Don't own anything Marvel, Harry Potter, or any other references you recognize.
Chapter 2
After seeing his friends off through the floo in the Three Broomsticks Harry meandered around the main street of Hogsmeade. It was a quarter after one but he knew Tonks and her son would take 'around one' to mean 'start getting dressed at one' so he had time to kill. As he passed by the Hogsmeade branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Harry noticed that the Hogwarts students seemed to be keeping track of him. This wasn't exactly a new phenomenon to the technically-a-celebrity, but he felt that at 31 it had to be due to die down soon. His status as the most famous wizard in the British Isles, and in fact Europe in its totality if you ignored Quidditch, had not changed since his defeat of Tom Riddle. However, his incessant need of privacy in his youth had likely hurt him more than it had helped. It turns out that if you give the ravenous public what it wants they actually can be sated, for a time.
So, with that nugget of wisdom, he had done the interviews and photo shoots that it seemed everyone wanted. It had come two and a half years after the war so it had taken some time to catch up with demand but eventually the public became bored of his telling the same facts over and over. And that's exactly what he'd done.
He finally gave his endorsement to the rumors that everyone who had attended Hogwarts with him believed. Yes, he'd saved a valuable artifact from a possessed teacher in his first year. Yes, he'd saved a student from a basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, he had saved himself and his godfather, Sirius Black, from a horde of Dementors and the man was INNOCENT thank you very much. Yes, he'd been entered into the Triwizard Tournament by Voldemort and eventually dueled him. Yes, he'd gone to the Ministry of Magic with a group of students that he'd helped to train to protect a prophecy, no you can't know the prophecy. Yes, Dumbledore gave Harry the information he needed to finally see Riddle in the ground and then witnessed the headmaster's death at the hands of Severus Snape. Yes dammit Voldemort is dead and it only took the lives of some of the greatest people I knew to accomplish it can I go home now?!
But he'd be damned if they were getting more than that. They didn't need to know that he'd died that night. If he had his way only Ron and Hermione would ever know everything. They deserved it and it had only taken him finally healing all his wounds, physical and not, for him to tell them. It turns out that even if you somehow survive a killing curse or two there can be unseen damage.
Harry finally managed to shake those thoughts from his head. Today was supposed to be a Good Day. Being in Hogsmeade again it was inevitable that he would have thoughts of the past but that didn't mean they had to be of the negative variety. Finally as he was nearing the front gates of Hogwarts he saw one of his favorite colors appear, and then drop to the ground an instant later.
"Wotcher, Tonks." Harry said with a wide grin on his face. He reached her and offered his hand to help her up.
Tonks promptly ignored it, shot to her feet while simultaneously shortening her hair to a dirty blonde crew cut with a strong jaw beneath it, and finally snapped to attention with a crisp salute.
"Sir, Auror Tonks reporting for duty, sir!" Tonks said in a deeper than normal voice. Already the nearby students were snickering to each other.
Even though he was annoyed at the reason Tonks was doing this he was well used to her sense of humor so he played along. "You're late private! Drop and give me fifty!" At this Tonks finally glanced at him, but he kept his face in a scowl. Her eyes shifted to the students when she realized he wasn't going to break first. Harry thought he saw brief hesitation before defiance overcame her and she dropped to a push-up position and began counting out loudly "One, two, three..."
Harry surreptitiously hit the ground beneath her with a cushioning charm before turning around to the students. He saw a tangle of turquoise hair pushing its way forward through the crowd and the grin that split his face grew until he finally met the eyes of his godson. Normally a dark brown they instantly shifted to his own green.
"Twenty-two, twenty-three..." Harry winked at his godson before heavily sitting down onto Tonks' back as she came up from another push-up. "OOF" Tonks grunted, letting out a breath as she hit the ground, her arms shooting out spread-eagle. "GERROFF ME!" She shouted, twisting so that she could grab hold of his robes and pull him to the ground with her. They grappled with each other briefly before Tonks got Harry in a headlock, applying just enough pressure to make his face go red. "Say it! Say it Potter! Who wears the trousers!"
"Mum! Harry! Do you have to be as embarrassing as possible every time you're in public?" Teddy complained at the both of them. They ceased their struggle, glancing at each other momentarily before launching at Teddy to pull him into the dog-pile. He yelled out invectives as they tickled his sides.
Relenting after only ten seconds that felt like an eternity to the thirteen-year-old, Tonks muttered "Well, I don't know who taught you to speak like that." Harry coughed, deciding it best not to comment.
Teddy grinned up at her before the three embraced in a warm hug. It had only been a little over a month and a half since Tonks and Harry had seen Teddy off on the Hogwarts Express but to the three it still felt like much too long.
"So, you're sure you're not too cool to be spending your first Hogsmeade weekend with us?" Tonks asked "Seems like there's a few people waiting for you."
Teddy glanced at the crowd that had yet to disperse. "Er.. I may have let out that I was spending the day with you two. People were pretty interested for some reason."
"Likely just trying to get an autograph from the famous Tonks, right?" Harry said a touch sarcastically but with a smile on his face.
"Well, maybe... But also maybe because I might have said I could get you two to duel a little bit.." Teddy started off looking at the ground but brightened as they didn't shut him down right away "Y'know, just like you do at home nothing serious!"
"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Teddy, I-"
"Wouldn't want to be embarrassed in front of his adoring fans." Tonk said, cutting Harry off.
"Well, I was going to say I didn't think it was a good idea to duel the elderly, but if you're spry enough to talk like that I suppose we can go a round or two." Harry said with what sounded like genuine concern while avoiding an indignant swat from Tonks. "Alright Teddy, go get us some space."
"Wicked." As Teddy went to tell his fellow students the good news and get them a relatively safe distance away Tonks asked "Rules?"
"No unforgivables?" Harry deadpanned.
"Harry.."
"Fine, fine." Harry sighed sarcastically. "Hey, you remember that show Teddy used to like? The one with all the magical creatures that fought each other?"
"Pokemon? What about it?"
"Yea pokeymans, why don't we start with a pokeymans match?"
"Harry, I know you know what Pokemon is." Tonks said in exasperation. "Just say the word Pokemon."
Harry ignored her and went to the side of the path they were on, searching for a few rocks. He picked two up and transfigured them into the classic red and white ball with his back turned on the crowd so they couldn't see. Layering it with a delayed transfiguration with a holding charm to be released on impact with the ground was a complicated bit of magic, but when you're a trained Auror with power to spare in a low stress situation it was easily doable for Harry. He finally handed one to Tonks while saying "We'll start with these, let them go at it for a bit and then finish with prank jinxes and disarming charms. No bruises on our day off, eh? Just toss that when I do."
Tonks just stared at the ball in her hand, ignoring everything Harry just said to her. "You can transfigure a freaking Pokeball but you can't just say the word Pokemon? Just for me Harry, you can keep up the charade with Teddy but I physically need you to say the word Pokemon."
"I'll say it if you win, but if I win you have to try to morph your head into a Pygmy Puff." Harry said as he backed up so that they were 20 meters away from each other. They had a circle of students surrounding them that seemed to be growing by the minute but Teddy had ensured that they would have enough room.
"Only if you agree to no Kama Sutra magic!" Tonks said getting red faces from the students near enough to overhear her.
"Kamar-Taj, Tonks, and we already agreed on the magic of the duel." Harry replied as he readied his wand in his right hand and his Pokeball in his left. "Count us down, Teddy!" he called over to the boy.
"30! 29! 28!" Teddy started to shout, earning groans and a few scattered chuckles from the crowd of students. "GO!" he shouted only a moment later.
Instantly both Tonks and Harry threw their Pokeballs towards the center of their impromptu dueling ring. Harry's hit first and transformed into a gray, squat figure, barely as tall as most of the students there, with three fins on its head and an extra pair of muscled arms coming out above its shoulders. It was already charging forward as Tonks' landed and became a slightly shorter, lanky figure with bright red boxing gloves and five blunt protrusions coming from its forehead. A cheer went through the crowd as many of the students recognized the creatures and even those that didn't knew a great moment when they experienced it.
The Machamp was attempting to get into the Hitmonchan's guard while it continued to dance away, throwing out jabs so fast none of the witches or wizards could keep track. With its four arms the Machamp was able to block most but even now the audience could tell it wouldn't be able to get close enough to the other creature to do any damage. Harry used this intended distraction to charm large patches of the dirt that made up the road with animation charms and time delayed transfigurations, sending them tumbling towards Tonks who was busy cheering her Pokemon on with half of the crowd. Soon the Machamp's persistence won out, and as the Hitmonchan stopped to rest for only a moment it was engulfed in the four arms of its opponent. The Machamp swiftly brought the other Pokemon above its head and then crashing back down onto one of his own knees and a loud crack rent the air.
"Oooohh.." half the crowd groaned, while the other half cheered wildly for their chosen champion. Tonks was gaping widely at the scene before blasting both creatures back to rock and then to rubble. If she had been paying close attention she might have noticed the last of Harry's charmed dirt sliding into place beneath her, but she was too focused on her 'loss' of the match. It never even crossed her mind that Harry might have purposefully given her the losing Pokemon because she knew him well enough to know that he would not even consider it himself. Between the two of them the fun was had in the competition, not winning or losing.
"Alright Potter! You won the battle but you'll not win this war!" Tonks shouted and began cackling villainously. To those that remembered the laugh, of which only Harry was present, it sounded eerily similar to that of the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange. Already Tonks was throwing out every prank jinx she could think of and Harry responded in kind. They of course recognized most of the spells and by mutual understanding of the nature of the duel allowed the harmless ones to land. The rest were deflected into the sky to dissipate naturally. Within half a minute each was looking increasingly ridiculous. Harry had a pair of great antlers sprouting from his forehead, his robes had been transfigured into a mime costume with a bright red scarf and suspenders, and his face was white and pink polka-dotted.
Tonks was now sporting a fluffy mane of her normal bubble gum pink hair while from the neck down she was green and fuzzy, complete with long spindly fingers making her look like the Grinch. It was as Tonks was about to throw the first disarming charm of the duel in an attempt to end it that Harry's delayed transfigurations triggered. From one moment to the next all of the dirt transfigured into jello, completely encasing the hairy woman in a large cube of the gelatinous confection. The gathered students, who had been cheering and laughing at the ridiculous display, went silent with a collective breath.
"Bombarda!" Harry shouted after a moment, his first vocalized spell of the entire encounter. He had yelled it for dramatic effect, but he only powered it enough to get the desired result. The jello exploded outward, completely covering the front few rows of gathered children in the sticky treat causing them to once again shriek and laugh uproariously. Harry summoned Tonks' wand from where it had fallen when she had been abruptly released from her pudding prison and the students momentarily forgot that they were a complete mess and started cheering for the victor.
Harry jogged to where Tonks was still laid out on the ground to help her up. As he pulled her to her feet she hissed at him "You cheated." Harry could tell she wasn't actually angry and just cocked his head confusedly so she elaborated "Bombarda isn't exaclty a prank jinx."
"Oh, well I used it in a pranking manner didn't I?" he countered, sweeping his arm out to the covered students who were talking animatedly amongst themselves. She continued to scowl at him until he sighed in a resigned manner. "Fine, fine, tie then?" At her nod he took her hand, whispered "Pokemon" to her and then turned to the crowd raising their hands together as if champions of a grand competition. As one they bowed dramatically to the clapping students. Already many of the students were attempting to Scourgify their clothes with varying success. Harry thought his bit of fun was a good payment for the free entertainment so left them to it.
Together Tonks and Harry spent the next few minutes answering questions about their duel. They told the students some of the more minors spells they had used on one another, all the while standing in their ridiculous outfits. Soon though Harry thought it was time to spend his day with Teddy and undid the damage to himself and Tonks. Hid bid farewell to the students who had already started to dissipate and he was rather happy to have gotten off with only signing a few autographs.
Once it was just the three of them they began to wander through Hogsmeade, stopping to get Teddy essentials such as quills from Scrivenshaft's and a healthy supply of sweets from Honeydukes. They saved the best for last and finally visited Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes where they were met with the smiling face of George Weasley.
"At last! The newest generation of Marauders has come at last! Once again Hogwarts will shake in terror and laughter, as it should be. Ah, I've been waiting for this day for many years." George sighed dramatically, wiping a fake tear from his eye. "Come with me now, such an important client must have a personal guide through our halls of genius."
Seeing that Tonks was on the verge of shutting the whole thing down, Harry called out to her from where he was standing near the cage of Pygmy Puffs. "Tonks! I think its time for you to pay your end of the bargain."
She looked at the retreating heads of orange hair and then sighed in resignation, walking to join Harry near the fluff balls. It took her nearly thirty minutes of concentration but she was able to shrink her face in a pinched manner, her eyebrows now much closer to her chin with everything squished in between. From her entire head sprouted fuzz in the same bubble gum pink of her hair. Slowly she was able to lengthen it to the point where her head was now a round ball of straight pink hair with only her squished face free of the fuzz. It was possibly to most ridiculous sight Harry had ever seen and when he conjured a mirror to show her she lost concentration and began laughing with him, undoing all her hard work.
As they were finally getting their laughing under control Teddy returned, stuffing a decidedly colorful shrunken box into his pocket. Together they bid George farewell and returned to their time just enjoying each others presence. They could all tell that their wanderings were taking them towards the Hogwarts gates, though none of them wanted to admit it to themselves yet. Harry made a decision he had been warring with most of the day, mostly to prolong their time together he knew, but it was his trust in his godson that even made it a possible question.
With his decision made he halted his movements towards the front gate and indicated the path running perpendicular to the one they were on. "How about we show him the Shrieking Shack? Didn't I say we'd tell you its secret on your first Hogsmeade weekend?" Harry asked.
"Oh yea! You did. Ah, but if we go there even if you apparate me to the front gates I won't make it back to the castle in time for curfew." Teddy said, dejected.
"I can take care of that, don't worry." Harry said, putting his arm around Teddy's shoulder and leading him towards the famous building. He made eye contact with Tonks to see her concentrating for only a moment before giving him a nod. They had had this discussion a few times already and while she was of the opinion that Harry's secrets were for him to tell, he believed that as Teddy's mother she had final say on anything to do with the child.
"I should go home and get started on dinner." Tonks said suddenly, deciding that this might be better off as a moment between a son and his father figure, or just father as Tonks really thought about it. Harry stepped away and let the two say their goodbyes. "See you at home, Harry." she said a few minutes later before disapparating.
"So, are you finally going to tell me how you got into my common room last year without the headmistress even knowing you were in the castle?" Teddy asked Harry in an excited voice once they were alone.
"Among other things, yes, you'll even get to experience that little trick. Tell me what you know of this place." Harry said, indicating the dilapidated building ahead of them as they came to a stop at the fence surrounding it.
"Well, everyone says it's the most haunted building in the UK, but also no noises have actually been heard from it for a long time." Teddy said with a look of confusion on his face. "But really, what do they even mean when they say most haunted? There's a hundred ghosts and a poltergeist at Hogwarts. Do they mean per square-foot?"
"I don't know, but it doesn't matter because that was just a lie propagated to hide the shack's true purpose. When was the last time people say noises came from it?" Harry asked with interest. He was pretty sure he knew but he'd never bothered to find out.
"Fifteen years is the rumor." Teddy replied with a shrug.
"Right, I think it's closer to seventeen years now. It was during my third year at school."
"You mean when..."
"Yep, when your father was teaching Defense and Sirius Black, my own godfather, was slinking about in the Forbidden Forrest." Harry spoke with a quietness that was rare these days, as if he could look right into the shack and see the events unfolding. "It was here that I gained and lost my first chance at my own family. I thought it was two years after that, when Sirius, well when the Department of Mysteries happened, but it was really here. If Pettigrew hadn't escaped I could have gone and lived with Sirius and even Remus. But that's not what I wanted to tell you here." Harry said, shaking himself of depressing thoughts for the second time that day. "I wanted you to know that it was here that your father spent every full moon for his first four years at Hogwarts. It was a compromise with Dumbledore, you see. He would be safely locked away in the shack during the full moon and could attend Hogwarts like the normal student that he was. Dumbledore started the rumor that the shack was haunted with dangerous spirits and Remus' howls, cries, and yes shrieks helped the rumor along. Whether he was unable to afford Wolfsbane or if it hadn't been invented yet I don't know, but every full moon he would come here to suffer alone."
"Why are you telling me this?" Teddy asked in a quiet voice. Already he had tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Because, Teddy, you're thirteen now and if your experiences are anything like my own were you've heard just about every good thing there is to hear about your dad. But you're ready to learn that he was human just like we are. And believe it or not this is a happy story. Your father spent four years suffering alone here in the hopes that he could lead an otherwise normal and happy life. And he did. He became best friends with his roommates, my father, Sirius, and Pettigrew. Some time in that fourth year the three of them discovered just why he was disappearing once a month for the ten months they spent living in the same room. Can you imagine? How could you not notice if your roommate was gone once a month like clockwork. They knew why he was keeping it a secret, obviously, and so they started their own secret project. It was on one of the first full moons of their fifth year that they surprised Remus by following him into the Shrieking Shack. He was livid. He believed they were going to get themselves killed, or worse reject him and tell him they didn't want to be his friends anymore. But of course that didn't happen and they revealed themselves to be animagi, where they would be immune to his cursed bite and between my father and Sirius were strong enough to keep him in line. It was that night they became Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. From that night on your father never spent another full moon at Hogwarts alone."
Teddy was listening with rapt attention. He knew the overarching information that the story revealed, but he had never heard the intimate details. He couldn't believe that his father had thought so little of himself, but knowing that the man that had always seemed larger than life to Teddy was more human than he'd thought was comforting.
"It was some time later that they created this." Harry said slowly, pulling out a worn piece of folded parchment that Teddy had only seen a few times.
"No way, are you actually letting me have it?" Teddy asked with only a hint of desperation.
"I'm letting you hold onto it, and I'm trusting you to take good care of it and use it responsibly. It then becomes your responsibility to pass it on to the next generation of Marauders." Harry affirmed with a seriousness that didn't surprise Teddy. He knew this was on of the few things Harry had from his own father.
"Are you sure?" Teddy asked with that thought in mind. "I always thought you would want to pass it on to your own kids.."
"Teddy, look at me." Harry started, putting his hands on Teddy's shoulders and facing them toward one another. "First of all, the map says Moony just as it says Prongs. It belongs to the both of us. But more importantly you are my son, just as much as any future children I might have of my own. I've never thought of you as any different." Harry said firmly, finally saying the words that he didn't know need to be said until now. To him it was just a given, but he forgot how easy it was to be insecure at that age. He embraced Teddy in a warm hug before handing him the map.
Teddy reveled in Harry's embrace, glad that they were alone. He took the map reverently, slipped his wand out of his pocket, tapped the map, and whispered "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." His eyes were glued to the parchment as the lines crisscrossed and weaved the map and the names of its mischievous purveyors. He had seen it before, of course, but it was different now that it was his to use.
"I'm trusting you with it and to use it wisely. What's the most important rule?" Harry asked with seriousness.
"Pranks should be funny for everyone, especially the target." he replied without hesitation. "Oh no, the great hall is already filling up, we'd better go."
"Alright, I'll let the Headmistress know we're coming." Harry said as he removed his wand from its sleeve pocket and thought of the day he'd spent with his godson. Prongs was leaping from his wand before he'd even finished saying "Expecto Patronum. Headmistress, Teddy and I will be arriving in the antechamber off the great hall momentarily." With that Prongs raced off in the direction of the castle. "She was right mad last time I did this, so best give her some warning. We should probably say bye now. I love you, Teddy. Be good for your professors, and remember our deal. You get Os and EEs and I'll help you start training to be an animagus after your OWLs."
"I will, Harry. Love you too." Teddy mumbled into Harry's shoulder as they were once again hugging. "Mischief managed." With that Teddy stored the map with the box of Wheezes and looked expectantly at Harry, wondering how they were going to get to the castle.
Harry grinned at Teddy as he slipped a sling ring onto his left pointer and middle finger. He lifted his hand up, palm facing away from his body as his right hand began tracing a circle behind it. He could do it much quicker but half the fun was the look of wonder on Teddy's face as orange-red sparks began swirling in sync with his right hand. Slowly the circle expanded until they could see through it into what they recognized as the antechamber off the great hall. "Bloody hell." Teddy muttered, earning a "Language" from Harry. Just as the portal became big enough to step through the door leading to the great hall opened and Headmistress McGonagall ,with her lips in a thin line, entered the room. Harry motioned Teddy to precede him and then they both walked through the portal.
"You're telling me you've been apparating me everywhere for thirteen years when you can do that?" Teddy complained. "That was nothing, I wouldn't even know we just traveled at all if I couldn't see the proof!"
Harry grinned unrepentantly but noticed the stern glare coming from the Headmistress. "Hello, Headmistress, lovely to see you again." he said while trying to tell if she was actually mad.
"Mr Lupin, you are very nearly late. I suggest you find Mr. Filch quickly so that he may mark you as here before joining your classmates for dinner." she said, ignoring Harry for the moment.
"Right, thank you Headmistress. See you later Harry!" Teddy called as he was already halfway out the door.
"I don't enjoy pushing the boundaries of the rules, even for my favorite students, Mr. Potter." Minerva said sternly, though Harry could tell it was at least partially faked.
"Ah, but did we actually break any rules?" Harry asked in defense with his own faked seriousness.
"There has never been a rule against guardians teleporting their wards into the school because there has never been anyone that could teleport into the school other than its headmaster's own portkeys, as you well know." she retorted before softening her tone and expression. "See that it doesn't become a habit so that no such rule needs to be created. It is good to see you again, Harry. Stop by for tea soon when you have some time, won't you?" she finished with a small smile.
"Definitely, Minerva. It's good to see you too." After a brief hug the headmistress left through the door. Harry once again created a portal, this time to the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place. Already he could smell dinner and joined Tonks in the kitchen to sit down to eat. They spent the night talking about the day they'd spent with Teddy and all the gossip that he'd given them of the goings on at Hogwarts. It was as they were doing the dishes that Tonks brought up the slight elephant in the room.
"Rumor is you'll be made Head." she stated neutrally.
Harry sighed and responded "I know, Hermione told me all about it. I really don't see why when it's you that taught me everything I know about being an Auror."
"Do you really not know why? I could list the reasons for you if you like." she retorted shortly.
"Because I'm the boy-who-lived? The man-who-conquered? If it wasn't that it would be because I'm a man. We both know how Robards can be. No, I don't know of any reason based on actual merit. I may be a better wizard-
"And humble too..." Tonks muttered.
"Remember who it was that taught me to stop selling myself short, Tonks. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Harry continued sarcastically, easing the tension and earning a slight grin from the woman. "I may be a better wizard, or witch respectively, but you're every bit the Auror that I am, better even. I still learn new things when we're on assignment together. And you're better at the administrative side of things. I still get written up on the paperwork I turn in once in a while. You deserve the promotion, and you have every reason to back away from the field a little. Besides, with you as Head I can pawn my paperwork off on you." he finished with a cheeky grin.
"Not bloody likely." she responded with a laugh and then sighed. "I'm not frustrated with you, Harry. I'm sorry for taking it out on you. But it's just so bloody annoying to work twice as hard to earn the same recognition."
"I know, and you would think Hermione of all people would recognize that but I already asked her to lay off. I'll talk to Kingsley on Monday and ask him to base it on merit alone, for whatever it's worth. It's his decision at the end of the day anyway since Robards is retiring in a few weeks."
"I feel awful playing politics, but Hermione is just blinded by her friendship with you. Thanks. It really means a lot to me to have you on my side." Tonks replied, all tension finally leaving her. "You would make a great Head Auror so either way I'll be happy, but I want a fair shot, you know?"
"I know. Now, I'm going to get some sleep so I can get an early start on lazing about tomorrow." Harry said while he embraced Tonks in a strong hug, rubbing her back in a affirmation of support. She laughed with him and they headed their separate ways to bed.
Harry spent the next day exactly as he'd said, doing a whole lot of nothing. He watched telly for a bit, ordered takeaway from the Indian place a few minutes away, and just generally doing what bachelors did when they had a house to themselves and a few hours to kill. That evening he went to the weekly Weasley gathering at the Burrow for dinner where he spent a few hours recharging his batteries by entertaining his nieces and nephews, catching up with the varied gingers and their spouses, and just basking in the love that permeated the property. He was equally glad and guilty about feeling glad that Ginny happened to not come this time. They were friendly enough but there was no better mood killer than an ex making a comment about your time together.
Monday came quickly after that and though Harry was only on call for the week he still made it into the office by ten. He kept his promise and talked to Minister Shacklebolt and Assistant Deputy Head Granger about his thoughts on the upcoming Head Auror, reiterating that it should be merit based alone. Whoever they truly believed would be better for the administration and assignment of Aurors should get the job, not who would get them the best press.
He then spent the rest of the week finishing his paperwork on his previous assignment, thankful that he had a week to do it. How routine guard duty at the ICW could garner so much parchment that he felt he could start his own supply store, Harry would never know. But by the next Sunday evening Harry was quite ready to go into work early and get his new assignment. If that still meant heading to the States like he'd heard, he was all the more for it.
A/N: Wow. When I realized how short the previous chapter was I'll admit I was surprised. My respect for authors pumping out 100k+ words has skyrocketed. This one comes in at about 5,800. I really tried to add some more substance. How'd that go? Too much detail? Not enough? The last chapter really should just be tacked on at the top of this one but I'm going to leave it as a learning opportunity.
One reviewer commented that they were excited we'd be jumping right into the plot, but this chapter begged me to be written, though it was still a slog at times. After this though it's all Marvel with bits of Wizarding world thrown in.
In Dr. Strange the ancient one tells us that we can think of spells like 'programs' if we're more comfortable with it so I took that and ran. We see Harry in this chapter 'programming' his spells just a little bit. Time delays, impact detecting, transfiguration holding charms seemed pretty cool to me when I wrote it, what'd you think?
No decision on pairing yet, and I likely won't decide till I start writing the characters. The main pair (Harry) won't be slash. Whether or not minor pairings even come up is to be seen but I'm not against a slash pairing there. But really this isn't a romance fic so don't expect too much out of me.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, and even glanced at the story.
