he walked to his office.

"Hey, Harry." It was Ron. Ronald Weasley. Ron now works for the Department of Magical Creature control. Incidentally, the Auror's office was on the same floor.

"Sorry Ron, I can't talk now. Meet me after work in Hogsmeade. We can find a place there to have a drink."

"Okay. See ya Harry" Ron looked a little disappointed

"See ya."

Harry knocked on the door to Kinglsey's office. After being the Minister for a while, he stepped down. Said he wanted to 'get back in the action'. Guess who's Minister now? Hermione. That's right. Hermione Granger. So far she's only been Minister for a year, but she had made some good changes.

Kingsley answered in his deep voice.

"Come in"

The door opened by itself and Harry dragged his two captives inside.

"You weren't supposed to capture him. You were just on observation duty."

Harry's face reddened.

"Sorry sir. I was ambushed in 'The Cursed Goblet'.

"I know. I was watching the whole time."

"Why were you…" Harry asked.

"It's a classic thing we do here. The whole office watchs and laughs at the rookie. Happens to everyone. Anyway Harry, I'll take care of the scum. You can take the rest of the day off."

Harry seemed a little embarrassed, but also happy. I mean, seriously he had the rest of the day off, and it was barely noon.

Hermione was in office, but she always wanted to chat. So Harry decided to head that way. He climbed up the stairs, Huffing and puffing. Since Harry was an Auror, he was in super good shape. But climbing 796 stairs can be tiring.

When he finally got up to the top of the stairs, he rapped on the door with the brass knocker, and yelled'

"Hermione, its me Harry."

"Come in", her voice drifted through the doorway.

Harry opened the door. He walked in. Then he realized something. The person in the chair wasn't Hermione.