Chapter Seven
The main problem, as Leopold saw it, with the situation he was currently in, was the fact that he was gradually finding it harder and harder to dislike Harry Potter. No matter how much he tried, how much he attempted to find annoying characteristics, how much Leopold dwelled on the unruliness of Potter's hair or the discordant dwelling Potter called home, Leopold found himself smiling at Harry's sarcasm. He found himself telling an unnecessary amount of ridiculous jokes in hopes that Harry would laugh in approval. And although Leopold continuously reminded himself of how much of a prat he was being, he couldn't stop.
Leopold Ackerley wanted to be friends with Harry Potter.
He wanted to go out drinking with Potter. He wanted to pick up witches at the Leaky with Potter. He wanted to play a game of Exploding Snap with Potter and go to a Quidditch match and other things male buddies did.
It was both horrifying and exciting at the same time. Potter had some sort of hold on him, almost like magic. And this is where the problem arose. Leopold had enjoyed hating Harry Potter. "Potter" had become synonymous with intolerable, insufferable, obnoxious, and any other synonym Leo could come up with at the time that meant the same thing as pain in the ass. But now, Leopold could only muster up a vague dislike at the mention of Potter's name. Sometimes he couldn't even manage that, and occasionally redirected his travels to somehow incorporate the location he knew Potter to be, just to say some snarky comment pertaining to Potter's dubious grooming habits.
But as Potter had never given any indication that Leopold was anything more than a mild nuisance forced upon him by that dastardly fellow, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Leo wasn't sure if Potter was as tired with the false hatred as he was.
"So you're developing a big man crush on Harry Potter. I'm sure you're not the first. Nor will you be the last," Roger Davies said, waving his hand dismissively. They were standing at the site of a break in that had apparently involved a baby dragon, some illegal cauldrons, and a potion that made the entire area smell of rotting cheese. They were supposed to be gathering evidence, but they were using this opportunity to waste as much time as possible so they didn't have to go back to the office. Their mini Aurors, Ernie and Susan, were inside the building, probably being a lot more productive than they currently were.
"It's not a man crush, why do you have to gay it up like that?" Leo kicked a pebble out of his way and used his wand to push a large chunk of rubble aside. The dragon had done a number to the building; half of it had collapsed and the other half was about ready to go any moment.
"That's really the only way to describe it." Roger shrugged, flicking his wand at an intact part of wall and sending it flying along the grass. "I don't particularly care. I'm sure Potter can be charming when he tries hard enough. I mean he seduced that Weasley girl somehow, didn't he? She was something else, eh? I wonder if she's still single."
"Probably. She broke it off with Potter because she didn't have time. I'm sure she's more than willing to have a fling while on the road." Roger gave Leo a sly smile as they both lifted another rather large chunk of bricks.
"You insult her honor, Leo. Try and get her location out of Potter, will you? I may just pay her a visit."
"I will not. Anyway, it's not a man crush. I thought he wanted to be friends. He seemed willing enough after I sort of apologized."
"You don't need anymore friends, Leo. You have us. Besides, he's an arrogant Gryffindor and no one needs that in his life."
"Not while I have an arrogant Ravenclaw right in front of me."
"I resent that," Roger responded, mildly indignant. "But I'm serious. If he's going to be jerking you around, playing you for a fool like that, then you don't need him. Make friends with Macmillan." They both laughed at this, spotting Macmillan, through a broken window, fumbling around inside the building. Susan Bones seemed slightly annoyed as she gestured at something the two aurors couldn't see. Macmillan wasn't exactly incompetent, however he thought he knew more than he actually did and that tended to result in him landing up in situations he couldn't properly handle. He was easy enough to get along with, though, and Leo was glad for that. There were worse people he could have been paired with.
"I figured that since we'd be spending a lot of unwanted time together, a friendship would be a good idea. I suppose I was wrong."
"It happens to the best of us, mate. I'm sure I've been wrong once or twice in my brief yet handsome existence." They stopped pushing debris around and took to keeping their whole attention on the budding young aurors. They were fully arguing now, much to the amusement of both Leo and Roger.
"Drink after work?" Roger snorted at Leopold's unnecessary question.
"Of course. Are you buying?"
"No. You still owe me from that horrible prank you pulled on me."
"Oh yeah," Roger began to laugh. "I forgot about that. That was prime."
"Shut up."
"I really wish I had a camera on me at the time. I want to relive that moment over and over again." Roger looked as though he were on the verge of breaking down into a hysterical fit of laughter at the mere thought of Leopold's horrified face. Leopold vowed that at the first hint of a cackle, he would indeed punch Roger without hesitation.
"I'm putting in a request for a new partner. As soon as we get back, I'm talking to Shacklebolt."
"You don't willingly talk to Shacklebolt, so shut up," Roger replied with a smirk. "Anyway, I think we've wasted enough time here, don't you?" Leopold looked at his watch; it was about ten minutes to quitting time.
"Perhaps. Do you really want to break up their bonding session?" The two looked over at the arguing trainees. Susan was brandishing her wand in a threatening manner as Ernie stood defiantly with his hands folded across his chest. "Five galleons says he shags her by the end of the week."
"That's the second woman whose honor you've defamed," Roger said, scolding. "Make it ten."
"Sonorus," Leo muttered, pointing his wand at his throat. "All right, you two. It's time to head back to the department. There are drinks to be had." The duo jumped at the amplified voice, then turned on the spot and apparated. Roger and Leo followed.
"Ackerley! My office, now." Before they even overcame the uncomfortable sensation that occurred when one apparated, Shacklebolt stuck his head out of his office door and summoned Leo. Roger met Leo's desperate gaze and shrugged, jerking his thumb backward indicating he'd wait for Leo in their cubicle.
"One of these days I will change my name and not tell him," Leo muttered, heading over to Kingsley Shacklebolt's office.
"I'm reassigning your trainee."
"Ernie? But we were getting on so well." Which was true. When Leo wasn't watching him almost get the stuffing beaten out of him courtesy of Susan Bones, Leo was giving Ernie reports to fill out and coffee to fetch. Ernie knew just the right amount of sugar Leo took with his coffee and to have to train someone else to get it exactly right seemed like an insurmountable feat.
"Yes, well, I have received a complaint."
"Ernie complained about me? I'm shocked and hurt." Leo frowned, ready to pout in seconds.
"No, Macmillan did not complain about you. Fawcett complained about Potter."
"Ah. I didn't realize Fawcett didn't like her men surly and bespectacled. That's good news for us cheerful and perfect visioned men, eh?" Leo winked at Shacklebolt, who looked ready to pull off Leo's eyelid. "Sir. What does this mean for me, sir?"
"I'm switching Macmillan for Potter. You're supposed to be guarding him anyway, so this should make things easier for you."
"Why didn't you just pair me with Potter in the first place, sir?"
"I pair trainees with Aurors of equal or slightly greater magical ability. Fawcett is an exceptional Auror, therefore, Potter was the natural choice. You, while incredibly intelligent and mildly talented, are mediocre, so you were given an average trainee," Shacklebolt said, in a manner that suggested he was very much ready to end the conversation and wouldn't take no for an answer. Leopold tried ignoring the fact that he was just told that he was not as magically talented as Harry Potter.
"Right. That makes sense, sir. Well, I suppose I should break the news to Ernie. He will, indeed, be rather heartbroken."
"You aren't going to fight me on this? Throw a few complaints my way? Make me wish I never hired you?" The truth was, while Leo's initial reaction was to rant and rave about the injustice of it all, after he thought about it, he thought he could tolerate having Potter as his tiny trainee. Even if the man would be hopeless with fetching coffee.
"I've long since learned that arguing with you, concerning matters of the Harry Potter variety, is futile. But I will say, and I mean this in the most respectful way possible, I hate you, sir." Shacklebolt smiled cruelly, returning Leo's previous wink.
"Ah. That's much better."
