The Justice Team
Chapter 1 - The Chase
Sometimes Harry Potter forgot why he had decided to become an Auror. On days where he was stuck behind a desk filling out forms, or patrolling a Muggle convention to protect the Prime Minister. But then there were days like this when he was standing on a table in a crowded board room about to lead a huge mission that had been months in the planning. As he stood looking out at his team, and his reinforcements, he remembered why he had fallen in love with the job.
The rush he got on field assignments hadn't faded with the years, his blood still started to pump every time.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" Harry called, and all eyes in the room were on him. As the room fell silent he began to brief them on a job that was fairly important to him because he had been working it on and off for the past 3 years.
"This job involves Draco Malfoy. He's an upper class aristocrat who we have suspected of running a black market in illegal goods for the past three years. We've never been able to nail him for it because every time we've gotten close the evidence has mysteriously disappeared or he's pulled out a team of lawyers."
Ron was nodding distastefully at the front of the room, he and Harry had been trying to pin Draco's crimes on him since they became fully-fledged Aurors.
"He has contacts everywhere, especially in the Ministry, which means normally he knows when we're planning a raid and can clear out before we get there. But this time we have new information," Harry said, his heart pounding at the thought of finally catching Draco who was always smug while evading capture which riled Harry up all the more, "His girlfriend has informed us that he's operating out of a shop in Knockturn alley disguised to look like it's in a state of ruin. He'll be moving premises tomorrow, so this is our only shot of getting him while he's in this location."
"Sir?" A wizard said.
"Yes," Harry said, glancing to an Auror who had graduated at the same time as him.
"What if it's an ambush?" He asked.
"We considered that possibility and we highly doubt that it is. That's not his style, hes slippery, he doesn't like to get his hands dirty and we doubt he'd try to take on a team of Aurors. At best he has a couple of helpers, and a lot of outside connections."
The man nodded, and Harry continued, "Like I said, he's slippery, so this has to be handled carefully. Teams 2, 3 and 4 are going to surround the storefront. Then my team and I will break the protective charms and slip in under disillusionment charms. If all goes well we will arrest him on the spot, and then teams 2 and 3 will seize his goods while team 4 cover up the press reaction. Any questions?"
There was silence, and no questions so Harry nodded, "Good. Suit up, we leave in 10 minutes from apparition point A."
The room began to empty, leaving Harry with his partner, Ron, and their other two 'junior' team members, Dana Burton and Harrison Bailey.
"You really think we're going to get him?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded, "He's slipped up this time."
"That's what you said the last 4 times," Ron pointed out.
"We'll get him Ron," Harry said darkly, he flicked his head in the direction of the corridor, "Come on, we need to get ready."
Their team was 'Team 1', which in official terms meant that they were the best and they got the elite jobs. However the teams worked together on almost every big job anyway, so it didn't make a difference most of the time. Apart from to Ron's ego.
In 'Changing Room No. 1' where all Aurors had to change their inside shoes for work boots and for big jobs like this put on anti-hex and jinx vests, they talked quietly about the case.
"Why did his girlfriend give him up?" Burton asked, she was classed as a 'junior' Auror because she had only graduated from Auror training last year. She was a fairly attractive young woman, with long dark brown hair that was always pulled into a professional bun, and deep brown eyes.
"Maybe she realised how much of a git he is," Ron pointed out, making Burton and the other 'junior', Bailey, smirk.
Harry rolled his eyes, hiding his own smirk, "Why she gave him up isn't important. Catching him is."
"You really want to get this guy, don't you sir?" Bailey asked as they walked down a cold concrete corridor to the apparition point.
"Auror Potter has some beef with Malfoy," Ron said in amusement.
"So does Auror Weasley," Harry said, "He was our…rival during our Hogwarts years."
"And by rival you mean…" Burton said, trailing off with a smirk.
"Arch-nemesis, yeah," Ron said casually.
"He was my arch-nemesis Ron," Harry said, "He just hated you because you were poor and your family were blood traitors."
"Oi!" Ron remarked.
"It's the truth," Harry smirked as Burton and Bailey sniggered. The concrete corridor then gave way to a large room buzzing with magic that already had a lot of people filling it up, and the light-hearted air between the team and friends was dropped.
"Is this everyone?" Harry asked.
"Yes Sir," The head of Team 2 said. Harry glanced around and after a moment nodded, satisfied everyone was here, "Okay everyone. You know the plan, we disillusion ourselves and apparate a team at a time to the hidden courtyard in the old inn at Knockturn Alley. The moment we get there we assume our positions. Remember this case requires us to bring back Malfoy in one piece, no lethal spells are permitted under any circumstances."
Another round of nods made their way around the group of people tightly packed in the room then Harry gave the order for the apparition to start. He and his team began, disillusioning themselves and apparating away. They kept watch as Teams 2, 3 and 4 trickled into the courtyard under disillusionment charms. They all took their positions around the shop-front of Draco's hideout.
From a distance Team 1 ran a diagnostic charm, which told them every single enchantment on the miserable place. They weren't at all surprised to find that there were over 20, and then they set about breaking them, but this was the hard part. They had to act fast, or Draco would realise what they were up to and flee before they could catch him. For that reason the moment they broke through enough charms to do so they put up anti-apparition wards on the hide-out.
After only 10 minutes the extensive charms on the place had been broken, and it was time to go in. Harry gave his team the go ahead through a series of taps on their shoulders and they made their way to the door and slipped in quietly to a large square room lined with illegal potions ingredients, dark magic artefacts and second-hand, unregistered broomsticks. In the midst of it all was Draco Malfoy, looking suave in an expensive black suit as he spoke to a customer.
The charms came off, and Harry shouted out words he had wanted to shout for years, "This is an Auror Raid! Nobody is permitted to leave these premises! Draco Malfoy, I am arresting you on possession of illegal potion ingredients, dark magic artefacts and for illicit trading in broomsticks!"
He no longer looked smug, the grin had been wiped entirely from his face. It gave Harry great pleasure to know that he had not been expecting this at all as he bound Draco's hands and took his wand from his pocket.
"I told you the law would catch up with you one day Malfoy," Harry said.
"How did you even find me here?" Draco asked.
Dressed in fur robes, and looking the part of an upper class aristocrat's partner, Draco's girlfriend stepped forward and said firmly, "I told them you were here."
"Wh…what?" Draco asked in shock.
"I find it hilarious Malfoy," Harry said, "That after 3 years of trying to catch you, and 3 years of you slipping through our fingers like the snake you are, in the end it was your own girlfriend who gave you up."
"What does that say about him mate?" Ron asked with a grin.
"Apart from that he has terrible taste in women?" Harry joked.
"Oh you're loving this Potter," Draco spat.
"Having you bound and under the will of the law?" Harry asked sarcastically, "Now why would I possibly enjoy that?"
"You won't get me," Draco said, "My lawyers will be swarming on your office the moment they find out you have arrested me."
"I don't doubt it," Harry said, "But even your lawyers won't get you out of this one Malfoy. You can't worm your way out of the fact we have caught you red-handed on premises that are in your name. To make matters worse, with stock that we know you signed for upon delivery because we have both the paperwork and the delivery wizard's confession and memory of the event."
Draco's face had paled even further as he realised the true seriousness of his situation, "Why would you do this Tracey?" he asked his dark-haired girlfriend angrily.
Tracey, his girlfriend, narrowed her eyes at him, "I overheard your conversation with Fletcher, Draco! You pawned the engagement ring you were going to give me for some stupid antique! You deserve all you get, you selfish bastard!"
Draco's eyes widened, and Ron, Bailey and Burton tried not to snigger as this reason was revealed. Harry of course had already known this so merely smirked at Draco, "Come on Malfoy, we're taking you back to the Ministry for questioning."
Draco couldn't hide his look of distaste as Harry gripped one of his shoulders, and Ron gripped the other. Together they steered him out of the old shop to cheers and applause from Teams 2, 3 and 4.
When Harry walked into the interrogation room where Draco was being held he felt nervous which was rare for him. Every aspect of this case had been in the planning process for the last 3 months, and two weeks ago when Draco's girlfriend had come forward, things had heated up. At that point there was a meeting about what to do with him when they caught him, assuming they did catch him.
Harry had been nominated as the person to dish out his options to him, being an expert in interrogation as well as field work. He didn't have a rule book to his interrogations per say, but he had to make sure he offered the right options or his job was on the line. This case was too big to let Draco slip through their fingers again.
As Harry took his seat opposite Draco, the former Slytherin tapped his fingers impatiently on the table and tried to hide behind his smug façade. However it was now well and truly cracked, and no amount of acting could hide his pale pallor or the anxiety in his eyes.
"Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy," Harry said politely.
"Where are my lawyers?" Draco asked briskly.
"They are next door with Auror Weasley, discussing your rather dismal situation," Harry replied.
Draco snorted, "Weasley? He's still your sidekick, after all of these years."
"And Crabbe and Goyle weren't yours?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
Draco didn't say anything, Harry continued, "All heroes need sidekicks, but then again, so do all villains."
"You think I'm a villain?" Draco asked in vague amusement.
"Well you are in a holding room with some pretty serious charges against your name," Harry pointed out.
"Charges that will not be upheld," Draco added.
"Need I remind you how serious this is?" Harry asked as he placed some documents on the table, "This is the deed granting the premises we found you in to you, from your Father. Signed by both he, and you."
"So?" Draco asked, "I own the place, I admit that. I was just shopping there."
"Even if that were true, we would still find it very suspicious that you just happened to be shopping in a black market in premises that you own when you have been arrested over 10 times in the last three years for charges relating to the running of a black market," Harry said matter of factly.
"Potter, I've had enough of you throwing accusations at me," Draco drawled, "I demand to speak to the Head of Department."
"You're talking to him," Harry said.
Draco gave him a disbelieving look, "I keep up with current affairs Potter, I believe it would make front page news if you were appointed as Head Auror. You are not the head of this department."
"I'm not Head Auror," Harry agreed, "But the Head Auror is on leave due to an injury sustained in the field which means that as assistant Head, I am now the acting Head Auror until he returns. You don't get any higher up in the Auror department than me Malfoy."
"Fantastic," Draco said dryly.
"Look, the way I see it right now, you have two options," Harry said, "Option 1 is your lawyers do all they can, but you still go down for this. You're looking at 10 years in Azkaban at the least."
"And what is option 2?" Draco asked sarcastically, "The easy way?"
"It's certainly the easier way," Harry said, "You confess to all charges against you and work for us. We drop all charges and you can carry on with your life."
"Work for you?" Draco asked in disbelief, "You must be joking Potter."
"I'm not," Harry said, "We are in the process of setting up a new department which my superiors want you to be the Head of."
"So this goes way above your head," Draco said as he leant back in his chair, "And you hate the idea, don't you?" he asked, smirking slightly.
"Of course I hate it. I want you to pay for your crimes, not get off scot free," Harry said.
"So, for interest's sake," Draco said as he leant forward again, "What exactly is this department?"
Harry smirked, he knew that Draco would react this way, "It isn't really undercover…but it's not exactly official. There are some people, like you, that we can't touch for political or diplomatic reasons. Some of these people have done much worse than run a black market and they get away with it because of our rules and regulations."
Draco narrowed his eyes, and Harry continued, "Our new department has one goal, to get these bastards by any means and bring them to us so we can prosecute them."
"And why do you think I would want any part in that?" Draco asked.
Harry frowned and studied Draco for a moment, which clearly made him feel uncomfortable, "Ever since I got your case three years ago, I've wanted to ask you one question when I finally caught you. Do you know what that is Malfoy?"
"I don't know, nor do I care Potter," Draco drawled.
Harry sighed, "Given everything you've seen Malfoy, and everything that has happened to your family…Why choose the same path of self-destruction that they did?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about Potter," Draco bluffed.
"I've read your file Malfoy," Harry said, "I know everything about you. Abused by your Father as a child and taken out of his custody until he proved he was capable of looking after you, covered up with a bribe."
Draco's face began to pale, and Harry continued, "Used by Voldemort in an attempt to get you killed and embarrass your family, and then outcast because you attempted to kill Dumbledore…tortured by Voldemort, leaving you with-"
He opened the file in front of him and continued, "Fractured bones and a mild case of post-traumatic stress. Then there was the war, you were tried as a war criminal and received 20 hours of community service for crimes committed, those were torture and attempted murder, one against Muggles and the other against Dumbledore," he chanced a glance at Draco who now looked white as a ghost.
"Your Mother and Father both received 10 to 15 year jail sentences on which their early release could be negotiated for good behaviour," Harry said, "After 2 months your Mother was found hanging in her cell, and then less than 6 months later your Father jumped into the sea and drowned himself while on route from his cell to the bathroom."
Harry shut the file hard and Draco jumped, "So Malfoy, with a family completely wrecked because of their criminal lifestyle. Why choose to go down that same path?"
Draco was silent for a moment, his eyes boring into the table, "That's none of your business Potter," he said weakly.
"Why didn't you try to redeem yourself? You could have done so very easily," Harry said, "You saved my life, why didn't you play on that?"
"Redeem myself?" Draco asked in disbelief, "In whose eyes? Yours? The Ministry's? No matter what I did I would still have been seen as the war criminal son of Lucius Malfoy."
"So you chose the easy way out," Harry said, "And stuck to what you knew, being a criminal."
"I didn't choose anything Potter," Draco said, "People like me don't have much in the way of career choices."
"Well I'm giving you one," Harry said, "You didn't really want to be a bad guy. If you did why did you help me in the war? Why did you look like you were close to tears when Hermione was being tortured? I'm giving you a way out Malfoy, a way to help people. It also happens to pay 2,000 Galleons a year."
"2,000?" Draco asked in surprise.
"It's nothing compared to what Aurors at the top of their game get paid, but it's not far off your illegal earnings," Harry said, "And you get free health care."
Draco raised an eyebrow, "Does that come with the package for a reason?"
Harry smiled slightly, "Everyone in this department gets free health care Malfoy, it's a gift for risking your life every day."
"Who's going to be on this team?" Draco asked, surveying Harry with interest now.
"We have a few people in mind. Criminal geniuses mostly who we don't think should waste their talents in Azkaban," Harry said.
"You think I'm a criminal genius?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow and the hint of a smile, "I'll take that as a compliment Potter."
"I don't think you're a criminal genius, my superiors do," Harry said as he got to his feet, "Auror Weasley has just explained everything to your lawyers and when they come in here in 5 minutes time I assure you, they will be of the same opinion as my department. You're far better off joining us than fighting us."
"Do you really think he'll agree?" Ron asked Harry as they sat in their teams 'office' with Bailey and Burton.
Harry frowned as he looked at the door of the holding room where Draco was currently talking with his lawyers, "I think he knows it's his only way out."
"Do you agree with this new department sir?" Burton asked, her observant eyes seeing right through him as they did with the criminals they brought in.
Harry sighed, "I don't necessarily agree with the fact criminals are getting to walk away with no consequences because of it. I do understand however why the department feel the need to utilise the brains of these people whose talent would otherwise be wasted."
"That's a very political answer Sir," Bailey said.
"It's a very political game," Harry countered.
Ron sighed, "I don't think it's right. Giving Malfoy the chance to work with us, how do we know he won't betray us at the first chance he gets?"
"He won't be able to," Burton said with a sly grin, "Harrison and I have been working on a plan that should hopefully prevent it."
"Well Dana has been working on it, I've just been helping," Bailey added.
"Sounds about right," Harry said in amusement, "What is it?"
"It's a mark imbued with magic that is imprinted into the skin. It's an 'M' in the style of the M on the Ministry logo. It will alert us if he's anywhere he shouldn't be because it can be programmed to respond to certain places or people," Burton explained.
"Convincing him to take that will be near impossible Dana," Harry said, and Ron nodded in agreement.
"Is it by any chance based on the case study you did in Auror training about the Dark Mark?" Ron asked.
Dana nodded, cringing slightly, "Right…I didn't think of that. Of course, ex-Death Eaters are going to be sceptical about something permanently being burned onto their skin."
"Yes," Harry said, "Can't you do the same thing through another means? Because it's an ingenious idea."
Burton blushed slightly, and Bailey cut in, "It's not easy to transfer the magic to another object. The mark was the best idea because it can't be removed or hijacked like a bracelet or an ankle cuff."
"So we convince him to take it? That's our only choice?" Harry asked.
Burton and Bailey both nodded, and Ron said under his breath, "I think we should knock him out and then burn it onto his undeserving arse."
Harry smirked and said, "Mate, this is why I got put on liaison with Malfoy, assuming he accepts the offer, and you didn't."
"You think I wanted the job?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.
Harry smiled slightly, "I know you didn't, but then again..I didn't particularly want it either."
"I don't think anyone does," Bailey added.
"It's a shame really," Harry said, "Malfoy's not all bad."
"And that is why you are assigned to him," Burton said with a smile, "Because nobody else would say that."
"He saved my life in the war, he didn't have to do that," Harry said, defending his former enemy.
"But does that really forgive the 7 years he spent tormenting you for being a Gryffindor, and for not having any parents, and for, well pretty much everything?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged, "We were kids Ron. He was a nasty bully, does that mean he has to have a miserable life? You have to remember that all bullies are insecure for a reason and his childhood was almost as traumatic as mine."
"Did he get locked in cupboards and hit with frying pans too?" Bailey asked sarcastically.
Harry chuckled, "Shut up Harrison," he said half-heartedly.
Bailey smirked and pointed to the door behind Harry, "You're needed with your new assignment."
One of the lawyers was waving Harry over, so without another word to his team he got to his feet and crossed the office to where the man stood.
"Our client has made a decision," The stout man said.
Harry nodded, "And?"
"He wants the full terms and conditions of the agreement, and to see the contract," The lawyer said.
"So he agrees?" Harry asked.
"He realises an agreement is his only way to avoid jail-time," The man said.
Harry nodded, "Okay, can I talk to him?"
The lawyer nodded, "He is willing to confess once he has heard the full terms and conditions and seen the contract."
"Then I'll give him the terms and conditions now, and I'll show him the contract," Harry said as he waved a folder in front of the man irritably, he hated lawyers.
"Potter," Draco said, almost politely.
"Have your lawyers told you to be nice to me Mr. Malfoy?" Harry asked in amusement.
"Perhaps," Draco said with narrowed eyes, "Why have I not seen a single Auror, apart from you, since I arrived here Potter?"
"Because," Harry said as he sat down, "I'm assigned to you."
"Assigned to me?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nobody else wanted to deal with you Malfoy, for some reason my superiors thought I was the best person to do so," Harry said as he opened the file in his hands.
"Your superiors really like to rile you up, don't they?" Draco asked.
"You noticed?" Harry asked sarcastically, "Your lawyers said you wanted to see the contract. This is it," he said as he slid it across the table.
Draco examined the contract, his eyes skimming over everything, including the small print. When he looked up again he didn't look happy.
"I have to work in this department for 10 years?" He asked with distaste.
"The same amount of time you would serve in Azkaban," Harry said.
"10 years? How is that any different from a prison sentence?"
"Well, you get to keep your estate, and you get paid. You also get to leave whenever you want, and considering we are in an economy crippled by war, you have a secure job for 10 years," Harry said.
Draco narrowed his eyes and looked back down to the contract, after a few moments he looked up with steely eyes, "What is this?" he hissed, pointing to the smallest of the small-print.
"There has to be a degree of trust Malfoy. Just because we're giving you this job doesn't mean we trust you," Harry said, "As you've been tried as a war criminal the department understands that you could betray us quite easily. Some of the things that go on around here are more classified than what they do in the Department of Mysteries."
"Really Potter?" Malfoy asked in disbelief.
"Really," Harry said seriously, "Some of the cases we work on are top secret. Do you know what the highest security clearance level in the Ministry is?"
"Level 6, or 'Secret' as its otherwise known," Draco said.
"Well my clearance level is 7, otherwise known as 'Top Secret' and if you sign that contract yours will be too," Harry said honestly, "Can you understand the need for security now?"
Draco sighed, "But a mark? Is there no other option?"
"Anything else can be removed or hijacked," Harry said, "A mark is the only way I'm afraid."
"Where will it be?" Draco asked.
"Somewhere that is normally hidden beneath your clothes so it can't be seen when you go undercover," Harry said casually.
"Where under my clothes?" Draco asked with narrowed eyes.
"I don't know," Harry said honestly, "You'd have to ask my junior Aurors, they are the ones who invented the mark."
"I've no idea where they got the idea from," Draco said sarcastically.
"I knew you'd be sceptical, and I don't blame you," Harry said, "But its part of the agreement. The mark, and the job, or Azkaban."
"Yes Potter, I'm aware of that. You don't have to constantly remind me," Draco said bitterly.
"So?" Harry asked.
Draco was silent.
"Are there any other terms you want explained to you?"
"How does this team work?" Draco asked, "Who chooses my team members?"
"My department and I will make suggestions, but it's your department and as head you get the final say in who joins your team," Harry answered.
"Hmm," Draco said thoughtfully, "And all you want me to do is hunt down criminals and bring them to 'justice' in any way I can?"
"You can be as unethical as you like, as long as you bring them to us alive," Harry said.
"Okay," Draco said after a moment of consideration, "It's better than prison."
"You have to confess first," Harry reminded Draco as he slid a piece of parchment across the table.
"I just have to write it down?"
"No, you have to say it out loud too," Harry said, not able to hide his smirk.
Draco rolled his eyes, "Fine, I wasn't shopping there. It was my black market, and I want compensation for the goods you seized."
"I'm pretty sure insurance companies don't cover illegal, stolen goods Malfoy. Write your confession down and sign on the dotted line," Harry said smoothly.
Without another word, Draco sighed and did so, handing the confession to Harry.
"All charges will be dropped," Harry then assured him, "And the public will want an answer so we will tell them you have received community service and are redeeming yourself for your crimes by rehabilitating yourself into civilised society."
Draco snorted, "The illegal world isn't entirely uncivilised Potter."
"I know that," Harry said, "But the public don't. Are you going to sign that contract?"
Draco nodded, but his hand was still poised over the dotted line, he sighed and signed his name neatly, "I feel like I'm signing my life away."
"Only 10 years of it," Harry said happily as he took the contract and the confession and put them in his file, "Welcome to the justice team Malfoy," he said, holding his hand out to the former Slytherin.
Draco reached out and took Harry's hand, shaking it tentatively, "Déjà vu."
Harry only smiled and said, "Once this is processed you'll be able to leave. You start on Monday."
TBC :)
A/N: So this is based on a few different things. The team of misfits idea comes from the tv show 'Scorpion' but the criminals working for the law to bring down serious bad guys comes from the British tv show 'By Any Means'. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it! :)