Harry did not like his partner. Quentin Galbraith was one of the oldest aurors still with the MOM. He was just biding his time, waiting for retirement. He would not do anything physical unless he had to. He wasn't out of shape, just lazy.

It had been that way since they had been paired after the world cup. Harry saw other auror teams who worked like well oiled machines, giving and taking, each carrying part of the load. Not him and Galbraith, it was all Harry giving and the old Tosser, as Harry privately thought of him, taking all the credit.

Most of the death eaters had been found, tried and put away in the time after the war, some had slipped away not being heard from since. That did not mean that all bad was gone from Great Britain's Wizarding world. Vacuums will always be filled, and other miscreants rushed to fill the void.

Routine matters took a lot of time too, Every September extra security was laid on at Kings Cross. Robberies, assaults, break ins and suspicious deaths had to be investigated. After the war, when the dementors had been removed from Azkaban, There had been a year that all UK aurors had rotated with shifts at the prison, until new human corrections offices were trained and in place. Transport of prisoners from regional holding facilities to the MOM for trial, to Azkaban after sentencing and international transport for crimes committed in other countries took part of each teams year.

Then there was the paperwork that along with surveillance was the tedious part of any cops job, magical or muggle. There were perks, being chosen to be part of a team accompanying the minister, or other MOM dignitaries, on visits almost always allowed some personal time off to see a bit more of the UK and the world. Harry especially liked when they got to go to sporting events, magical and muggle.

There were advances being made in the department as well, more face to face time with the public. The ministry and the auror's reputation had taken a beating in the time of troubles. Now teams were seen on patrol in Diagon alley and Hogsmede. Harry liked getting to talk with the shop owners and the children who now felt free to play on the streets. While his partner took every handout offered to him Harry always insisted on paying for his meals while on patrol, often leaving enough to cover the Tosser's meal as well.

Some of the cases they worked on made Harry shake his head in disbelief. The notion that people believed some of these nutters made him wonder about the supposed intelligence of the average wizard or witch. They, really Harry, had spent two months tracking a son of a death eater, who had been killed in the battle of Hogwarts. This lunatic claimed to have Voldemort's finger nail and was traveling the country proclaiming that he would soon use it to bring back their great and glorious leader. Draco Malfoy had provided the tip that started the investigation. Draco wanted nothing to do with his dark past. Anytime he heard of black magic being discussed he sent a message to Harry. They had a grudging respect for each other. Just before Christmas Harry finally had enough evidence to get an arrest warrant. A gathering had been arraigned on December 15th by this charlatan where he supposedly was going to make Voldemort rise from the dead.

Harry, Quentin, a few other senior aurors and the best of the second year auror trainees had been assigned to round him and his followers up. The gathering was at Stonehenge. The wizard had confounded the muggles in to thinking that their's was a druid group there to worship. The aurors waited until all were gathered inside the stone circle. Invisible, the aurors formed their own ring just outside the sarsen circle of stones. They could hear and see what was going on. The followers were arraigned just inside the sarsen horseshoe. Their leader was standing in front of the alter stone, a cauldron bubbling away on the alter stone.

Everyone became alert when they all heard a baby cry. One of the followers had laid a naked baby on the alter stone. The hair on Harry's neck stood on end. The leader started an incantation and pulled out a silver knife. At once the aurors reacted, all except Quentin. Harry dove for the leader and the baby. He quickly cast Expelliarmus and Incarcerous toward the wizard, then covered the baby with his body.

Quentin was supposed to follow Harry and provide back up. He was no where to be seen. As Harry was shielding the baby and casting spells as fast as he could the wizard regained his balance and his wand. Harry was hit with sectumsempra, thank goodness it was not a direct hit, it appeared to glance off of a fuzzy shield spell. He had been hit on the right lower calf. As he fell he scooped the baby to him, still trying to protect it.

Ron, battling nearby saw Harry fall. He ran toward the alter stone after a hard fought duel he had the leader conquered. He then turned to help Harry. Ron knew that episky would do no good. Ron picked up his friend and the baby, and disaperated directly to St. Mungo's.

Because of Ron's quickness Harry was easily healed. Later that same day found the aurors that had participated in the raid gathered at headquarters for the debriefing. Harry had insisted he be allowed to attend. Ginny and the healers reluctantly agreed after he had drank the necessary blood replenishing potion and Kingsley himself appeared to escort Harry in a magically enhanced wheelchair, back to the MOM via his private car and driver.

Kingsley had joined the meeting, tipped off by Arthur that Quentin had done nothing to help. A fact that had become clear at the hospital when Ron had whispered it fiercely with a few cuss words to his father before returning to the field to help with operational mop up.

Kingsley and Wooten, the head of the auror department, listened to the debriefing, where quite a few aurors pointed out Quentin's lack of action. They all praised Harry and Ron's actions. Gint, the head of auror training even voiced his opinion that Ron was almost as skilled as a fully trained auror. Wooten thanked them all for their hard work and the report and sent most of them home. He told Quentin to stay and asked Harry and Ron to stay. Kingsley suggested strongly that they go to his office and Harry lay down on his sofa.

Two other aurors left with the baby, who had been examined at Mungo's and found to be fine. The baby had been stolen from his parents. He was a pureblood. His parents had been securely bound and gagged and had not been able to get free for hours. They had reported the kidnapping around the time the raid was taking place.

An hour later Kingsley and Wooten arrived to talk with Ron and Harry. Quentin had been persuaded to retire early. "Harry that leaves you with out a partner. On January 3rd Ron will begin working as your partner. Now there are still some more things he has to learn so one day a week hewill have training." Kingsley failed in his attempt to look stern.

Wooten was smiling too as he said: I see that you both requested Christmas vacation for a family gathering. I'm granting it, in fact both of you are off as of right now and I don't want to see either one of you until January 3rd!

Tonks turned to Mad eye and smiled. "Good work there Moody! Protecting Harry and the baby like that. If that spell had hit him full force we'd be talking to him right now."

Mad eye gave what passed as a smile, death had not made him any cheerier. "Not so bad yourself, getting Weasley's attention and protecting his back so he could get to Harry. Damn fine set of aurors those two!"

Tonk's smiled. "Not so bad ourselves, even if we are dead!"