When Harry met Daphne

by anorc

EWE Harry Potter gets framed for the murder of Daphne Greengrass, staged to be his 'secret lover'. Ginny doesn't like that. Harry resorts to the resurrection stone to get a 'witness' to the murder. Who certainly isn't Harry's secret lover. Who did kill her and why? Harry falls into a job with Kingsley, working to save those imprisoned by the death-eaters. [HP/DG] Character deaths.

1. Chapter 1

When Harry Met Daphne

HP, DG, HG, RW, GW Ginny bashing, character death.

Harry Potter gets framed for the murder of someone he doesn't know.

This is not the love story of the ages.

Two people can keep a secret, as long as one of them is dead.

The war has been over for months.

Harry Potter was walking along Diagon Alley, on his way to look at the new brooms at Quality Quidditch supplies when an Auror gently grasped his arm "Harry James Potter?" they asked.

"Yes" said Harry.

"Harry James Potter you are under arrest for suspicion of murder" said The Auror "Please come peacefully."

-==0==-

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace into the Burrow "It's all over the papers" she said.

Hermione tipped out the papers onto the battered kitchen table.

"Harry Potter, the man who cheated" screamed the headline.

"Harry Potter's secret love affair"

"Daphne Greengrass, pureblood witch, used and discarded by Callous Potter" screamed the next story

"The tragic murder of the Pureblood Heiress Daphne Greengrass shocked Britain today..." on the next page.

"What the hell?" asked Ron.

"This makes no sense" said Hermione.

Ginny picked up a Daily Prophet. Her face went red "If he's been two-timing me I will hex his bits off" said Ginny angrily.

Mrs Weasley looked at the papers and frowned "Has Harry told either of you two about anything?" she asked.

"Mum!" said Ron "Harry's with Ginny."

Ginny turned the page and looked at a photograph of a room at some Inn. A woman's body under a hastily thrown sheet on the bed, a discarded woman's robe, a dark cord wrapped around the bedposts, piles of love letters, signed "Harry Potter" in a messy scrawl.

"That piece of shit" said Ginny.

"Ginerva, language" said Molly Weasley, snatching the paper from her daughter.

-==0==-

Ron Weasley sat on an uncomfortable chair at the DMLE.

"Visitor for Potter" said an Auror to a guard. The guard waved Ron up and led him to a cell, where Harry lay, chained to a board, in magic suppressing cuffs.

"Harry" said Ron.

"Hello Ron" said Harry "What's going on?"

Ron explained.

"Daphne Greengrass, I don't think I've ever talked to her?" said Harry.

"Well, mum and Ginny are a bit… angry." said Ron.

"I never!" said Harry indignantly.

"Well, anything I can do for you?" asked Ron.

Harry thought "I've got an idea." he said.

Ron groaned. "Tell me anyway, and I'll pretend it won't get me killed" said Ron nervously.

"Go see Hagrid, get him to take you to where I met Tom in the forest" said Harry.

"The forbidden forest" said Ron unhappily.

"Then summon the ahem pebble, the black one" said Harry.

"The st"

"The pebble" said Harry. "Bring it, and maybe I can get a witness" said Harry.

"That's… a terrible idea" said Ron.

"Ron, Murder, lots of evidence, no witness to tell anyone that it's all a load of bull" said Harry.

"What about Hermione?" asked Harry.

"The less people know, the better. Definitely don't tell Hagrid anything, and go back later, so he knows less"

"He really can't keep a secret" said Ron, shaking his head.

"Shouldn't have said that, should not have said that" said Harry, with a crooked smile.

Ron snorted. "Sure thing mate. I'll go now"

-==0==-

The next day the headlines were worse, if that was possible.

"Harry Potter, his secret life, deceit and the Murder of his secret lover"

Ron went to the Ministry on his own.

Ginny was fuming. Mum was worse.

-==0==-

Daphne Greengrass.. well her body lay on the table in the morgue, a sheet over her, exposing just her head and her blonde hair.

Harry Potter was levitated in, chained to a plank, one Auror levitating the plank a second with a wand trained on Harry, in case he somehow, chained to a plank with magic-suppressing amulets on, did some magic.

Ron Weasley, a large 'Visitor' badge, crammed between two more Aurors followed.

The Aurors stopped, Kinglsey Shacklebolt, the minster for magic, striding in.

"Well, Harry" said Kingsley, "Where is this witness?" he said in a very deep voice.

"Ron, the stone. Three times, thinking of Daphne Greengrass!" said Harry urgently.

Ron took a black pebble out of his jeans pocket, and rolled it on his palm.

Nothing happened.

"Harry it's not working" said Ron nervously.

"Try it again Ron, really concentrate" asked Harry.

Ron tried twice again. "Its not working" said Ron, his voice getting higher pitched.

"Its the right one?" asked Harry.

"It has the sign of the hallows on it" said Ron. "It's the right stone all right"

"Um Can I do it?" asked Harry.

The Aurors sighed and Kingsley spoke up "Body bind Weasley then Take Potter's hands out of the cuffs"

Ron was wrapped in black cord and leaned against the wall "Don't mind me" said Ron. "I'm not a suspect or anything"

"Shut it, Weasley" said an Auror.

Ron shut his mouth.

Harry reached out from under the chains and turned the stone three times.

The lights hanging from the ceiling guttered, and burnt blue for a second.

One of the Aurors spun, looking for an unseen attacker.

The room darkened briefly, as if a cloud flew in front of the sun and suddenly, the body of Daphne Greengrass took a harsh, choking breath.

Two wands immediately pointed at the the corpse. Which proceeded to start breathing, groan and sit up.

"What the hell is going on" said the girl, looking around "Where am I?"

Ron looked very pale. Harry licked his lips "Um, Miss Greengrass, if you could tell the Aurors here, how, um…. You died?"

Daphne Greengrass turned on the table and the sheet slid off. She was wearing a dark blue robe, which she hastily buttoned, covering her cream coloured blouse "Who stunned me?" she asked.

Kingsley seized control of the situation.

"Miss Greengrass, you were found dead in a room of the Leakey Cauldron, with signs of a… sort of struggle. You had numerous, ah… love letters and keepsakes from Harry Potter."

Daphne Greengrass turned some more and looked at Harry Potter, chained to a board. "Potter"
she said dismissively, her aristocratic features curling in disgust "As, if. I've never spoken to ...him"

"You've never spoken to Harry Potter?" asked one of the Aurors, with a dicta-quill poised over parchment.

'Why would I, he's a Griffindor, always breaking the rules, was undesirable number one for a year. I'm a respectable witch." said Daphne Greengrass.

The dicta-quill scratched.

"Miss Greengrass, what's the last thing you remember?" asked Harry.

"I was shopping in Diagon alley for some new robes" said Daphne. "I'd just left Madam Malkins when someone jostled me. Then I woke up here. What's all this nonsense about me being dead?"

Ron kept staring at the red welt that wrapped around Daphne Greengrasses pale neck. As if she'd been strangled with a thin rope. Harry groaned. The victim talked, but knew nothing.

"Miss Greengrass, this is the DMLE morgue" said an Auror, whose badge said 'Peakes'

"Well I'm not dead!" said Daphne. I'm talking, after all" she said, sounding slightly annoyed.

"So, Miss Greengrass, were you Harry Potter's secret lover?" asked Auror Peakes

"Of course not." said Daphne Greengrass. "A halfblood. As if."

"And you're not having his love child?" asked Auror Peakes.

"I've never spoken to Harry Potter" said Daphne Greengrass. "And seeing he's clearly a criminal, I won't start now" she said, sounding increasingly annoyed. She looked aristocratically peeved now.

"Mister Potter, how exactly have you, ah… resurrected Miss Greengrass" asked Auror Peakes.

Daphne's head snapped over to look at Harry with a sickening crack that had everyone else wincing.

"Resurrection stone" said Harry "Ron fetched it for me."

"Harry Potter, said Auror Peakes, "Do you have a stone that can resurrect people?" they asked.

"Yes" admitted Harry "It's one of the three deathly Hallows. I've had all of them"

"What, a stupid children's story?" said Daphne Greengrass "I've been stunned, you all assumed I was dead, I suppose."

"Miss Greengrass, said Auror Peakes "I read your death certificate before this meeting."

"I'm not dead!" said Daphne firmly, crossing her arms in front of her chest "And if you persist in this, baseless slander, I will have my fathers solicitor pursue the matter."

"Miss Greengrass" said Auror Peakes, conjuring a mirror "You were, we believe, garroted" He handed Daphne the mirror, and after a moments tidying of her hair, she gasped "My neck!" she said "I need a healing potion" she said loudly.

"Some skele-grow as well" suggested the Auror "You did have a fractured vertebrae"

"I'm not dead" said Daphne, fists shaking with annoyance.

"Not now" said Auror Peakes, eyeballing another Auror, who left the room.

Miss Greengrass took a healing potion and some skele-grow and sat on the bench, swinging her feet.

"So, can I go home now?" asked Daphne Greengrass. "Where's my wand?"

"Your ah, effects, have been collected by your family" said Auror Peakes.

Peakes eyeballed the Auror who'd got the potions, gestured and he led Daphne off.

"Well, Mister Potter, there's nothing credible linking you with the death of Miss Greengrass" said Auror Peakes.

"Who just walked out of here" said Ron sarcastically.

Kingsley Shacklebolt crossed his arms "This matter with the, Ah stone is now a state secret. Harry, Ron, you can't speak of it, Peaks, Andrews, Grint, the matter is classified. If it came out that we can question murder victims"

"They'd incinerate bodies" said Ron. Everyone looked at Ron "It's an obvious conclusion" he said.

"What about Greengrass?" said Harry "Everyone knows she's dead, now she's walking around"

Kingsley looked pensive "Did Smith take Greengrass home?" he asked Peakes.

"Into a interrogation room" said Peakes "sideways three"

Kingsley nodded. "Auror hand signals" he explained to Harry and Ron.

"See about getting Potter released, due to lack of evidence." said Kingsley.

Peakes nodded "Our investigations totally fucked now" he said.

"A victim we can't let go, no suspect, and we arrested Harry Potter" said Kingsley. "It can't get worse."

-==0==-

The riot in Diagon Alley proved that was inaccurate.

Signs like "Free Harry" and plentiful incendios saw the Alley burning.

Harry was sitting in an interrogation room, eating a sandwich and drinking tea with Ron when Kingsley came in "Harry, there's a riot in Diagon Alley. You need to show up, and calm the crowd a bit"

"I was arrested" said Harry, sipping tea.

"You're free to go" said Kingsley.

"And this PR mission" asked Harry.

"Harry" said Kingsley urgently.

"I'm on it, I'll need a couple of Aurors for security" said Harry.

"Constant vigilance." said Kingsley.

"Yeah" said Harry.

"Um, one other thing" said Kingsley "Any idea what we do about Miss Greengrass?"

"Disguise her, take her to her home and have her family swear an oath to secrecy" suggested Ron.

"We've got a lot of experience of fucked up situations" admitted Harry.

"Uh Harry, would you get moving?" asked Kingsley

Harry got up "Come on Ron, time to stop a riot"

-==0==-

"Harry! Harry! Harry!" The crowd cried

Harry cast a Sonourous charm on himself "I'm not under arrest, or charged with murder." said Harry. "The murderer of Miss Greengrass attempted to frame me for her murder, but witness testimony convinced the DMLE to release me. Can everyone stop rioting and go home?"

The crowd looked confused, then Ron put his hands in the air "Harry's free, we're off home, you should go home too!" he shouted.

-==0==-

Harry woke up in a bed at Grimmauld place with a hangover. Home via the pub.

He grimaced and groaned his way downstairs to the kitchen and tea.

An annoyed looking Hermione Granger arrived and wordlessly handed Harry a hangover cure potion.

"I hope you're proud of yourself?" Hermione said.

"I stopped a riot" said Harry.

"You and Ron got … very drunk." said Hermione. "Ron came back to the burrow and..."

"What, confessed his undying love?" said Harry sarcastically.

"Among other things" said Hermione blushing. "Mrs Weasley won't let me stay there anymore."

"Well you were snogging him. Molly's not super in favour of that" said harry.

Hermione blushed more.

"Well, Molly's not in favour of that happening under her roof either" said Harry.

"Harry!" said Hermione sharply.

"Hey my head still hurts" complained Harry.

"Harry, can I stay here" asked Hermione.

"Yes Hermione, you may stay here, take any room you like, except mine" said Harry.

"Arse" said Hermione.

"And you may bonk Ron on the premises, but you must use silencing charms and neither of you may appear naked in shared spaces" said Harry.

Hermione's hands curled into fists.

"And no snogging where I have to watch" said Harry "So I don't care if you snog in the Drawing room, as long as we're not playing chess there at the time."

Hermione's' lips thinned.

"Or even in the library." said Harry "But don't scare me or Kreacher."

"Thank you" said Hermione, stiffly.

"And you owe me a day a week of cleaning up the awfulness instead of rent. You can use magic" said Harry.

Hermione drew her wand.

"And hexing your landlord is not a good start" said Harry.

"Stop being so sarcastic" said Hermione.

Harry shrugged "Kreacher, any breakfast?"

"Master would like toast and and egg?" asked Kreacher.

"Thank you Kreacher" said Harry.

Hermione made to speak.

"You might want to go unpack. I assume all your stuff's in your beaded bag?" said Harry.

"Yes" said Hermione.

"Have you got pyjamas for Ron?" asked Harry.

Hermione fired a stinging hex at Harry.

"Ow!" said Harry "I'm being really understanding!"

"Don't be an arsehole, Harry" said Hermione.

Silence.

Harry sighed "Look, Hermione, we're all adults. Ron's going to either have to get a job or live with his mum forever. His mum doesn't want things happening. I have rooms, but I'm not sure we three can live together in share house"

"We were on the run for a year together" said Hermione.

"How's the ministry job going?" asked Harry, avoiding the memory.

"I've got a junior post in DRCMC starting as soon as I can start" said Hermione.

"Well, Ron can always be a temporary Auror" said Harry.

"And you? Don't you want to be an Auror?"

"I just got arrested for murder of someone I'd never even spoken to, who was supposedly my secret lover for years" said Harry. "I'm not sure I want to have anything to do with DMLE anymore."

"What will you do?" asked Hermione, sitting down

"Run the ancient and mouldy house of black." said Harry "I inherited more than money. The house of Black makes some money from rents. I could try looking after the business, nobody's tried in decades."

"What do you know about being a landlord?" asked Hermione.

"Well, I am one, and I'm yours" said Harry "I spent summers doing gardens, fences, cleaning. With magic I can do all that a lot faster. If the other houses are like this one, I'm surprised I get paid rent at all"

"How much rent do you get paid?" asked Hermione.

"I've no idea" said Harry "Should go find that out. First thing today"

...

The sound of someone yelling from the fireplace startled Harry from his toast, and Hermione from her tea.

...

"Harry Potter?" someone yelled.

Harry left the kitchen and went to the floo fireplace.

"I'm Harry" said Harry to the Auror.

"The Minster wants to to have this" said the Auror, and handed Harry a letter.

Harry read it. Kingsley had made Harry a temporary Ministry employee in the department of the minster. There was a DMLE badge. 'POTTER' in the envelope.

Harry took the badge "Why me, why now?" asked Harry.

"He's got a special job for you" said the Auror 'Spinks' said his badge.

"And I get an Auror escort" asked Harry.

"You're not an Auror. You do things for the minister" said Spinks. "He's got a particular job in mind. Do you know where Ron Weasley is?"

Hermione had come up the stairs from the kitchen and was standing by Harry

"What's going on Harry?" asked Hermione

"Kingsleys given me a job to do" said Harry "Back in time for tea, I hope"

"Ron's at the Burrow" said Hermione.

The Auror indicated the floo "We're off to get Weasley, then your briefing."

"See you later Hermione" said Harry.

-==0==-

Ron was pulled out of bed, jammed into robes and dragged off before Molly could work out what was going on.

Harry discovered he reported to Percy Weasley, who was apparently junior undersecretary to the Minster.

"You want me to do what?" said Harry to Percy Weasley.

"Escort Miss Greengrass, suitably disguised, to her family residence. Extract vows from her immediate family, and return. Escort mission, in, out, all done by lunchtime" said Percy.

"Reference vows are here" said Percy, handing over a parchment.

"Why can't you do it?" asked Harry.

"Because I'm busy trying to get the muggleborns out of the camps, out of Azkaban, and clean up the mess that is the ministry" said Percy "Want to swap?"

Ron shook his head "Sound like a lot of meetings" said Ron.

Percy looked affronted "How would the ministry work without meetings" he said rhetorically.

"Faster" muttered Harry.

Ron and Harry walked back to DMLE, with an Auror escort, who gave Ron a set of Aurors robes. "Temporary Auror Weasley" he said.

"Not Harry?"

"He works for Percy. Special jobs" said Auror Spinks.

Ron pinned on his badge "WEASLEY"

"We did it Harry, we're.. well I'm an Auror"

"How long is temporary" asked Harry.

"Till things settle down. There's still lots of his lot running around" said Spinks.

"What does it pay?" asked Ron.

"Two galleons a day" said Spinks. Ron blinked "Crikey"

Harry spoke up "Ron, do you want to rent a room? I've got plenty."

"Your house sucks Harry" said Ron.

"It comes with hot and cold running Hermione" said Harry.

Ron went red. "Dick" said Ron.

"One galleon a week" said Harry.

"You quite finished being a landlord?" said Spinks "We're on the clock.. though at a galleon a week, food included?"

"No" said Harry "And Ron's right.. it's a dump"

"Put a notice on the noticeboard of you need more housemates" said Spinks. "Two galleons a day doesn't go so far, and you've got to save for later"

Ron frowned at that and Ron and Harry were led into a small office where Harry read the parchment Percy had handed him.

"We.. we do what you suggested last night" said Harry to Ron.

"Where's the snake?" said Ron.

"Interrogation room three" said Spinks "We've held her overnight, fed her."

Harry followed Spinks and Ron into the interrogation room. Someone had conjured up a cot, and Daphne Greengrass sat at the desk, staring at a Daily Prophet.

"Am I released?" she asked Spinks stiffly.

"You're being transferred to Auror Weasley" said Spinks. "I've got a shift staring at Azkaban in twenty minutes"

"Auror Weasley" said Daphne Greengrass, looking disgusted. "You're an Auror"

"Yeah" said Ron.

"What's he doing here?" asked Daphne.

"Mister Potter works for the Department of the Minister" said Ron. Harry tried not to snort at Ron's delivery.

"He was in jail yesterday" she snapped.

"And he was released back to his job" said Ron. Harry took his badge out and pinned it on.

"Now Miss Greengrass, we're going to place a disguise on you, and take you back to your family home" said Ron.

Daphne crossed her arms "Disguise?"

"You are believed deceased" said Harry "The Ministry does not want unnecessary publicity for the fact that you are not deceased"

"It's a cover-up" she said.

"And I work for the minster, covering things up" said Harry, and smiled faintly.

"Are you going to oblivate me?" she asked nervously.

"No" said Harry "We'll get your family to swear a vow of non-discosure, and issue some compensation for difficulties" Harry lied.

"Compensation?" said Daphne.

"You may need to uses a fake identity for some time" said Harry.

Daphne Greengrass blinked "I'm a pureblood, from the sacred twenty eight, and Heiress to our house. I can't live under a fake identity"

"We'll sort this out with your parents" said Harry. "Ron, some disguise?"

Ron pulled his wand and muttered. Daphne's blonde hair turned brown.

"Brown!" she said loudly "Brown!"

"It sort of suits you" said Harry, attempting to pacify.

"I've been blonde since I was ten" said Daphne. "I'm not going back to brown"

Ron snorted.

Daphne glared at him.

Harry said "eye colour?"

"Too obvious" said Ron, and cast a mumbled spell. Daphne's nose grew and her chin shrank. Her eyes had gone brown too.

"Doesn't look much like Daphne Greengrass" said Harry, nodding.

"What did you do?" said Daphne frustrated.

"It'll wear off in five hours" said Ron.

Harry pulled his wand and with a flick, changed the robes to brown.

"I liked those robes" said Daphne.

"Brown blends in" said Harry, and waved his wand in a circle. Daphne grew about eight inches taller.

"Tall?" she said. "You made me tall?"

"Again, only temporary" said Harry, trying not to laugh at the stretched out woman. She looked like a coat rack.

"Call her?" asked Ron.

"Angela?" said Harry.

"Okay, you're Angela till we got you all sorted" said Harry.

"Why the stupid fake name" asked Daphne Greengrass

"In case we need to talk" said Harry "And we will require you to wait till your family have taken the vow before revealing yourself, please."

"Why?" asked Daphne Greengrass.

"Because otherwise women won't get stunned and memory charmed, they'll get incinerated" said Harry bluntly.

Daphne blinked. "Incinerated?"

"So please, help us?" asked Harry.

Daphne sighed.

"Come on, what's the floo address?" asked Ron.

"Greengrass" said Daphne.

"Just Greengrass?" asked Ron.

"Of course" said Daphne.

They left the interrogation room and went to an Auror office fireplace and flooed out.

Greengrass was a house.

The floo dumped them into a big hallway.

A big house. Bigger than Grimmauld place, but smaller than Malfoy Manor.

...

A bell chimed.

"For Visitors" said Daphne quietly.

...

"Aurors" said Ron loudly.

Daphne groaned.

A tall, brown haired man appeared, wearing robes and looking very angry "What are you lot doing here." he said.

Ron spoke up "We've got good news, but we'll need your whole family."

"My Daughter is dead! There is no good news" said the man, finally noticing Harry "He did it?"
"No" said Ron "We questioned witnesses, Mister Potter was released."

"Harry Potter, office of the Minister" said Harry, with a head nod.

"What do you do, Mister Potter?"

"Whatever the minister says" said Harry. "you are?"

"Ernst Greengrass, head of house" said the man.

"Mister Greengrass, could you please gather your immediate family." asked Harry.

Angela shifted grumpily.

"Who's that?"

"Angela Smith. DMLE" said Harry. "Your assigned Social Worker"

Ron didn't crack up.

'Angela' poked Harry in the back rather viciously.

Ernst called a house elf and ten minutes of standing later, Ernst having taken a chair,

a brown haired young woman with red eyes came in and sat near her father

"My Daughter Astoria" said Ernst. Astoria looked pretty angry to see Ron and Harry.
The last person to arrive was an elegantly dressed woman with light brown hair, an impassive face and red lined eyes, who sat in her heavy black robes next to Ernst

"My wife, Sabrine" said Ernst.

Harry sighed "We have good news for you, but first, you have to take a vow." said Harry.

"This is a cover-up" said Ernst.

"Yes" said Harry "It is" he nodded.

Ernst blinked.

Ron handed out the vow, after copying it with xerographia.

The Greengrasses took the vow one at a time, wands up.

Harry surreptitiously handed Daphne his wand "You now" he said.

"The social worker is taking the same vow" said Enrst "This is a terrible cover up."

Daphne finished the vow and Harry took his wand back and dispelled some disguises.

"Daphne!" yelled Ernst, the sister , Astoria, jumping up and racing over to hug her.

Sabrine Greengrass looked very pale… "They said she was dead"

"She's not" said Harry. "But as you've vowed, you can't disclose this."

"Because the ministry declared her dead by mistake" said Ernst angrily.

"Because otherwise the next time a young woman is attacked, she will be incinerated, not stunned and memory charmed" said Harry, sticking to his story.

Daphne sat down next to her mother, and was enfolded in a hug and a sobbing mother.

"You've returned our daughter, who is still officially dead. My Heiress is dead. My younger daughter must be Heiress" said Ernst.

"I'm sorry, but we have no good choices" said Harry, honestly.

Ron eyeballed Harry.

"If you would nominate an amount of compensation to house Greengrass, I'll ensure it's paid" said Harry. "You may owl me"

"You have the authority to disburse compensation?" asked Ernst.

"I'll make it happen" said Harry. "I owe Miss Greengrass for her recovery, if she hadn't recovered, I might have been tried for murder"

"You'd pay it yourself?" asked Ernst.

"If I have to" said Harry.

"And the story about Daphne and you?" asked Sabrine.

"Until yesterday, I had not even spoken to your daughter" said Harry. Daphne stayed curled up against her mother, but glared at Harry.

"Because my Daughter was a Slytherin" said Ernst accusingly.

"I was a Griffindor, The houses do not play well together." said Harry. "Miss Greengrass, I hope you have a better day than yesterday"

"Well you're not in chains today, so you're having a better day" said Daphne Greengrass bitterly.

"And DMLE cells have very uncomfortable beds, and the food is terrible" said Harry. "I'm sorry we had to hold you over night. It took time to get this organised."

"And yet you end up working with Weasley" said Daphne.

"We worked with Kingsley during the war" said Harry "For years really"

Ernst blinked. Daphne stiffened.

"Goodbye" said Harry.

"Harry, we should say something formal like" whispered Ron.

"You're the pureblood, you work it out" whispered Harry.

Daphne Greengrass cleared her throat "Potter, why was I in the morgue?"

"Because you were dead, Miss Greengrass" said Harry "And now you are not."

Awkward silence descended.

"Harry, that wasn't the right thing to say" whispered Ron.

"I know" whispered Harry.

"Was Daphne really… deceased" asked Ernst, looking utterly horrified.

"Experimental necromancy" said Harry "We need to keep it secret, or no-one can ever be saved again"

"Necromancy" said Sabrine "I was told the English do not do such things"

"It's a new thing" said Harry.

Ron whispered "Stop now" he said urgently.

"So I'm really Heiress now" said Astoria.

"Yes" said Ernst.

"Crap" said Astoria. "All my life Daphne's been the Heiress, and I can do what I want, now I have to run the bloody business"

"I appear to be alive, but now I see why I have to live under an assumed identity" said Daphne.

"Sorry Miss" said Ron sincerely "It's better than being dead"

"About that" said Harry "The.. process, well, It might not be permanent"

"Not permanent" said Daphne hollowly.

"You're the first success" said Harry. "I only know about one other use, and it ended… badly"

"Badly" said Ernst angrily.

"Daphne is not dead today" said Harry. "There's a risk she may… come to want to be back… beyond the veil."

"Not bloody likely" said Daphne. "I like being alive. Even rubbish sandwiches and bad tea beats being dead"

"I'm sorry, but I only have the briefing I was given" said Harry "And it's a long time ago, and we only have poor records"

Sabrine was running her hands all over Daphne, crying softly.

"You bastard" said Astoria Greengrass.

"Before the process ,your sister was dead" said Harry. "She's not dead now"

"Well at least you're not in charge of it" said Astoria bitterly "No Slytherins would get a chance"

Harry nodded "I think we should go" he said.

"Auror Weasley" said Daphne.

"Yes?" said Ron, with what Harry knew was pride fulling him.

"So who killed me?" she asked.

"We don't know" said Ron.

"So do you have any leads?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not on your case" admitted Ron.

"So who is?" asked Ernst.

"Er, I don't know" said Harry "Spinks was, but … you're not dead now"

Ernst crossed his arms "I will raise this in the wizengamot"

"Can you not, please?" asked Harry.

"Someone needs to investigate" said Ernst angrily.

"I'll get on it" said Harry.

They bowed out and flooed back to the ministry

"Percy's going to tear you a new one" said Ron. "Compensation?"

"I'll pay it" said Harry. "I've got the black fortune"

Percy was not amused.

He drew a colour coded diagram with arrows and boxes to show finance flows, authority to spend money and make agreements.

Harry paid attention then said "I'll pay out of my vault"

Percy choked "You don't know how much it might be!"

"I'll negotiate it down to something affordable." said Harry "I should find out how much this job pays, and how much the family business makes"

"Family business?" asked Percy.

"I inherited the black family .. well everything" said Harry.

"And their voting rights?" asked Percy an a choking tone.

"Look, I don't know Percy" said Harry.

Harry got assigned a small office, which was, Harry was pleased to see labelled "Office of special Services" It had a certain cachet.

-==0==-

Ron arrived at Harry's breakfast table the next morning in his Aurors robes.

Hermione blinked and stared at him

"Hermione, meet Auror Weasley" said Harry.

"You got a job?" said Hermione.

"Yes Hermione" said Ron "I've got a shift till six starting soon. I might, um take you up on your offer Harry"

"Any room as long as it's not mine, a galleon a week" said Harry.

"Ron pays rent?" said Hermione "But I clean?"

"Well Ron's not going to repair the place, is he" said Harry. "Wheras you'll have this place repaired in no time"

"I could repair it" said Ron.

"Clean the bathroom and loo and halls" said Harry.

"You said just rent" said Ron.

"Well, I'm not making Hermione clean the bathroom and loos" said Harry.

"What about Kreacher?" asked Hermione.

"He's cooking, cleaning the kitchen, my room" said Harry.

"Kreacher!" Harry called. The old house-elf appeared and Harry explained.

"Kreacher can clean whole house" said Kreacher.

"They serve also" said Harry. "You can spend more time cooking, and you'll have to do all the shopping"

"All the Cooking" said Kreacher greedily.

"Cooked breakfasts?" asked Ron.

"What the blood traitor said" said Harry drily.

"Oy" said Ron.

"What Auror Weasley said" said Harry. "Can everyone put some galleons in a jar for Kreacher."

"Some?" asked Hermione.

Harry put four in the jar "Kreacher, the jar is for shopping trips"

Kreacher looked confused "Kreacher can charge the house of Black" he said.

"And you will, except food and supplies" said Harry.

-==0==-

Head Auror Robards simply shrugged "No corpse, no murder, no budget." he said simply.

Harry went back to Percy. Percy gave Harry a list of shops that needed their owners recovered from the camps and Azkaban. It was a long list.

"I thought you were doing this?" asked Harry.

"And now I have you working for me" said Percy. "It's saving people, should be right up your alley"

-==0==-

Two days later, Harry got an owl over breakfast.

"Mister Greengrass wants two thousand galleons in compensation." said Harry reading the letter.

"Percy won't go for that" said Ron.

Harry nodded "Kreacher!" he called.

Kreacher appeared

"Get two thousand galleons in a nice bag from Gringotts." said Harry.

Ron paled "You're spending your own money"

"They'll never get justice otherwise" said Harry.

"Who is investigating the case" asked Hermione.

"Nobody" said Harry glumly "I'll squeeze it in between one thing and another."

"Squeeze it in?" said Hermione.

"I figure Daphne Greengrass needs her memory checked with a pensive. I'm sure I can see who stunned her with one." said Harry.

"How does that work?" asked Hermione. "She didn't see so how can a pensive show you?"

"You can look around the memory. I have an idea" said Harry.

"What?" said Hermione.

"Well, it's Diagon alley she was stunned in" said Harry.

"Yeah?" said Hermione, Ron watching.

"Lots of windows. I'm going to take a magnifying glass and look at the reflections." said Harry.

Hermione sat silently "That is either the most brilliant idea I've ever heard of, or complete rubbish" she said after thinking.

"I'm hoping for Brilliant. There's a murderer to catch" said Harry.

"This is like one of those detective novels" said Ron.

"What?" asked Harry.

"Well, we had to wait a lot in Australia, and flying to and from Australia took days, so Hermione gave me a few detective novels to read" said Ron. "All you need now is a female client with a dubious past, and you're a private eye."

Hermione snorted "He's not exactly Sam spade is he?"

"He's got a tortured past" said Ron. "I'd better get going, Robards is merciless"

Ron left.

"I work for the office of the minister" explained Harry.

"What's your office?" asked Hermione

"Office of special Services" said Harry.

Hermione went red "They really don't know much about muggles" said Hermione.

"I think it sounds catchy" said Harry.

"And you work for Percy" said Hermione.

"Junior undersecretary Weasley, yes" said Harry.

"He's a JU. Wow." said Hermione.

"Well I've got shop owners for find in camps and Azkaban" said Harry. "See you tonight"

"You're what?"

"Finding all the muggleborn shopkeepers and staff and putting them back where they were before the war" said Harry.

"Why not just everyone?"

"Everyone needs a roof and food. The camps aren't locked, and the guards are only for public safety now."

"Can you get the political prisoners out of Azkaban to the camps?" asked Hermione.

"The bill returns the shopkeepers and staff only. The regular political prisoners are being freed by DMLE reviewing their arrests and convictions"

"And you're spending three years pay compensating someone rich" said Hermione as she packed her bag.

"Whose daughter was murdered, and used to frame me" said Harry.

Hermione looked sick.

Harry tried to put it out of his mind.

Kreacher gave Harry the velvet sack of galleons as Harry was about to floo to the ministry.

Harry Flooed to "Greengrass" instead, and put his badge on his boring black funeral-worthy robes.

He'd been given them months ago for funerals anyway. The bell chimed.

Ernst Greengrass appeared, wand out "It's you" he said.

"Compensation for your Daughter Daphne" said Harry, and handed Ernst the velvet sack of galleons. Ersnt looked surprised "You got the money"

"I said I would." said Harry.

"And the investigation" asked Ernst gruffly.

"Is proceeding. I will need Daphne's assistance, we will need the memory of her assault to review in a pensive"

"Those are very rare" said Ernst.

"I can scare one up. There's got to be one in the ministry somewhere" said Harry.

Ernst looked at Harry "You're helping with the investigation"

"I owe her. Her testimony got me out of a holding cell" said Harry.

"You're a very lucky man, Harry Potter" said Ernst.

"I think my luck is about used up" said Harry "I have to go, the shopkeeper recovery act waits for no man"

"You do that?" said Ersnt, sounding surprised.

"After the second prisoner recovery, Azkaban's just another prison" said Harry.

"Multiple trips?" asked Ernst, sounding horrified.

"The bill only allows me to take out shop owners and their staff. All the political prisoners are still there, waiting for DMLE to get case reviews done" said Harry.

"At Azkaban" said Ersnt, with a shudder.

"You voted on it" said Harry. Ernst looked peeved.

"I'm just the poor sod doing the recovery" said Harry.

"Is it as bad as people say?" asked Ernst.

"No" said Harry. "It's an inhumane hellhole"

Harry left.

-==0==-

Hermione was reading regulations in the Drawing room at nine when the floo flared and someone got out.

She got up and looked down the hall to see Black robed Harry going down to the kitchen.

Harry was gobbling dinner when Hermione reached the kitchen.

"You're late" she said.

"It takes ages to get to Azkaban" said Harry. "And ages to get back, then out-processing. Then a spin around the camps for their staff, then apparating them to their shop. Then an hour or so going over the Greengrass case."

"You're not an Auror"

"Robards says.." Harry fell silent "Lets just say investigating it's not a priority. Where's Ron?"

"The Burrow, packing." said Hermione. "He went after dinner. Did you even get lunch?"

"Didn't have time" said Harry, eating.

Kreacher popped in "Kreacher will pack master lunch" said the elf.

"Thank you Kreacher" said Harry.

Hermione saw Harry's shiny badge, still pinned to his robes "POTTER DMLE"

"You don't work for DMLE" she said.

"Well, the Ministers Department doesn't have a badge. It makes my daily grind a bit easier."

"An Auror not in uniform?"

"Office of special services" said Harry.

"That name is so wrong" said Hermione.

-==0==-

Harry got an owl post letter at breakfast , written on very crackly black parchment.

He opened it. It was a letter from a lawyer, a distant relative had died and left no will, so all the distant relatives were being called in, to be handed some sort of inheritances.

'Willis Tweeks and Grubbing. 3 Knockturn Alley. 10Am'

"Bugger" said Harry. "My whole schedule for today's shot to shit"

Hermione looked up "Language!" she said.

"A distant relative's lawyer wants me at 10am for inheriting something." said Harry. "I was going to be most of the way to Azkaban at the time"

"Do your Greengrass case first" said Hermione.

"I'm not supposed to do that on work time" said Harry.

"So what" said Hermione. "Solving a woman's death doesn't matter?" she said angrily.

"I'll be at the camps after curfew at this rate" said Harry.

"Take Ron" said Hermione "He'll be finished dinner by seven"

"Take Ron?"

"Well I'm not an Auror am I?" said Hermione.

"If you transferred to DMLE prosecutions, you could be doing case reviews and getting political prisoners released" said Harry.

Hermione looked at Harry very stiffly "I'll think about it"

"Temporary, till it's fixed?" asked Harry.

Hermione sighed "Pull some strings for me" she said.

"I'll tell Percy. He'll get it done" said Harry.

-==0==-

Artemus Tweeks was a very old, mostly bald all wizard who looked like a walking stick.

His office was dark, dusty and the window was covered in a blind.

"Mister Potter" said Tweeks slowly.

"I was supposed to be doing prisoner transfers out of Azkaban right now. Can we do this quickly" said Harry.

Tweeks peered at Harry's badge, swallowed. "On the demise of Tom Marvolo Riddle" said Tweeks.

"Oh bloody hell" said Harry.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle was the last scion of the Gaunt line. Leaving no heirs, we had to backtrack up his family tree. To the Peverells" said Tweeks.

"Well you found me" said Harry.

"You appear, mister Potter, in addition to being the so called chosen one, to be the last of the Peverells, in any form, female line included"

"Iolanthe" said Harry.

"Precisely" said Tweeks. "If you would sign here, you take possession of the remaining assets, a parcel simple freehold from the Gaunts in Little Hangleton, and a larger parcel simple freehold from the Riddle's also in Little Hangleton. We cannot identify any chattels as part of the estate."

"So there are no more Peverells, not even down a female line?" asked Harry.

"No" said Tweeks. "Ironic that you are the distant cousin of you-know-who"

"Well, I never did get on with my cousins" said Harry, and signed the parchment.

Tweeks handed Harry two bundles "The Riddle property has a… muggle title" he said derisively.

"And a house" said Harry.

"You know it?" asked Tweeks crustily.

"My cousin and I shared reminiscences" said Harry obliquely, leaving.

Harry exited the building, and made his way back to work.

-==0==-

Percy arrived in Harry's office gave Harry a pile of parchment.

"Witness relocation" said Percy. "Get the kit, pick them up from the DMLE safe house, in disguise, and relocate to their new home. Paperwork for falsified academic records, apparation licence."

"Not shopkeeper relocation today then?" asked Harry.

"And I got this from departmental petty. cash, be very careful with it" said Percy, and handed Harry a small bag. It contained a solitary galleon.

"They get one galleon?" asked Harry.

"That's to pay my brother for the kit" said Percy, red faced.

"Kit?" asked Harry.

"Disguise kits, the twins.. well George make them for the Auror office" said Percy.

"Oh yeah, they make serious stuff too" said Harry.

-==0==-

Harry cast a quick hair colour charm on himself and went with brown hair to Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.

The shop door tinkled. Harry dodged the yellow water.

Harry turned around and George was standing behind the counter, looking morose.

"Mister Weasley" said Harry. George frowned, the shop was empty "Harry, that's a shit disguise"

"Well, I'm here for a kit" said Harry.

"Come out the back" said George with a sigh, leading Harry through a storeroom of brightly coloured boxes, to a self on the wall. George pulled a candle shaped like a… thingy and the wall opened into a smaller storeroom, full of plain boxes.

"The serious stuff" said George, not sounding very enthused

"With a willy door handle" said Harry.

Harry went in to the serious looking room, lots of shelves and a cluttered workbench.

"Disguise kit" said George, pointing out an anonymous looking brown pasteboard briefcase.

Harry handed over the Galleon "Official purchase, Percy said I need a receipt"

George snorted. Harry asked "So what's in one?"

"Well a better disguise than you're wearing" said George, snapping open a briefcase.

The lid had a mirror on the inside..

"Pay Attention Mister Potter" said George in a Snape-like tone.

"Chameleon comb, three knobs, colour, curl, length. Brush your hair till the effect takes hold." said George.

Harry reached out tentatively.

"This one's yours" said George. Harry set it to black, straight short and combed his own hair. George shook his head "Something, even if it is our magic, can defeat Harry's hair."

Harry peered into the mirror. His hair was. His hair was flat. Even the bit round the back.

"I'll buy it" said Harry.

"Ahem" said George "Colour change glasses, the charms printed in the holder, wart putty, chin putty; blends in instantly, gap tooth putty, gap tooth putty remover; this stuff you can eat while wearing. Fake teeth sets; big, small, snaggely"

Harry put the glasses on and George tapped them with his wand, changing Harry's eyes to brown. Harry dropped his real glasses into the case.

"Is this all joke shop stuff re-boxed?" asked Harry, peering at someone who looked a bit like Harry Potter, but not much.

"Shield charm amulet. Stops stunners. Doesn't stop the big stuff, and it heats up so don't get hit too often. Handwriting quill. Changes your handwriting." said George, pointing to things. Harry put the amulet on.

"Will the quill make mine legible?" said Harry. "I have to write a lot."

"No" said George "I'm a wizard not a miracle worker. Buy a dicta-quill"

"Any other stuff?" asked Harry

"Shield hat; we have wizard or muggle, shield umbrella; has a wand holder."

"Got anything in a cloak?" asked Harry.

"What are you trying to do?" asked George

"Stay warm and safe" said Harry "I have to go to Azkaban most days"

"Azkaban?" said George, surprised.

"I'm the guy that gets the shopkeepers back" said Harry.

"Percy was doing that" said George.

"I work for Percy now" said Harry.

"Two cloaks, two hats, two umbrellas, two disguise kits" said Harry.

"One receipt?" asked George.

"Everything's for me; that kit's a ministry purchase" said Harry.

George nodded and bundled it all into two parcels, which he shrank.

"Briefcase separate, right" asked George. Harry nodded.

"What do I owe you?" asked Harry.

George shook his head "You're the silent partner. Consider it part payment."

"Oh shit" said Harry.

"What?" asked George.

"I need to work out what money the black's investments make" said Harry.

George ducked out of the storeroom and came back with a business card "My uncle basil.. the accountant" said George. "He's a squib, but he keeps the shop on the straight and narrow."

"Thanks George" said Harry, yawning.

"You haven't been to the burrow in weeks, are you getting any sleep?" asked George.

"Saving people" said Harry "It's my thing you know. Gotta go, might get someone else saved today with luck"

"Out of Azkaban?" asked George, taking Harry back to the till and writing out a receipt.

"Yeah" said Harry.

"Good luck Harry" said George.

The paperwork for making a fake identity took all day.

By six pm Harry was tired, but the witness, a Dennis Frode was now Herman Wilkinson, and sitting nervously in his new sitting room. "Thank you.. mister?"

"Smith." said Harry "John Smith"

Harry went home via Greengrass to drop off a disguise kit.

-==0==-

The recipient was less than pleased to see him.

"Why do you wear funeral robes" asked Daphne Greengrass

"I'm not an Auror, not a politician, and they're warm. It's cold at the camps and Azkaban" said Harry.

"Camps?" asked Daphne

"The old Muggle-born reeducation camps. A lot of people are still there."

"But the laws.." said Daphne.

"They have nowhere to go. There's a roof, and some food" said Harry "The Shopkeepers restoration act lets me visit and recover shopkeepers and staff"

"What's this anyway?"

"Disguise kit." said Harry and explained all the things.

"That's quite helpful. Whats with all this stuff?"

"Standard witness relocation set" lied Harry "pop the shield amulet on please, shield hat; shield umbrella and shield cloak." said Harry, pointing.

"I'm not planning to get hit" said Daphne Greengrass.

"This is insurance." said Harry "I'll get you a new set of OWL's and NEWT results in your new fake identity. Oh, and an apparation licence."

"That would be helpful when I want to get a job" said Daphne. "Father opened a different vault and transferred my trust fund"

"Your fake ID is Angela Watermeadow, from…. England but your family went to America, and Salem, but you were homeschooled after fourth year"

"Homeschooled?" asked Daphne dismissively.

"Means we don't have to make records at Salem." said Harry.

"Oh" said Daphne.

"Home schooled are the easiest; they sit external exams, so all we do is add records at WEA." said Harry.

"This is quite helpful" admitted Daphne. "You've done this before?"

"I also do witness relocation" said Harry.

-==0==-

Harry stole though the ministry after hours, invisible under his cloak.

The door to the WEA was locked, but Sirius's pocketknife made short work of the lock.

Harry shut the door behind himself and locked it. Lighting his wand he went to the archive and unlocked it with a quick twist of the knife.

The book for nineteen ninety five was easy to find in the compactus, and Harry took it and nineteen ninety seven to a desk. He sat and pulled the correct a self-inking quill from the locked drawer of the desk. They'd let him watch today.

Harry found Greengrass, Daphne Queenie in nineteen ninety five ; he sniggered and copied her marks into a sheet of parchment. He did the same for NEWT's in nineteen ninety seven. Her DADA grade was a P. Neville had implied classes had consisted mostly of casting torture curses.

Harry went back to the ledger for nineteen ninety five and started adding Watermeadow, Angela, Daisy. Daisy was suitably girly middle name. Birthday; well he moved it a month to April 22nd.

He kept the courses the same, but bumped her grades up a tiny bit; her P in Divination became an A, her History of Magic E became an O, and her potions E became an O as well. Her O in charms Harry graciously turned into an O plus.

Then to make her look like an American student, he copied some courses from an actual Salem student a few lines above; She got a Troll in wandmaking, and another pair of Troll's in xylomancy and ritual magic. Now it looked like Angela Watermeadow was bright and had pushy parents. Nobody would care that she had three Trolls; she had an Outstanding plus in charms after all.

Besides, O's were easier to write neatly.

This thought in mind, Angela Watermeadow really pulled her socks up in seventh year, thought Harry ,as he wrote out a neat row of O's in the right columns for Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Arithmancy ( Daphne had got an E anyway) and an Oplus instead of her original O in runes. Greengrass was a bit of a swot really. Now, Angela Watermeadow, she had six O's at NEWT, including a neat O in history. Her American classes, Harry gave her a Troll in Track; whatever that was, and an A in advanced flying. He looked carefully at the extra columns for Americans, and gave her an E in necromancy and and O in Ghoul studies too. He smirked. Nobody would ever look at them. He went back and gave her a Poor in OWL muggle studies and a Poor in NEWT muggle studies. He saw a 'culture and etiquette' class someone from Beauxbatons had done and gave her a pair of O's in that; she was pureblood after all. 'Estate management' looked like something she'd have done; she'd been training all her life according to the talk he'd had with her whole family, so he gave her another pair of neat O's one at OWLs, and another at NEWTs.

Harry looked at the ledger. He'd got a bit carried away, but Daphne Greengrass, well Angela Watermeadow would find getting a decent job pretty easy. She had fifteen NEWTs after all.

Harry got out a couple of sheets of special parchment and used the spelled quill to make two academic transcripts for Angela.

He put everything away, ate the last of his lunch; Kreacher packed a bit more than a normal lunch, bless his grumpy black heart.

Harry left the WEA invisible, and went to the Department of magical transportation; and quickly forged a record of Angela Daisy Watermeadow sitting her apparation test two days after she turned seventeen, passing on first attempt. Harry filled in the card and cast the right preservation spell on it.

He tidied up, scourgify'd the desk and left for his own office where he made up an ID kit using the same wrapper as an official one; it practically was anyway.

Harry was hungry and tired, but at least he hadn't been to Azkaban today; He flooed home then immediately flooed to Greengrass.

-==0==-

Daphne Greengrass had not been happy to see him, but had brown hair, brown eyes and glasses.

He nodded "I have your fake identity's academic transcripts and apparation licence" said Harry.

Daphne opened the packet and read.

"You twit. Who has fifteen owls" she said.

"You do" said Harry "Nobody will ask about those weird American courses, and you definitely could get an O in culture and estate management."

"Those other courses they're a bit.. dark" said Daphne.

"Your NEWT's are similar. You should have no trouble getting a job" said Harry.

"Fifteen Newts, are you serious?"

"Percy Weasley, my boss has twelve. Mostly O's" said Harry "you have less O's than him"

"It's humanly possible to do that well? Wasn't he Head Boy"

"Yes, Percy's an inhuman paperwork machine" said Harry. "Makes Hermione look like a bit of a piker, really"

"Wasn't he a Griffindor prefect too" asked Daphne curiously.

"All three years" said Harry "So your fake identity doesn't know things, well mostly that you don't."

"And her grades are better than mine" said Daphne.

"I felt you deserved some… payback for your cooperation" said Harry.

"You assigned the grades?" asked Daphne.

"You got most of them, I just bumped them up a little" said Harry.

Daphne snorted "Fifteen OWLS and NEWTs?"

"You're a swot anyway" said Harry "I did see your original marks"

"But these Trolls?" said Daphne grumpily.

"Pushy parents, overextended daughter" said Harry.

"I should probably skim Ghoul studies and Necromancy textbooks" said Daphne "In case anyone ever asks me about it"

"Then say you crammed it; and forgot after exams" said Harry.

Daphne shook her head "I'm stuck being… Daisy!" she said loudly.

"A girly middle name, and nowhere as bad as your real one" said Harry.

Daphne read "I'm a month younger"

"Couldn't have the same birthday. That sticks out"

Harry left for his dinner.

-==0==-

Some weeks later

Daphne Greengrass, with brown hair and brown eyes and glasses, and a vistors badge that said 'Angela Watermeadow, visitor OSS' came into Harry's mostly empty office.

Harry was sitting at the one large desk, writing forms out.

"What the hell did your lot do to me" said Daphne Greengrass crossly "I can't … feel anything"

"Feel anything?" asked Harry "No sense of touch" he asked curiously.

"No feelings in my heart" said Daphne, raising a hand to her chest.

"You seem fine to me" said Harry.

"My family noticed. I… still love them but… " said Daphne.

"But what" asked Harry.

"I don't… feel things" said Daphne. "My sister yelled at me two days ago. I should have got upset, all I felt was love."

"You're growing up" suggested Harry. "Your … death experience let you focus on your love for your family"

Daphne looked at Harry "Were you raised on sappy sentiment?"

"No" said Harry "Nothing but hate actually" he said blandly.

Daphne's eyes narrowed. "You shit" she said.

"See, you're upset" said Harry "You're fine" he went back to his work.

"My father ranted at me last month for an hour when I said I wanted to res-sit some NEWTs"

"Oh,why?"

"Because my final year at Hogwarts was a write-off. We all learnt the cruciatus, and what it felt like, and little else"

"It isn't nice" said Harry. "Voldemort's is particularly awful"

"Stop upsetting me!" complained Daphne, shuddering.

"You were complaining about not feeling. You seem every bit as messed up as the rest of us that lived thought the war" said Harry.

Daphne sat fuming.

"I do have work to do" said Harry, writing up a prisoner movement order.

"I… I read a racy novel" said Daphne.

"How racy of you" said Harry blandly, nearly finished getting a confectioner out of Azkaban, at least on paper.

"I felt nothing" said Daphne.

"Well you always did seem a bit.. cold" said Harry, starting on a building transfer order, using the 1995 census record as a template.

"I was a normal healthy young woman!" said Daphne "I'm totally frigid now"

"Well you'll fit right in to pureblood high society" said Harry snarkily.

"I'm still bloody dead!" she said, red faced, tears running downs her cheeks.

"You look frightful" said Harry sarcastically, tapping a parchment, and turning it into a mirror.

Daphne looked in horror "I'm… all blotchy"

"And tear-stained" said Harry, fairly certain Lewis Fromdelant's shop and apartment was now, at last on paper, his again.

"Why don't you care" ranted Daphne.

"You seem fine" said Harry "Upset, and that's understandable. I've just about finished the paperwork the get a mister Lewis Fromdelant out of Azkaban, and back into his shop, where he makes, well used to make confectionery. He was rounded up for being… too muggley"

"You what?" said Daphne.

"That's most of what I do. I take the 1995 census of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley and eventually, of Hogsmeade and find all the shops, the shopkeepers and their staff. Then I check and if any of the them are in Azkaban, or the camps, I write movement orders and get them transferred to out-processing, take them to their shop, or former place of work and set them up. And write building Transfer orders where the previous ministry, took unpaid possession of the shop"

"Why only the shopkeepers and staff" asked Daphne.

"Because that's the law the wizengamot passed" said Harry. "If DMLE had enough prosecutors, they could review trial records and get more of the political prisoners released that way"

"But they don't" said Daphne Greengrass, sounding disgusted.

"I talked Hermione Granger into transferring from DRCMC to DMLE prosecution. She's really fast at paperwork, so that will help."

"And you have to do all this paperwork yourself?" asked Greengrass

"Are you offering to help?" said Harry snidely.

"No" said Daphne Greengrass.

"Well, enjoy your day, Miss Greengrass" said Harry. "I trust your father's found a use for the compensation"

"We got compensation?" asked Greengrass.

"Two thousand galleons" said Harry. "Do close the door on the way out"

"Don't imitate Professor Snape at me, Potter." said Daphne Greengrass.

"You're not helping, and using my time, which means innocent people spend more time in Azkaban. Do close the door on the way out"

Daphne Greengrass stormed out of the room, slammed the door and walked off angrily. Moments later, her angry stride slowing to a gentle walk.

She stopped, turned around and went back to the Office of Special Services.

She opened the door and walked in, closing the door politely.

"Oh you're back" said Harry, looking up briefly from paperwork.

"I'm not angry anymore" she said.

"What?" asked Harry.

"I got a fifteen yards down the hall, and I felt totally calm." said Daphne Greengrass, sounding puzzled "I remember being angry with you, and then it suddenly left me. I felt nothing again."

"Not my fault" said Harry.

"I'm getting pissed off again" said Daphne Greengrass.

"I do have that effect on people." said Harry "It's a gift"

Daphne sat silently.

"Speak up" said Harry.

"I was reading a racy novel, one I've used over and over again, and when Goffrey, the stable-boy took Princess Stephanie up to the hay loft, I was unmoved" said Daphne, clamping her hands over her mouth.

"Well, that's certainly disturbing" said Harry.

"That I read erotic novels?" said Daphne Greengrass, her voice muffled by her hand.

"That is a trifle disturbing" said Harry "I'm not used to young women explaining their reading habits"

"I can't stop talking" said Daphne, still muffled by her hands. "Granger probably reads them too"

"Now that's getting quite disturbing, please stop talking" said Harry, shivering.

Daphne Greengrass took her hands off her mouth, where she was not babbling.

"Did you just confound me, or cast a babbling hex on me?" asked Daphne Greengrass, drawing her wand.

"No" said Harry "But I am reminded of something you can do to help with the investigation of your, um, assault"

"Murder" said Daphne.

"Come to the Department of Mysteries, they have a pensive, and we can review your memory of being bumped in Diagon Alley. I'm fairly sure that was your attacker"

"I didn't see them" said Daphne.

"I have a plan" said Harry, rummaging in a desk drawer and taking out a large magnifying glass, which he pocketed.

"Do we need to go at any particular time?" asked Daphne.

"They hate any time and I'm not allowed in without an unspeakable escort" said Harry.

"The battle of the department of mysteries?" asked Daphne

"There was some property damage" said Harry.

Harry and Angela Watermeadow went down to level Nine and took the hallway.

At the black door, a Grey-robed figure stopped Harry "Harry Potter, you are expected and unwanted"

"You guys are like family to me" said Harry sincerely.

Harry and Daphne were led though a door down a boring hall, into round room, across in though another door, into a long hall, with weird things floating in giant aquariums.

"Don't look and don't reach in" said Harry.

The three Unspeakables led Harry to a corner, where they pulled out a stone bowl from a cupboard and pointed to it "You know how to use one?"

"Yes" said Harry. "Help Miss … Watermeadow extract a specific memory , will you?"

The Unspeakables explained the spell rather well and Daphne dropped a wriggly white memory thread into the pensive.

Harry pointed to the bowl "Stick your finger in. We'll appear in the memory, and we can investigate"

"DMLE should get their own one" said an Unspeakable.

"They are rather rare" said Harry, sticking a finger into Daphne's memory and freezing.

-==0==-

Harry appeared next to Daphne in a shadowy silvery memory scene.

"I'm just about to leave the shop" said Daphne.

Harry concentrated on pressing the right rune in the real world and the memory started to play.

Memory Daphne opened the door to Madam Malkins, stepped out into the alley, and walked way. A few steps later, a person who'd been looking at a shop window turned and walked directly into Daphne's back. The memory flickered.

Harry paused the memory.

"This is where you were stunned"said Harry.

Daphne walked around memory Daphne "I can't see their face, there's no details" said Daphne.

"Look in the reflections in the window" suggested Harry.

Daphne peered at the glassy windows. "Why did you think of this?"

"Because basilisks kill except in reflections" said Harry, and walked around the memory of the alley, looking at the scene.

"Here" said Daphne "There's a reflection in the window but I can't see it."

Harry looked at the window Daphne was shakily pointing at, and drew a magnifying glass. He peered through it "It's a woman" he said, sounding shocked.

"A woman" said Daphne, sounding surprised

"Brown hair" said Harry. "And… acne, terrible acne"

"Well that narrows it down" said Daphne derisively.

"Measure her height" said Harry, winding the memory back to just as Daphne stepped out, and saw the woman, in a cloak with the hood up, pretending to be looking at a shop display.

"With what?"

"This tape measure?" asked Harry, pulling it out of his pocket.

"It this real?" asked Daphne "Or happening inside my head?"

"Why can't it be both" said Harry, feeling smug.

"Five foot three" said Daphne, finishing measuring her assailant.

"Five foot three, brown hair, bad acne, guess her weight?"

"Ten stone. Not more" said Daphne.

"Now, we watch her move" said Harry, starting the memory.

They watched Daphne get bumped into over and over again.

Harry stopped the memory.

"How old is she?"

"Not old" said Daphne.

"I'd say she's around our age" said Harry. "She moves like a young woman, or teenager"

"A homicidal young woman?" said Daphne "Why would she want to kill me?"

"We can discuss this back in my office" said Harry, and they left the pensive.

Harry withdrew his finger from the bowl, as did Daphne.

"That is very odd" said Daphne.

"Scoop the memory out with your wand. We'll keep it in a vial" said Harry.

Daphne did, and Harry used a vial in his robes.

"Evidence" he said.

"Would you please leave" asked the Unspeakable. "Take it with you?"

"The pensive?"

"The revenant" said the unspeakable.

Harry left, with Angela Watermeadow, escorted by three Unspeakables all the way to the lift.

-==0==-

Harry wrote notes in his office.

"A young woman, around your age, brown hair, ten stone, five foot three"

said Harry. "And a trained witch, so quite likely went to Hogwarts."

"Or Hull, or the Shoe" said Daphne.

"Oh, other schools" said Harry. "I wonder how many witches there are your age?"

"Around a hundred" said Daphne almost instantly.

"And five foot three, weight ten stone?" asked Harry

"Who would know that?" said Daphne. "Apart from Madam Malkin"

"Well we go ask" said Harry.

"Are you actually a genius, or just really lucky?" asked Daphne.

"I'd rather it was genius" said Harry.

-==0==-

"Five foot three, a common height, and ten stone, common weight" said Madam Malkin.

"For a seventeen year old witch with brown hair and terrible acne."

"A witch who can't make a boil cure potion?" said Madam Malkin.

"Or has permanent scarring" said Daphne "Lavender brown or Marietta Edgecombe"

"Lavender's blonde, and has claw scars not spots" said Harry.

"Marietta Edgecombe has cursed spots from something" said Daphne.

Harry blushed "Hermione" he said, heavily.

"Granger? Granger did a dark curse?" asked Daphne.

Harry thought for a few seconds.

"Madam Malkin, official request, Miss Marietta Edgecombe, her height and weight?" said Harry.

Madam Malkin looked put out but looked it up in a ledger "Five foot two, ten stone"

"Shoes" said Harry. Daphne nodded.

Harry escorted a nervous Daphne out of the shop, and off back to the office.

"Edgecombe. She's that height, that weight, has cursed acne" said Daphne.

Harry got out a sheet paper and started writing.

Daphne winced "How do people read that?"

"Um… It's the best I can do" said Harry.

"Good grief" said Daphne.

"I identified your assailant" said Harry.

"I'm rather impressed actually. You're almost pulling off the sort of things Harry Potter supposedly did" said Daphne Greengrass.

"Well, I did kill a dark lord" said Harry. "Who was my distant cousin, it turned out"

"No?" said an incredulous Daphne.

"I inherited his property. One small parcel of woods, and a muggle manor." said Harry.

Daphne laughed "That's absurd" she said.

"Well I've got a request to question for DMLE" said Harry.

Daphne looked at it "Let me do it" she said "Then people might be able to read it."

Harry stepped away from his desk and Daphne filled in the form neatly in elegant italics.

"You write really well" said Harry.

"Yours is illegible" said Daphne. "All you need is three years of practice with a tutor hitting your knuckles when you blot your work"

Harry took the form, and tapped it with his wand, It folded into a paper aeroplane and flew off, out through Harry's open transom window.

"So when are you going to question her?" asked Daphne

"That's a job for DMLE" said Harry. "I'm not an Auror"

Angela Watermeadow left. Department of the Minister staff speculated.

-==0==-

Inside a DMLE interrogation room:

"Miss Edgecombe, why Miss Greengrass" asked Auror Peakes.

Auror Simmons supervised the dicta-quill.

"Well, she's a stuck up Slytherin bitch" said Marietta "And pretty enough anyone might suspect Harry Potter of shagging her. Pansy was my first choice, but after the speech she made, nobody could believe Parkinson was Potters secret lover."

The dicta-quill scribbled.

"And why not Miss Weasley?" asked Auror Peakes

"Ginny Weasley is a violent bitch" said Marietta. "Greengrass is stuck up but not dangerous, If I'd tried hexing Weasley, I'd be in St Mungos if I was lucky."

Peakes swallowed.

"And why?" asked Peakes.

"It all started with a joke. Potter was on the run, and Greengrass kept leaving the castle on 'family business'. Someone joked that Potter was shagging Greengrass. Well, nobody knew anything, and then Potter snogged Ginny Weasley after the battle. Clearly, he'd gone back to the redhead. I thought, well, how would Granger feel if Potter went to Azkaban. Obviously, as she's his Real secret lover, she'd be heartbroken."

"His secret lover?" asked Auror Peakes.

"They were alone on the run for months. He only ever really was friends with Ron Weasley and Granger. Obviously, Potter either had a thing for Granger, or worse, Granger was stuck loving one, and having to make do with the other."

Auror Peakes looked horrified at this teenage-girl reasoning.

"So Granger always saves the day, and she couldn't. So Granger would fail at the one thing she ever cared about; being cleverer than everyone else." said Edgecombe.

"And Potter going to Azkaban?" asked Peakes.

"He dumped my best friend Cho., and killed her first boyfriend, Cedric" said Marietta simply.

"Let me clarify this… you killed Miss Greengrass, laying an elaborate false life as the secret lover of Harry Potter, all to punish Hermione Granger, war hero."

"She cursed me. I've still got the scars" said Marietta "On MY FACE. The bitch"

"So you killed a woman, framing her as having an affair with Harry Potter, and Harry as the murderer, all to get back at Miss Granger"

"And Potter." said Marietta.

"So do you confess to the murder of Daphne Greengrass?" asked Auror Peakes.

"I didn't kill her" said Marietta.

"You just explained the whole plan" said Auror Peakes.

"I explained how a plan could work. I didn't do anything" said Marietta. "And there's no evidence that I did."

Peakes looked at Simmons, who shook his head.

"We have testimony from Miss Greengrass that she was not only not Harry Potters secret lover, that she had never spoken to him" said Peakes

"Daphne Greengrass is dead" said Marietta simply "Dead people don't talk"

Marietta Edgecombe walked out of the DMLE, a free witch.

She took the lift to the atrium and walked across the hall, towards the fireplaces.

"OY, Edgecombe" yelled Ginny Weasley, from where she'd been sitting.

Marietta turned and Ginny raised her wand. Marietta's nose erupted in a flurry of large black bats that started attacking her, her nose bleeding, her face getting clawed up.

"Nobody fucks with my boyfriend" said Ginny Weasley.

Moments later, she was apprehended by one of the many Aurors in the room.

"Let me go, I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm a war hero" said Ginny.

The Aurors held the struggling redhead.
"Miss Weasley, you just assaulted Marietta Edgecombe" said an Auror, 'Hanks'

"She tried to send Harry to Azkaban for murder" said Ginny, as if explaining to a very stupid person. "I'm famous, let me go"

"Miss Weasley, you've assaulted a woman, we can't let you go" said Hanks.

"Edgecombe killed Greengrass" said Ginny.

"Do you have any evidence of this?" asked Auror Hanks.

"It's obvious, isn't it" said Ginny.

Auror Hanks pulled out some instruments and ran them over Ginny.

"Miss Weasley, can you explain why my Dark detector is going berserk on you?" asked Auror Hanks.

"An accident in my first year at school" said Ginny "Rather personal."
Hanks scratched his hair

"Miss Weasley, you are under arrest for assaulting Marietta Edgecombe" said Auror Hanks, binding Ginny with black ropes.

-==0==-

Harry was eating a very late dinner when Ron burst into the kitchen

"Ginny's been arrested" said Ron, face flushed.

"What for?" asked Harry.

"Assaulting Marietta Edgecombe" said Ron.

Harry groaned and rested his head on the table. "You told her?" said Harry.

"It was all around the department" said Ron "It wasn't one of your secrets" justified Ron.

"It was my interrogation order" said Harry.

"Edgecombe walked, insufficient evidence to charge" said Ron.

Hermione came down the stars "Before you ask, I can't be involved" said Hermione. "I'm friends to two of the principal entities, and I can't be seen to interfere in a murder"

"That's your job" said Ron to Harry.

Harry looked up "I'm going to have to find out how to get Edgecombe brought back in and questioned under veritassium" he said.

"Not easy" said Hermione "I asked on my second day. You need a mind search warrant, and that requires a department head to sign off on it."

"Atkins?" asked Harry.

"Won't move a finger for you." said Ron "He's pissed you've got a job working for Kingsley and swan around with a DMLE badge."

"I work for Percy" said Harry "Can an undersecretary sign off on it?"

"Not a junior one" said Hermione. "Undersecretary, Department head"

"Why does everything have to be so bloody difficult" said Harry.

"Harry, you need an assistant. You're not great with paperwork" said Hermione diplomatically.

"I offered one a job yesterday" said Harry.

"Harry, you have to fill in a P-15B staff requisition form for staff. Percy might be able to sign off on it"

Harry recollected the diagram Percy had drawn, now on the wall of his office. "Percy's boss, Shannons can sign it, and he trusts Percy."

Hermione had conjured a parchment and wrote out the form number, and a note to get Shannons to sign off on a mind search warrant. "Harry, get an assistant that can write a legible report first" she said. "You will need to write a report and well, your essay writing skills are a bit rubbish"

"Ahem" said Ron.

"Ginny?" asked Ron. "My sister, in jail"

"Assault" said Hermione "She'll get a month tops" said Hermione.

"A month of what?" asked Ron.

"Azkaban, minimum exposure wing" said Hermione.

Ron started to rant "My little sister can't go to Azkaban. She's just a kid"

"Hey, I'm dating her" said Harry.

"Yeah not really" said Ron, carrying on "She's only a little girl, she can't go there"

"Ron, I spend an hour a day there every day, not in minimum. It's awful, but she wouldn't get her soul sucked out" said Harry "Hagrid spent months in medium, and he's okay."

"Ginny's a girl!" said Ron.

"Who assaulted a witch in the ministry atrium and showed no regrets as Edgecombe bled" said Hermione.

Harry sighed.

"Did Edgecombe do it?" asked Hermione.

"I can't say" said Harry. "Classified methods, and motive problems."

"Motive problems?" asked Hermione.

"This is her scheme to get back at you" said Harry. "Can you lift the curse on her head?"

"No" said Hermione "She ratted us out."

"Hermione, it's a dark curse and she's had it for three years, and it's driven her around the bend." said Harry.

"Fine" said Hermione angrily.

What is it with witches, thought Harry. They're either crying, hexing or cursing.

"If she turns up at trial with no scars, she'll get less sympathy" said Harry.

Hermione looked at Harry "That's… cold" she said.

"She needs locked up, you can't have anything to do with the case, neither can Ron, and I'm on the edge."

"She did frame you" said Hermione.

...

"Ginny, my sister!" said Ron.

"Look, as long as she shows remorse at trial she'll get a pretty light sentence" said Hermione.

"It's Ginny" said Ron. "She's frustrated" he said, glaring at Harry.

"She practically dumped me when the story broke" said Harry.

"Harry really spent the winter watching the map" said Hermione.

"But was it Ginny!" said Ron.

"I'd look and he'd be staring at the dot for Ginny Weasley, so yes Ron, Harry was obsessing over your sister"

"That's okay then" said Ron.

-==0==-

Ginny Weasley was rather unrepentant and got two months.

Harry took a P-15B to Percy. Percy pointed to all the blank sections "Fill it all in, you have to specify qualifications to ensure qualified applicants."

Harry went back to his office and filled in Practical knowledge of wizarding culture, excellent essay writing skills, Deep knowledge of wizarding history, can read runes ( Harry couldn't and he thought it would help with some of the weirder jobs he got) Skilled in arithmancy ( again, Harry wanted someone to fill-in things he was ignorant of) and strong skills in charms and Transfiguration. Experience or training in recognising dark magic looked on favourably. Defence Against the Dark arts skills helpful but not essential. Harry snorted; if he needed help with that, there were Aurors. Experience analysing business records. The bloody Shopkeepers act made it an awful slog to work out what was owned.

Harry took the form to Percy, who looked at the sections "What do you do?" asked Percy.

"Whatever you say, Percy, and whatever Kingsley wants done" said Harry.

"Well, good luck getting a candidate that can do all of that" said Percy.

"Well, a good essayist and legible writing is the really essential bit" said Harry.

"As is the case for most ministry jobs, Harry" said Percy.

"Want to go back to Azkaban?" asked Harry.

"Harry, go back to work" said Percy "I'll get Shannons to sign this, and personnel will sort the incoming applications for you"

"So we don't advertise?" asked Harry.

"People apply after their NEWTs, we take what we need" said Percy. "Some special jobs need odd skills"

"Like doing the impossible" said Harry.

"Go save people" said Percy, dismissing Harry.

-==0==-

Harry went back to see Percy a day later.

"Percy, I don't think it's good being Harry Potter doing this job" said Harry.

"Harry you're good at it, well your paperwork is appalling, but we'll fix that" said Percy.

"Everyone thinks I'm just, well, a prize puffskein" said Harry.

Percy snorted.

"If you quit, who will save people every day?" asked Percy bluntly.

"I don't want to quit… I want to be someone else." said Harry.

"Someone else?"

"Someone older, respectable, who's not Harry Potter" said Harry.

"What about when we need Harry Potter?"

"Appoint my fake identity as head of the office; Potter can come in when he's needed" said Harry.

"Doing witness relocation suits you. You have a devious mind" said Percy.

"What do you think?" asked Harry.

"A plausible name"? Asked Percy.

"John Smith" said Harry

"The fakest name ever" said Percy.

"And I'll use the disguise kit every day. Everyone will know John Smith is old, uses a fake name and gets the job done. Harry Potter can turn up for showboating and to stop riots."

"Ron appears to have done rather well at that" observed Percy sharply.

"He's an Auror" said Harry.

"Please don't remind me" said Percy "My lazy brother, an Auror."

"A pretty good one too apparently" said Harry. "The DMLE think he's reliable. The older Aurors tried to haze him, and he just laughed it off. He's had worse, worse than any of them have survived."

"You did too" said Percy.

"Well, John Smith, Director of OSS?" asked Harry.

"I'll run it past Kingsley." said Percy. "Go save people"

Three days later Harry loudly complained in the hallway that Director Smith had relegated him to PR stunts.

Smith arrived the next day, tall and balding with grey stringy hair. He glared at people though thick glasses, his yellowing grey eyes derisive. He affected a bowler hat, that he jammed over his grey hair.

His first visit to Azkaban, he ignored the first-time visitors briefing and simply went and got his own prisoner, firing a misty Patronus charm like a garden hose, to shoo the Dementors away.

"Feck off" he was observed to say.

A week later, Smith was becoming a departmental legend. He ignored paperwork, used a Dicta-quill and was considered by some to be the second coming of Alistair Moody; an angry, mean old man.

"Shack" said Smith, nodding to the Minister, and went to his office.

Kingsley seemed unperturbed by this and seemed to already know Smith.
Percy did not add him to meeting invites simply saying "Smith is better used for what he's for."

Percy knocked on the door of Office of Special services and came in.

"Smith" said Percy.

"Well what?" asked Smith.

"I've found the ideal candidate for your P-15B. The Second most brilliant person in the department, after me, of course." said Percy proudly.

"Fine, anything to get my bloody paperwork done" said Smith

"So you can go save people" said Percy.

"Exactly" said Smith.

"They start tomorrow" said Percy.

"Oh new hire?" said Smith, scribbling.

"Recent Graduand, but foreign; ish. Checks out okay, cleared for everything, for some reason."

"Everything?"

"Well not that" admitted Percy.

"Fair enough" said Smith.

-==0==-

Smith was in early, doing paperwork, when someone made a fuss outside his door.

"Mister Weasley, I'm not going in there" said the woman.

"I assure you, Director Smith needs help, and you're the ideal person" said Percy.

"Smith? Not Potter?"

"Potter is ah, only attached to the department for, PR purposes" said Percy.

"Oh" said the person and Percy swept in, towing Angela Watermeadow, her glasses glinting.

"Director Smith, this is Angela Watermeadow, she was the very best candidate to apply to the ministry in the last three months."

Smith blinked sourly.

"Ah, hello Director" said Miss Watermeadow, nervously.

"Mister Weasley, are you sure Miss Watermeadow is really appropriate?" asked Smith.

"Miss Watermeadow is the second best scoring on NEWTs in the department. She works for you, and you for me, and I'm the best qualified on NEWTs in the entire ministry. Miss Watermeadow is definitely the right stuff."

Miss Watermeadow looked slightly pleased by this.

"Desk in the corner, you're doing the paperwork, so I can spend more time at Azkaban and the camps" said Smith.

Percy smiled toothlessly. "I expect great things from this Office, good morning Mister Smith"

"Weasley."

Smith sighed "Your first job is a request for permission to do a mind search of a suspect."

"Suspect?" said Watermeadow "We're not the DMLE"

"Oh, have a badge" said Smith and tossed her a badge from the drawer. It was a blank DMLE badge.

"Transfigure your initials and name onto it, makes dealing with DMLE so much quicker"

Watermeadow drew her wand and smiled slightly. Her badge read 'A.D. Watermeadow DMLE'

Good, wear it; people expect this office to have them" said Smith

"Yes sir" said Watermeadow.

"The template is in this folio" said Smith, banishing a folio to Watermeadow. "Use it as a sample, we want Shannons to approve the request so we can get the suspect in and have DMLE question them under veritassium."

"Shannons?" asked Miss Watermeadow.

Smith pointed at the coloured diagram on the wall "Weasley's boss. Undersecretary Claude Shannons, a stickler for correctness."

"And we work in a slightly less correct way?"

"We get the job done, whatever it is. Mostly the Shopkeepers act. When you're done with the search warrant request, it's Shopkeepers act all day, every day."

"Using the prewar census" said Miss Watermeadow.

"Yes" said Smith darkly.

Smith left after an hour to go to Azkaban. Miss Watermeadow relaxed, and started writing.

Hours later, Percy Weasley knocked on the door and entered

"Smith's out?"

"Off to Azkaban" said Miss Watermeadow calmly.

"Any difficulties?"

"I have a first draft of a mind search warrant complete for Director Smith" said Miss Watermeadow evenly.

"Well, it's lunchtime, I'll have a quick look perhaps?"

Percy read the two page request carefully. "Perhaps leave out the 'Suspect is a lying, murdering bitch'" said Percy.

"But she is" said Miss Watermeadow evenly.

"Shannons is… old school. The office is… what it needs to be to get the job done; Shannons would rather things were more … cut and dried."

"I shall revise it" said Miss Watermeadow.

"After lunch. Come on, I'll show you the cafeteria, and tell you what to avoid" said Percy.

Miss Watermeadow followed Percy to the ministry cafeteria, a noisy affair and ate quietly.

"If you want to save a sickle, Smith's never in the office during lunch hour; you can eat your own lunch at your desk" said Percy.

"Is he always so..." said Watermeadow.

"His whole family died in the war" said Percy.

"Oh" said Watermeadow evenly.

"And his, er... girlfriend; she's in Azkaban" said Percy.

Miss Watermeadow stopped eating "He has the worst luck" she said blandly.

"I found him, abrasive" said Miss Watermeadow.

"That's how he is." said Percy. "Mad-Eye moody was worse"

Miss Watermeadow started to talk, then stopped.

"He should get a bit better; she's getting out soon" said Percy.

"Oh" said Miss Watermeadow, politely.

"Well, Miss Watermeadow, I can see my fiancee in the distance, so I will leave you." said Percy, and got up.

Miss Watermeadow watched as Percy went and sat next to a tall young witch who leaned over and kissed Percy's cheek. Percy smiled and held her hand. Miss Watermeadow turned to her remaining lunch.

At five PM, Percy came around and gave Miss Watermeadow simple instructions "Pack up for the day, you've worked long enough. Lock your papers in your drawers, put any paperwork for Smith in his in-box. He'll be coming around six or seven at the end of his day.

"Director Smith works from nine to seven?" asked Miss Watermeadow

"Director Smith will finish his task for the day, clear his inbox and go home. You are not expected to be here at sixes and sevens" said Percy.

Miss Watermeadow nodded.

-==0==-

Andrea Watermeadow flooed home to her cousin's the Greengrasses.

"How was your first day of work" asked her mother, as Daphne took off her glasses and finite-ed her hair.

"Awful" said Daphne calmly. "I had to write the mind search warrant for Marietta Edgecombe."

"Who..."

"Yes" said Daphne. "My superior, Director Smith went off to Azkaban, to rescue people under the auspices of the Shopkeepers and related persons act, nineteen ninety-eight"

"Does he do that every day?" asked Sabrine Greengrass.

"Apparently. His whole family died in the war, and his ahem 'girlfriend' is in Azkaban also."

"Which side was he on?" asked Sabrine.

Daphne shrugged "He's not as scarred as Alistair Moody, but he's very abrasive. He's the only person apart from Potter, who I get angry around."

"Potter's not there anymore?" asked Sabrine.

"Thankfully no; he only does public relations appearances now" said Daphne.

"Potter really irritates you?" asked Sabrine curiously.

"Potter… when I'm around him I… feel angry, happy, sad. I feel… things" said Daphne.

"Is this related to your… accident?"

"Potter was chained to a board, his arms loose. He had his hands out." said Daphne.

"Was anyone using a ritual circle? Some large magical item?"

"Nothing but Potter holding something in his hand" said Daphne.

"He's a necromancer" said Serene simply.

"Potter's a goody goody" said Daphne. "Though, what's a revenant?"

"Nothing good" said Sabrine. "Didn't you get a textbook on ahem, necromancy"

"To know enough to pretend to have done it at school" said Daphne, and walked off.

Sabrine cried silently.

Daphne arrived at dinner, with her sister. The dining room was large and had a table far too big for four people. They all sat at one end, the paintings on the wall smiling and eating.

The Greengrasses ate politely, Ernst asking Astoria a few business questions, which she answered carefully.

After dinner, Daphne motioned to her mother and went to the Drawing room and sat, stiffly.

Sabrine closed

"A Revenant is a corpse reanimated for revenge. They are relentless, and stop when their revenge is complete." said Daphne "It is rumoured that sufficiently powerful individuals spontaneously form revenants. That is almost certainly a lie."

"Who mentioned revenants" asked Sabrine.

"Unspeakables, when we visited the department of mysteries to use a pensive" said Daphne.

"Is there a spell to tell?" asked Sabrine.

"Yes" said Daphne "Has to be cast by someone else"

"Lets us go" said Sabrine sadly.

Sabrine stood in her daughter bedroom and read the spell. It was complicated, but she kept trying until the pink spell showered pink sparks when it hit things.

"We'll know soon, dearest" said Sabrine and cast the spell on Daphne. The pink bolt hit her and she lit up, pink.

"I'm..." said Daphne.

"Not one" said Sabrine cheerfully.

Daphne nodded "That is good. But I should have more… feelings."

Sabrine turned a few pages. "Diagnose soul issues" she said "This is might be we need."

"Soul issues?" asked Daphne. "I have a soul"

"Yes love you do. You love us" said Sabrine.

"I do mother" said Daphne fondly.

Sabrine sniffled and studied the spell. She cast it, half-reading as she went. It went wonky, and failed.

She cast it again, and got a blue ball that floated slowly to Daphne and burst, in a spray of green.

"Green spray… you're alive, have a soul… it should have gone blue at the end."

"Bit it didn't "said Daphne. "What does that mean?"

"Your soul's … passed on?" said Sabine. "But you're alive."

"If I was in the afterlife, I'd still love you all, but never get angry or happy or sad…." Daphne stopped talking. "I'm… in an afterlife, that's life" she said woodenly.

"And I'm very proud of you, you've got a lovely soul" said Sabrine, eyes wet.

"The explains my … lack of certain feelings" said Daphne.

"You've moved on" said Sabrine, choking on the words.

"I never explored those feelings adequately, and now I don't have them" said Daphne.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry" said Sabrine.

"I was saving myself for someone nice" said Daphne.

"Well, you need to go complain to whoever do the resurrection. It's clearly botched." said Sabrine

"Potter knows who did it" said Daphne.

-==0==-

Angela Watermeadow asked her boss of on day an awkward question.

"I need to ask Harry Potter a question" she said.

"About ?" asked Smith harshly.

"Are you cleared to the Greengrass case; all the details" asked Angela.

"I am" said Smith. "What the question?"

"How did they botch the resurrection" she said.

Smith looked thoughtful "Well, that's my evening ruined" he said.

"My sympathies" said Miss Watermeadow.

-==0==-

Harry Potter, disguised as John Smith apparated to the gates of Hogwarts and slipped in.

He walked though the dimly list night, down the slope to the white tomb of Albus Dumbledore.

"Sorry Albus" said John Smith, and with a swish and a hook, lifted the marble slab off the tomb again.

The white wand recovered, Smith put the slab back.

He pocketed the wand and walked away in the semidarkness.

-==0==-

Harry Potter opened the door to the Office for Special Services and entered.

"Potter" said Angela Watermeadow.

Harry shut the door and cast colloportus on it. The squick noise was quite loud.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"The resurrection put my soul back in my body, but my soul has moved on. That's why I don't feel things.." said Daphne angrily.

"You're angry now" said Harry blandly.

"Around you. You're the necromancer, aren't you?"

"Master of death" said Harry bluntly, drawing a wand, a silver cloak and a stone from his robe pockets.

"Master of death?"

"I… I roll this stone backwards three times, you're so much dead meat" said Harry. "It's a pain really, because I'm pretty sure I can't use it while you're… aliveish."

"Why not just let me die" said Daphne coldly.

"You've done nothing wrong, and I can prevent it." said Harry.

"You could save other, more deserving people" said Daphne.

"Who deserves to live, and who deserved to die?" asked Harry "I'm certainly not the judge of that"

"But why me?" asked Daphne.

"You were first" said Harry.

"And if Granger or Ginny Weasley died?" asked Daphne.

"I'd be very sorry. I can't kill one person to have another live." said Harry. "Not fair."

"I'm actually flattered, you'd let your friends or girlfriend die, so I could live" said Daphne. "You don't have some weird obsession about me do you?"

"Hardly know you" said Harry. "You seem fairly bright and Smith says you do good work"

"I had to write the mind search warrant for Marietta Edgecombe" said Daphne. "She murdered me"

"Smith said you put some obscenities in it" said Harry.

Daphne looked at Harry. "You're full of shit, you know Potter, or should I say Smith"

"Potter" said Harry.

"Smith as the exact same shoes" said Daphne.

"Smith's an alias, like Angela Watermeadow" said Harry with a shrug.

"Er, why?"

"Harry Potter's some kid, famous, got the job on connections. John Smith's just some bastard that does the job" said Harry.

"And nobody will talk to" said Daphne.

"People suck" said Harry. "Ginny's in fucking Azkaban because Marietta's a bitch."

"Ginny Weasleys in Azkaban for assault" said Daphne "She needs to control herself"

"She'll have learnt a lesson" said Harry.

"Harry Potter, bastion of crime and punishment" said Daphne.

"I could have kept her out" said Harry. "Maybe?"

"Bull" said Daphne. "What, fight the whole DMLE? Lose your job, stop saving people?"

Harry looked away.

"You couldn't" said Daphne "You'd rather save a hundred people than one. Even if that was your girlfriend"

"Don't push me" said Harry angrily.

"You really are that bloody noble." said Daphne Greengrass incredulously. "You'd probably even die to save people."

"Done it" said Harry bluntly "Not what it's cracked up to be."

"You've died?" she said astonished "Who turned the stone?"

"Not how it worked for me" said Harry "There was a... well a conjunction of flukes, and Voldemort killed… well, not me; but himself. Another bad choice on his part kept me alive. Then I got up, and you've heard of the last duel."

"I was there" said Daphne Greengrass "Trying to keep my stupid sister safe"

"You were both Slytherins? You should have stayed safe."

"And risk a world where he won?" said Daphne "I'd have been taken by a death eater and used till I died. If I was lucky, to make little death eaters."

Harry looked thoughtful. "Not good" he agreed.

"Have you any idea how to fix my broken resurrection?" asked Daphne.

"I think the stone" said Harry, holding it up "has always had this flaw."

"Always?"

"My ancestor is one of the three brothers" said Harry "The stone failed my great-to the many times uncle."

"You're?"

"Child of the daughter of the brother who got the cloak" said Harry. "We Potters have had it since"

"The hallows are real?"

"You're alive-ish because of them" said Harry. "Shame I can't just repair your soul"

"It's not broken, just… moved on" said Daphne.

"Well, if you ever find a spell for that, I can cast it for you" said Harry.

"What if I die first?" she asked.

Harry shook his head "I don't think you can, but don't test that theory." he said.

"But you can" asked Daphne.

"Oh yes" said Harry. "I'm done being resurrected, it was a fluke"

"Can't you do something?" said Daphne "I'd like to live properly"

"It's a serene life" said Harry.

"Not around you" said Daphne angrily.

"Because I used the stone" said Harry. "I wonder?"

Harry gave Daphne the stone "Go down the hallway, see how you feel"

Daphne looked at the black stone.

"And don't roll it backwards three times" said Harry.

Daphne frowned and left the room. She returned ten minutes later, flushed with excitement.

"You were right" she said "It works"

"Well, you need to carry it. Safest to put it on a ring… give me me minute" said Harry, and undid his robes.

"Mister Potter, keep your robes on" said Daphne stiffly.

"I have a pouch around my neck with stuff in it" said Harry, turning his back. Harry turned back , minutes later ,holding a broken ring.

"It's broken" said Daphne.

Harry drew his wand, and placing the ring on his desk cast Reparo on it. It bounced but was not mended.

"How did to get broken?" asked Daphne, holding the stone and looking pleased.

"Hit it with an enchanted sword" said Harry, drawing a white, knobbly wand "Reparo" he cast and the ring groaned and sprang back into shape.

"The stone" said Harry and Daphne reluctantly handed it back.

Harry sat the stone on the ring's claws and cast Reparo again. The claws flexed and caught the stone.

"There you go, don't take it off. Don't play with it" said Harry.

Harry handed Daphne the ring, which she looked at disgustedly "It's a bit masculine"

"Gaunt family head's ring" said Harry, taking the ring back and transfiguring it to be more delicate. The stone was still large and black.

"It needs other stones" said Daphne. "Some diamonds or something"

"Harry frowned and pointed the white wand at a sheet of parchment, which rolled up and charred, then twitched into small black balls "Still soot" said Harry.

"Are you trying to transfigure soot into diamonds" asked Daphne "That's very difficult"

"Yes it is" said Harry.

"Let me do it" said Daphne, pushing Harry aside and using her wand. The diamonds produced were small but glittery.

"Those good enough?"

Daphne tried to transfigure the ring but it would not change.

"Transfigure the damn ring to have a circle around the stone with a gap in it"

"Diamonds go in the gap" said Harry, casting.

Daphne dropped diamonds into the slot till they surrounded the stone.

Harry stabbed his white wand at the ring and the slot closed slightly.

Daphne picked the ring up "Still bad, but plausibly a woman's ring"

She put it on her ring finger.

"Thank you Harry Potter" said Daphne.

"Well, you can have a normal-ish life now" said Harry, then looked at the ring.

"How about I put a notice-me-not charm on it?" asked Harry.

"Please do" said Daphne "People might think I had terrible taste"

Harry rolled his eyes, then fiddled the white wand around the ring. It faded from view.

"Why is that wand so good?" asked Daphne.

"This is the elder wand." said Harry. "It make magic easier, extraordinary becomes the ordinary, the impossible, the merely extremely difficult"

"And defeats everyone it fights" said Daphne.

"But tends to get you killed" said Harry. "All in all a bit cursed."

"You can go to Azkaban now" said Daphne "Here's a movement order for a Patricia LeGoun, she used to operate a bathhouse in Knockturn"

"A bathhouse?" said Harry.

"Well, a brothel" said Daphne, blushing.

Harry shook his head "Why'd they shut it down?"
"She employed mostly muggleborns, and the 'government' just took the staff." said Daphne.

Harry winced. "Muggleborns."

"They hardly ever get good jobs; never in the ministry, all the directors are pure-bloods" said Daphne.

"Okay, have you got any lines on the staff?" asked Harry.

Daphne sighed "Not good" she said "I think they've all..."

"Been murdered" said Harry.

Daphne nodded.

"Well, Madam LeGoun is getting her shop back anyway" said Harry.

"As Harry, or Smith?"

"Harry leaves here, Smith goes to Azkaban, Harry's far too tender to meet a madam" said Harry.

Daphne shook her head "get moving" she said.

-==0==-

Angela Watermeadow ate lunch in the cafeteria, looking quite cheerful, even happy.

A young-ish witch came over with her lunch and said "Can I sit with you, I'm Melody Entwhistle, I work around the hallway in Press relations"

Angela nodded, eating her soup with a pleased look on her face.

"So, you work in office for special services" asked Melody.

"Mostly we administer the Shopkeepers and related persons act; recovering muggleborn shopkeepers from Azkaban, and shop staff" said Angela.

"Ew, that sounds terrible"

"Director Smith does the Azkaban bit, I do the paperwork" said Angela, eating buttery toast, with smile on her face.

"Harry Potter started that office, didn't he?" asked Melody.

"He does mostly PR now" said Angela.

"And he came to the office today" asked Melody.

"Yes" said Angela with a sigh "Harry came to the office today, to sort some things out"

"His paperwork is famous" said Melody "Is it really utterly illegible."

"Utter rubbish" said Angela. "You might as well get a baby chicken, dip its feet in ink and let it walk on the parchment."

Melody giggled. "He's pretty dishy though" she said.

"Potter? I don't see it" said Angela.

"And who put the ring on your finger and the smile on your face?" asked Melody.

Angela crossed her arms, hiding the ring nuder her right arm "If Harry Potter was the last man alive, I'd read a racy novel" she said.

Melody went red "But, you were in the office with him, and you're happy now, and have a ring" said Melody.

Angela Watermeadow groaned "I do not have a thing with Harry Potter. I have never had a thing with Harry Potter."

"He gave you a ring" said Melody.

Angela paused and blushed.

"You absolute sneaky witch" said Melody. "I almost believed you. You've only been here a few months and you steal Potter."

"I have not stolen Potter" said Angela firmly.

"You came to visit the department months ago" said Melody "Everyone wondered why anyone would visit the office of suspicious services."

Angela snorted "Good nickname" she said.

"You visited Potter" said Melody. "You're his … true secret lover. Wow."

"Melody, I'm not. He's devoted to Ginny Weasley" said Angela.

Melody wouldn't let it rest and Angela left crossly.

Angela left a memo in Smiths in-tray that night as she locked up.

"Ridiculous rumour regarding Potter & Watermeadow; ring seen. Melody from PR behind it."

-==0==-

Harry waited excitedly as Ginny's' release day came. His day was another long Azkaban-camps-shop trip.

Hermione's otter Patronus appeared and Hermione's voice spoke "Harry, problem. St Mungos"

Harry had to finish his workday-stopping off at the office after seven before flooing to St Mungos.

He finally found George by his hair in the waiting room, looking ashen.

"Harry" croaked George.

"What is it, George"

"It's Ginny, she's lost her mind" said George. "Janus Thackery ward."

"What, she was only in minimum for two months" asked Harry.

"She keeps screaming 'Tom, you're hurting me'" said George.

Harry sank to a chair, going pale. He stared to cry.

"Who the fuck is Tom?" asked George.

"Tom Riddle. Aka Voldemort. Ginny was ... possessed in ninety-two. Oh.. that would be it" said Harry.

"Ginny was sick in ninety-two, mum had us treat her with kid gloves all summer" said George.

"It was bit worse than that" said Harry, spiralling into despair.

Harry dragged himself to the Janus Thackery ward and found an ashen Molly being held by Arthur, while Ginny, strapped to a bed screamed. Harry's heart broke.

"You bastard Tom" Harry yelled.

A burly nurse forced a calming draft down Harry's throat.

"What about Ginny?" asked Harry, as the nurse silenced Ginny's screams by stunning her.

"We tried" said Molly "She'd had four, it makes no difference"

"Cheering charms" asked Harry.

"There's… no Ginny there to cheer up anymore" said Arthur brokenly.

Harry dashed downstairs to the floo. "Greengrass" he said and left in a green flash.

The bell chimed and a surprised but very happy Ernst Greengrass walked into the hallway

"Potter, thank you so much!" he said.

"I need to ask Daphne something urgently" said Harry.

Ernst led Harry into the drawing room where Daphne, Astoria and Sabrine were playing a game and laughing.

Daphne looked up at Harry's tear-stained pale face.

"What is it?"

"In the hall please, some privacy?" asked Harry.

Daphne got up and stepped int the hall and shut the door. "What?"

"You found spells to diagnose soul things?" asked Harry.

"Mother and I did, in the necromancy textbook of all places." said Daphne.

"I need the soul diagnostics spell" said Harry curtly.

"It's fiddly" said Daphne.

"I'm good at picking things up quickly" said Harry, sounding impatient.

Daphne led Harry to her room and found the page "This is the spell, see how the ball bursts; green is good, then blue."

"And you now?"

"Green and blue, thank you very much" said Daphne.

"Well, you can enjoy a racy novel then" said Harry "Sorry I've got to go"

"What is it"?

"Ginny Weasleys got out of Azkaban, two months in minimum exposure; her mind seems to be gone. She was… victim of some dark magic in ninety-two. I think the Dementors may have let it loose." said Harry.

"What's she like?" asked Daphne.

"Screaming. Screaming and cursing Tom." said Harry sadly. "Tom was who did it"

"Oh I'm sorry" said Daphne. "Take the book, you can bring it to work tomorrow"

"I'm not sure I can come tomorrow" said Harry.

"Either she'll get better, and you're no healer, or she can't get better, and you'd be better saving someone else. I've got a full set of paperwork ready" said Daphne.

Harry looked Daphne in the eyes and she flinched. Harry looked so horrified, so sad.

"Nobody expects John Smith to be happy, ever" said Daphne.

Harry took a deep breath, took the book and left.

-==0==-

Harry Potter walked into the Janus Thackery ward to a crowd of Weasleys and Hermione, who cling to Ron, still in uniform. Ron looked frozen with pain.

Harry opened the book to the right page and started learning the charm.

"What are you doing Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Diagnostic charm for souls" said Harry. Everyone looked at Harry.

"My co-workers are very talented" said Harry.

Harry flubbed the spell over and over again, finally getting a blue ball to drift over and hit Ginny. It bust into a small black cloud. Harry paled.

He flicked pages in the book, looking for the right description. "Oh" he said and burst into tears.

"Blacks not good, is it" said Ron.

Hermione wriggled free from Ron and read the page. She burst into tears and clutched at Harry.

Ron pushed in front of his crying friends and read the page. He burst into tears and collapsed onto the end of the bed, holding his sisters foot.

Molly Weasley walked forward slowly and picked up the book and read the page. She closed her eyes. "Arthur, we need to get a healer. They need to read this" she said, eyes closed.

-==0==-

The Weasleys had a private funeral for their Daughter Ginny. The death notice said "Complications from the war."

Ron took a couple of days off, as did Hermione.

John Smith arrived in the office early, as usual, and by working till ten pm, managed to get two shopkeepers out of Azkaban that day.

The next day, he got two done as well.

After a week of long days, Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived in the office as Smith was about to head out and laid a hand on Smiths' shoulder "Smith, you've done enough this week. Two days leave. You're due it."

"Sir" said Smith sulkily and left.

Angela Watermeadow kept her head down.

-==0==-

"Marietta Edgecombe" said an anonymous looking person to Marietta.

"Yes?" she said.

"You're under arrest, for questioning in the matter of the death of Daphne Greengrass" said the person, and bound Marietta in black ropes.

Moments late they vanished with a crack.

Marietta was led, levitated to an interrogation room inside the DMLE.

She was leaned against the wall gently.

Her face showed calm, until the vial of clear liquid was brought out.

"No, don't make me take It" she cried, struggling in the bindings.

One Auror used a spell to open her mouth and stick her tongue out, while a second poured three drops of veritassium onto her tongue.

"What is your name" asked Auror Peakes

"Marietta Grace Edgecombe" said Marietta, groggily.

"What colour is the sky?" asked Auror Peakes

"Blue" said Marietta.

"Did you murder Daphne Greengrass"

"Yes" said Marietta.

Auror Spinks looked at the dicta-quill and nodded.

"Did you have an accomplice"

"No, I did it all myself. I was a Ravenclaw" said Marietta.

"Fucking Ravenclaws" said Peakes.

-==0==-

Director Smith sat in the office, checking over the well written movement orders and transfer orders.

Angela Watermeadow came in around nine "Director Smith" she said politely and sat down.

"Good work Watermeadow" said Smith. "I'll get two done today."
"Yes sir" said Watermeadow, already hard at work.

"Edgecombe got life in Azkaban" said Smith.

"Yes sir" said Watermeadow.

"Does that please you?" asked Smith.

"I'm not involved" said Watermeadow.

Smith pointed his wand at the door "Colloportus" and the door melted into the frame.

"So, Greengrass, how do you feel about it"

"I'm still on my second life." said Daphne "And Weasley died"

"Yes, she did" said Smith.

"Was it fatal" asked Daphne nervously.

"Soul lost in torment" said Smith "Euthanasia was the only possible treatment" Smith broke into tears.

Miss Watermeadow ignored her boss's crying. Eventually he stood up "I'll be out all day, good work. Have another two ready for me tomorrow."

"We're running out, you know" said Watermeadow "Running out of shopkeepers"

"We can do shop assistants" said Smith.

"We'll have to scour the whole census" said Miss Watermeadow.

"But they take less time to recover, no property movements" said Smith.

"And if the jobs gone?" asked Watermeadow.

"The law doesn't care; we get to remove them from Azkaban" said Smith.

Watermeadow smiled thinly "Observing the letter of the law, not it's intent"

"Our mission is to save people" said Smith.

Watermeadow pulled herself up "Yes sir, yes it is"

Smith stood and with a complicated twist of his wand un-melded the door from the frame.

"See you tomorrow Watermeadow. Keep up the good work" said Smith, walking out of the office, red eyed and pale.

Miss Watermeadow set to the paperwork with a will.

Percy stopped by at five "Miss Watermeadow, time to pack up" he said.

"Yes Mister Weasley" she said, putting papers into her desk and dropping a large bundle into Smith's in-tray.

"More than one?"

"Mister Smith does two a day now, perhaps with practice we can do three" said Miss Watermeadow.

"Excellent work Miss Watermeadow." said Percy.

"Thank you sir" said Miss Watermeadow.

"Is Smith coping?" asked Percy after a pause.

"I could ask you the same, sir" said Miss Watermeadow.

"I have my work" said Percy stiffly.

"As do we all" said Miss Watermeadow.

"You're young, you should get out and find life" said Percy formulaicly.

"I find the job matters too much sir. We're saving people" said Miss Watermeadow.

"You've joined His crusade then" said Percy.

"Hard not to Sir" said Miss Watermeadow. "We get people out of that place, get their lives back for them"

"And poke holes in the ministry budget in the process" observed Percy.

"Bugger the budget" said Miss Watermeadow. "That place is a hellhole"

-==0==-

Daphne Greengrass sat at the breakfast table at home, reading the newspaper. The second page had a scurrilous article "Harry Potter, reclusive Hero."

Daphne read it for amusement, until the phrase "Potter is known to be engaged to Ministry Clerk Angela Watermeadow, 19, who works in the Office of Special Services. While some might think her proximity led to her relationship, witnesses recount that Miss Watermeadow visited the Office before the arrival of the current head, Mister John Smith, an old-school Auror with the social graces of an angry dragon. Potter has not been seen often since, Smith ejected the boy-who-won in favour of old-fashioned Auror leg work."

Daphne fumed. Melody, that dizzy bitch had talked to the press, and slandered Angela Watermeadow, who was not that sort of girl at all. Perhaps Daphne's taste in racy novels now ran to more swashbuckling male leads, but that was just losing interest in sheep-like stable-boys. She was an adult, after all.

"What's wrong dear?" asked her mother.

"This stupid article linking Angela Watermeadow and Harry Potter" said Daphne. "Nothing of the sort is going on"

"Well you work with Smith mostly, don't you"

"Yes" said Daphne.

"He doesn't..."

"Oh Merlin no" said Daphne. "Smith lives to work. His family all died, and his partner did too."

"Oh my, you're not worried he might want a young woman"

"Smith is not at all interested in me" said Daphne. "Saving people gets him out of bed" she said optimistically.

"And you find it rewarding too?" asked Sabrine.

"We're saving two shopkeepers a day now, and as many as eight staff." said Daphne.

"Your father mentioned that the budget is taking a hit" said Sabrine.

"Junior Undersecretary Weasley mentions that" said Daphne.

"Did he?" said Sabrine.

"I said, bugger the budget" said Daphne.

Sabrine snorted "Daphne, language"

"Mister Weasley supports our efforts" said Daphne "He said I'd joined the crusade."

Sabrine looked at Daphne "You rather have, haven't you?"

"It feels good" said Daphne. "I make a difference every day."

"Will you have some fun some day?" asked Sabrine.

"My old friends..." said Daphne.

"Well, yes" said Sabrine sadly "You can make new ones"

"Well, Angela is just Daphne's cousin from America, she works as a clerk" said Daphne.

"Saving people" said Sabrine. "You could make friends with other crusaders"

Daphne snorted, and spotted a notice in the paper of a Rally, today, at noon in the Alley; protesting for better treatment for the wandless.

"I'm off to a rally" said Daphne "Should be plenty of crusaders there"

"Angela?"

"I might be someone else." said Daphne "Angela has as responsible job and is being slandered in the paper; I can be anyone"

Barbara Shunwood, hazel eyes, glasses, auburn hair looked at herself in the mirror. "No" she said and changed to dirty blonde. "Oh yes" she said "Not bleached… some colour"

She put on a practical but not work robe and some boots and stowed her wand.

Barbara nodded to Sabrine on the way to the fireplace and Sabrine laughed.

Barbara left the Leaky Cauldron and tapped the bricks to open the gateway. When the bricks stopped moving, she stepped though and looked about. As she'd rather expected, Hermione Granger stood with a group of familiar looking ex-Hufflepuffs, holding signs.

Barbara strode over and said "I'm Barbara Shunwood, how can I help?"

"Barbara, can you hold a sign" asked Hermione. Barbara held a sign up. 'Wands for the wandless' it read.

Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and some other vaguely familiar war heroes arrived, with painted tins on handles; they shook them and coins rattled.

"We're taking donations" asked Barbara.

"Seven galleons a wand.. there are hundreds and hundreds of people wandless" said Hermione.

Barbara swallowed. They needed to raise a LOT of money.

"Perhaps older families could donate old family wands" wondered Barbara.

Neville Longbottom stopped shaking his tin "A bit sentimental about wands, old families" he said.

Harry Potter elbowed Neville playfully.

"You could have a date auction at a gala dinner" said Barbara to Hermione.

"Who though?" asked Hermione.

"Well, Potter and Longbottom for starters" said Barbara. Hermione laughed. She seemed happy.

"Well, and you, obviously" said Barbara. Hermione stopped laughing and choked up.

One of the hufflepuffs- Susan Bones perhaps burst out laughing; Hermione going pink. A blonde next to Susan; Hannah probably; laughed too. "Oh Barbara got you good" said Susan.

"Thanks Sue" said Hermione, blushing. 'It was Susan Bones.'

"And Susan, obviously, because she's… famous" said Barbara. Susan went red and Hermione laughed "Oh… she got you" laughed Hermione.

"Where are you from Barbara?" asked Susan

"Hull" said Barbara. Susan nodded. Hermione looked confused. "Another school Hermione" said Susan kindly.

After an hour of standing around, the famous had some people donating.

"A kissing booth would have made more money" said Barbara "Sickle a kiss; Potter and Longbottom."

Hannah Something looked a bit put out "Nev's mine" she said.

"It'd be for a good cause" said Hermione, giggling.

"And if your Auror was in the booth" asked Hannah sharply. Hermione stopped giggling. "I see what you mean" she said. "Just Harry" she snorted "He'd die of embarrassment"

Hannah and Susan shook their heads "He's a mess" said Susan softly.

"It's a pity there's not a lost and found office at old schools like Hogwarts" said Barbara "There'd be lots of wands" she mused.

Hermione walked over and hissed in Harry's ear. He looked over at Barbara, then back at Hermione and he cast some sort of privacy spell; they conversed and Harry ended up nodding.

Two hours later, everyone was cold and hungry and the group started to disperse.

"Barbara, we're getting together at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow afternoon for a planning session; you had lots of ideas; drop by at three?" asked Hermione nervously.

"Sure" said Barbara. 'This is like having friends and doing good at the same time.' she thought.

-==0==-

Barbara went by floo to the Three Broomsticks.

She found Susan, Hermione and Hannah sitting with Neville Longbottom, Hermione writing in a funny looking paper book.

A young man flooed in and made a beeline for the group.

"Toby Sunderland" said the man; Brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin and white teeth.

"How did you know about this meeting?" asked Hermione.

"Harry told me last night" said Toby.

"You know Harry?" asked Hermione doubtfully.

"Not exactly, I was at the pub and Harry was drinking" said Toby.

"Oh no" said Hermione "I need to go check on him"

"Eh, he left with this redhead" said Toby awkwardly. Hermione looked at Susan who shook her head "Not his redhead" said Susan.

Barbara could swear Susan muttered "more's the pity."

"Which pub?" asked Hermione
"The archers arms" said Toby. Hermione blanked.

"It's a muggle pub" said Toby. Susan snorted "Oh my Harry's gone Muggle hunting."

Hermione blushed.

"Harry said what 'wands for the wandless' was all about and I sort of brought some donations" said Toby.

Toby Sunderland flopped three pillowcases onto the table, two clanked.

"Toby… did you just rob your family vault" asked Susan.

"No" said Toby "My family vault is fine"

"And you're not a housebreaker?" asked Barbara.

"Not at all" said Toby. "These were all abandoned, my uncle let me into the lost things room"

"Your uncle" asked Hermione.

"Uncle Argus, he's the caretaker at Hogwarts" said Toby.

"Filch.. filch is your uncle" asked Susan.

"He's a bit… abrasive" admitted Toby "But he likes me, I send him toffee"

Barbara tried not to laugh at the idea of Filch, the grumpiest man alive having a nephew, let alone one that looked so… well yummy.

Toby shrugged "I got into the lost things room and got all the wands and money"

"Lost money" asked Susan "How much?"

"A sack full?" said Toby. "A lot of knuts"

"Wands" said Hermione, pointing to the sack clearly with wands in it. Toby nodded.

"The other one's Jewellery. Mostly lost single earrings" said Toby.

Hannah looked peeved "One of mine is probably in there" she said.

Toby opened the end of the sack and pointed his wand in "Accio Hannah's earring".

An earring hit the wand.

"How did you know Hannah's name" asked Susan.

"Well, you're all famous" said Toby "Except for, er the blonde lady"

"Barbara" said Hermione "Who has many great fundraising ideas"

"And some hilarious ones" said Susan.

"Barbara, are you related to the Lovegoods?" asked Hermione "Luna can be very funny like that too, and has similar hair"

"I'm not sure" said Barbara. "Perhaps"

Toby sat down and the sack of jewellery ; (except Hannah's earring "I lost it at the fall ball in in ninety-four" she said) was inspected "We can take it to a jeweller; they'll part it and give us galleons" said Hannah practically. "I can do it before work on Monday"

Hermione looked into the money pillowcase "A lot" she said "Though the wands is the best find. Who's got time to go to the tenements on Monday?"

Neville put his hand up "I'll go" he said. Murmurs of thanks all round. Even Toby; who clearly had work tomorrow.

"So ideas?" asked Hermione "Barbara, you suggested a charity gala with date auctions?"

"Yes" said Barbara "Potter and Longbottom and Granger?"

"Well If Harry's muggle-chasing he's safe at a ball" said Hermione. Toby snorted.

Barbara wanted to make a smart remark.

"Or kissing booths" said Barbara "A sickle a kiss?"

"As long as you do it too" said Hermione.

"I'm not famous" said Barbara.

"You're pretty though, that'll do" said Toby with a chuckle.

Barbara blushed.

"It'd take a hundred kisses to buy a wand" said Neville. "In an hour or so, we might get ten wands, Toby gave us … four score at least"

"Barbara, are you crushing on Toby" asked Hermione as Toby went off to the loo.

"He's cute" said Barbara. "And resourceful."

"And related to Filch" said Hannah, giggling.

Neville spoke up "What if we gave the wands and the ones we buy to people, and they owe wands for the wandless, one wand each?"

"It takes months to save for a wand on a normal wage" said Hannah. "Ministry jobs might pay a galleon a day, but most people only make a couple a week"

"There are a lot of unfilled Aurors jobs" said Hermione "That pays two a day, and Temporary Aurors don't need lots of NEWTs."

"It's a young persons job though" said Susan. "They'd not take trainees over thirty"

"Well, that's a lot of people with jobs though.." said Hermione. "And anyone placed there could easily pay back wands for the wandless in weeks."

"We give a wand to each family" said Barbara; "One person with a wand and they can support their family, keep them warm and light their… dwelling"

"The wandless mostly live in flop houses" said Hermione "Harry paid for one, so they're not on the streets anymore"

Everyone looked at Hermione. "Well, he inherited all the Black family wealth from Sirius" she explained.

As the meeting broke up that afternoon, Toby asked Barbara "Um, Barbara, would you um, have lunch with me?"

"I'm busy with work all week" said Barbara hastily, and bit her lower lip nervously "I could um, do dinner?"

"I work late" said Toby. "Saturday?"

"Here?" asked Barbara.

"Yeah" said Toby, smiling tentatively.

"What do you do, Toby?" asked Barbara.

"I'm um… I work for… Harry Potter" said Toby.

"You met him in the pub the other day" said Barbara.

"And he gave me a job… as his property guy" said Toby. "He's very busy."

Barbara nodded. "What did you do before that?"

"I was in shipping" said Toby "very long hours; what do you do?"

"I, um… have a junior job at the ministry" said Barbara. "Paperwork all day."

Toby smiled tentatively "Next Saturday?"

"Next Saturday" said Barbara.

Toby fled out the door.

Susan crossed her arms "Barbara, did you join Wands for the wandless just to pick up?" she asked, faintly smiling.

"I um, wanted to do some good" said Barbara. "And I need friends. My family moved back from the US after the war, and I don't know many people."

Susan smiled "Well even if you snaffled the first new cute guy, you're still very welcome."

Barbara blushed.

"He is nice" said Hermione.

"Oh Hermione, you've got Auror Weasley, leave some for the rest of us" said Susan.

Hermione blushed.

"So Hermione and Auror Weasley?" Barbara asked Susan.

"They live in the same house. Harry rents out rooms to them" said Susan, and she winked.

Barbara snorted. "I'm a well brought up witch, I live with my aunt and uncle."

Susan nodded "If you ever want your own room, I might be like Harry and rent a room. Some company would be nice."

"Oh, thanks for the offer, I'll keep it in mind" said Barbara.

Neville, who was leaning into Hannah by now smirked.

-==0==-

Angela Watermeadow sat down at her desk and looked at John Smith. "Why keep being Smith? Really everyone knows Harry Potter's a grumpy bastard now, and he has obvious reasons for it. Nobody will try anything" said Miss Watermeadow tactlessly.

"Thank you for that" said Smith sourly.

"Well you are" said Miss Watermeadow.

"I'll think about it" said Smith.

-==0==-

Angela Watermeadow sat down at her desk and looked at John Smith, who glared at her "I Think John Smith is going to partially retire" said Smith.

"Just meetings you can't get out of?" asked Miss Watermeadow.

"Get some paperwork done" said Smith sourly.

-==0==-

Harry stepped out of the fireplace at Grimmauld place, dressed as Smith. He went to the study and sat down, and checked his watch. Nine o'clock. The Azkaban ferry would be leaving in ten minutes, and take an hour and a half to get to the prison.

Harry Potter puzzled over the ledger for the Black family, taking notes of where properties were located.

Much later he looked at his watch; nearly ten o'clock.

He left via his bedroom, picking up a broom and goggles.

He apparated to the coast, looking out over the cold grey sea.

Harry Potter put on gloves and goggles and got onto a new Firebolt II, and flew out over the sea, speeding up. He passed fishing boats and eventually approached the dark island of Azkaban Prison; arriving just before the ferry, alighting at the docks, and gruffly informing the Auror who glared at him "I got sick of wasting an hour every day" said Harry.

"Smith not coming?"

"He's getting sick from coming here too often" said Harry "Old git can't cast a proper patronus."

The Auror nodded, and Harry left him holding Harry's broom "I'll be back with some prisoners in a few hours" he said.

"More than one?" asked the Guard.

"Two or three, trips take ages, I should do less trips, take more shopkeepers" said Harry, striding off.

The Auror shook his head "Poor bastard." he muttered.

-==0==-

Harry Potter cleared Ministry security in the morning early, and went to level one.

"Harry Potter!" exclaimed one of the Press relations officers.

"I'm busy Daniels, Smith's gone into semi-retirement, so I'm holding the fort" said Harry, going to the office for special services.

Daniels, a wizard with wavy black hair, stood next to Harry as he unlocked the office.

"So, ah, is it true about you and Watermeadow?" asked Daniels.

"Miss Watermeadow does the paperwork and I do the prisoner movements. That's all there is" said Harry.

Daniels deflated as Harry sat down at his desk and stated checking his well-loaded in-tray "I've got four from Azkaban to do today, so I need to get started" said Harry, over his glasses. Daniels smiled weakly and left. Potter was very intense, and everyone knew how upset he was about Miss Weasley.

Harry Potter left the Ministry at eight thirty, before Watermeadow had even arrived and flooed to Diagon alley, and then walked to Gringotts.

This early, there were no queues "I need some account statements" he said to the Goblin.

"Key please?" said the Goblin and Harry handed over a tiny golden key.

"Which vaults" asked the Goblin.

"Black vault, My personal vault and Potter vault" said Harry.

"How long a period for?"

"One year" said Harry.

"We will Owl them to you, unless you wish to wait" said the Goblin.

"Owl will be fine." said Harry.

"A fee of forty-five sickles will has been deducted from your account. Do you have any other business?"

"I wish to visit the Black vault" said Harry.

"Over there" pointed the goblin, to the dark archway.

Harry returned forty minutes later with a sack of wands.

He left Gringotts, apparated home, dropped off wands, picked up his broom and apparated to the coast.

He arrived at Azkaban looking very windswept, before the ferry.

The four prisoners were all ready in plenty of time to sit in the guardroom warming up before taking the ferry back to shore.

-==0==-

Harry got home at seven and went to the kitchen, where three envelopes from Gringotts awaited him.

His personal account was running down; he'd spent galleons and put none in. The Potter vault was static; unused, untouched; but with little money in it.

The Black vault had a few small deposits; ten galleons a month regularly, and a few irregular deposits. The vault was growing at two hundred and thirty-one galleons a year.

-==0==-

At nine am, Toby Sunderland apparated to an old house on a field in Somerset. It was dilapidated, but smoke came from a chimney.

Toby knocked on the door.

The door opened after a delay and an old, hunched witch looked at Toby. "Who are you?"

"I work for the Blacks" said Toby. "I'm the new Property manager. Toby, Toby Sunderland, you must be Mistress Praxis"

"I'm not payin" she said "The roof leaks, and the Blacks do nothing"

Toby drew a pale wand "Leaky roof? Show me."

Mistress Praxis hobbled past piles of mess, that Toby vanished, up the stairs, with wobbly banister; that Toby Reparo'd so hard it shook, then stood firmly, ending in a second floor bedroom, where the roof had clearly leaked. Toby pointed his wand.

"You'll need more than Reparo to fix that" croaked Mistress Praxis.

Toby nevertheless jabbed and twisted, and the roof creaked, and as the wand shook, the cracks in the wall narrowed, and the stains faded.

"My, you're a powerful one" said Madam Praxis "My sisters' daughter's daughter is about your age..."

"I'm seeing someone" said Toby. "I hope you feel more moved to pay your rent"

"It's been a long time" said Mistress Praxis.

"And you're eighty galleons behind" said Toby, scourgify'ing the floor.

"You wouldn't throw an old woman out of the only home she's know for fifty years?"

"If you don't clean up after yourself and pay the rent" said Toby. "I can get the Blacks another tenant, who pays her rent"

"You're a hard man, Toby Sunderland" said Mistress Praxis

"I have mended your roof and the banister. Please pay the rent. The goblins are horrible debt collectors" said Toby.

-==0==-

Toby apparated to the coast, used a finite to turn into Harry Potter and flew to Azkaban again on a racing broom.

He arrived after the Ferry, but had the three prisoners ready for the return ferry, an hour and a half later.

He stood on the small ship, watching the three prisoners, who sat in a heap, their pale faces staring at the sky.

-==0==-

Harry Potter was sitting at his desk arms crossed when Angela Watermeadow entered the office.

"Where's the next file?" he asked bluntly.

Angela pointed at the door and sat down at her desk

"We have a problem" said Angela.

Harry cast colloportus and the door squicked into the frame.

"Which is?"

"I can't find any more shopkeepers" she said.

"No more?"

"There might be some staff… but they're almost impossible to find" said Angela.

"How would we even do that?"

"The 1995 Census again, but we'd have to check individuals… all of them"

"There are how many?"

"About twenty-four thousand" said Angela.

"Shit" said Harry.

Angela nodded.

"The muggleborn registration committee" said Harry "They made a register, didn't they"

"I assume they did"

"Well, we just do their register, and anyone that's in the 1995 census as a shop-worker…" said Harry

"We check against the Azkaban prisoner records" said Angela.

"This is going to be a lot slower" said Harry. "I wanted to catch up with Toby"

"Toby?" asked Angela.

"My Property manager. The Black estates are... well, no maintenance and the tenants are a bit reluctant to pay rent"

"So no chance of the Black's fronting this office for a couple of temporary clerks?"

"The estate made two hundred galleons last year" said Harry.

Angela winced "Is this Toby any good?"

"I um… hired him at a pub" said Harry.

"You find all your staff at pubs then?" asked Angela.

"Toby's just back from Europe, he needed a job, and I needed someone to go fix things and encourage people to pay rent."

"Is he going to be..." asked Angela

"No he is not going to be committing violence" said Harry. "I'm a perfectly adequate boogeyman"

Angela stated writing a form "I'm requisitioning a copy of the muggleborn registration committees' register from archives" she said.

Harry duplicated the census, and his copy of the Azkaban inmates list.

"No more property transfer forms" said Harry thoughtfully.

Angela's form folded itself into a paper plane and flew off.

"We actually have to wait for that" said Angela "You could go see this Toby of yours"

"I should be at work" said Harry.

"You are only paid for nine to five" said Angela "You're here from what, eight till seven?"

"A lot of that's travel time" said Harry. "And I'm saving time flying to Azkaban now. I do get a little time out from nine to about ten thirty."

"Well, we're spinning our wands now" said Angela "I could do with a bit of shopping"

"You okay doing that on your own?" asked Harry.

"I'm fine" said Angela stiffly "It's a little nerve-wracking leaving Madam Malkins, that's all."

"I'll come along, we can call it a staff meeting" said Harry, writing a note.

"Oh Merlin, you're leaving a note; nobody will be able to read it, let me" said Angela, and wrote out "Office having staff meeting, back at 10:30am"

"You guess an hour and half for records?"

"Most out of office signs say ten thirty" said Angela "Regardless of when people come back"

Harry and Angela locked away their papers, and Angela picked up her bag, a large black shoulder bag.

"You haven't got a space-expanded bag like Hermione?" asked Harry.

"Angela Watermeadow is a poor but practical witch" said Angela "And it is space expanded; I can get practically anything in this, it has a wide mouth.

Harry got up from his desk "I miss being Smith" said Harry "I could just be angry"

"You can anyway." said Angela "Everyone knows your tragic story now"

Harry exhaled through his nose and they left the office. Harry looked ready to murder anyone that stopped him and Watermeadow always did look like she just wanted you to go away.

-==0==-

Angela Watermeadow did become noticeably nervous in Diagon Alley, Harry took out a brown wand and followed behind her, turning every few yards.

She had to brave Madam Malkins, but Harry left first, and stood against the opposite shop, wand drawn. Angela left the store white-lipped, with no sign of any parcels in her bag.

An hour later, Angela having visited Gringotts, where Harry took a vault trip; they returned to the ministry

"Thank you" said Angela, sighing as they cleared the security checkpoint.

"You've saved me weeks of work, and your idea of doing three or four on one trip has cleared out who we could faster" said Harry.

"So now it's harder" said Angela as they took the lift to level one.

"Nothings perfect" said Harry.

When Harry sat down at his desk as short note read 'See me P Weasley'.

Harry drew his wand and cast "Expecto Patronum." A huge silver stag burst from his wand and stood next to the desk. Harry twisted his wand and spoke "Percy Weasley" then twisted the wand through an awkward figure, and spoke again "I'm back, is it urgent?"

The Stag turned and bolted though the wall.

Angela Watermeadow gaped "What's that!" she asked.

"The Patronus charm. Mostly it repels Dementors and lethifolds, but it also acts like a verbal post owl" said Harry. "We used it a lot in the war"

Percy Weasley came into the office a few minutes later "Harry, you could have sent a memo"

"You wanted to see me boss?"

"I was surprised not to see my two favourite workaholics in the office" said Percy.

"We finished the shopkeepers. Now just staff" said Harry.

"Which wasn't the intent of the legislation" said Percy.

"But is the letter of it" said Harry, with a crooked grin.

Percy smiled thinly "Keep up the good work, both of you" he said "Hermione's group, wands for the wandless are making a bit of a stir. They've handed out eighty wands to the wandless you put up in the flophouses in Knockturn Alley" said Percy.

"Oh, great" said Harry. "The can get real jobs now"

Percy shook his head "I'm glad she doesn't work for me" he said.

"She's chewing through the old cases" said Harry, with a smile.

-==0==-

A day later , Percy came into the Office for special services

"Harry" said Percy

"Yes sir?"

"Hermione's' wandless are applying for jobs as temporary Aurors" said Percy.

"With wands, I assume?" asked Harry.

"They're flooding DMLE with applications." said Percy.

"Well that's great, DMLE are really short of Aurors" said Harry.

"Did you know?" asked Percy.

"No sir" said Harry. "I um… get home, eat, fall asleep"

"Harry, try leaving at ...six" suggested Percy.

Miss Watermeadow spoke up "Shouldn't Director Potter leave at five, or even four if he gets in at eight?" she asked.

Percy looked at Angela "I thought you two were real workaholics" he asked.

"He does work too many hours" said Angela.

"And you don't" asked Percy.

"I work eight hours and go home to my aunt's house" said Angela.

"And eat lunch at your desk" observed Percy "It takes one to spot one"

"We're saving people" said Angela.

Percy turned to Harry "If you didn't need her, I'd try to steal Miss Watermeadow. Sonia is a good clerk, but Miss Watermeadow is exemplary;" Percy turned "Miss Watermeadow, do you speak any foreign languages?"

"Some French and German, and enough Italian to get hotels and meals" she replied blandly.

"Oh… " said Percy "If international cooperation found out they'd steal you overnight"

"Miss Watermeadow, if you are abducted by another office, send me a memo" said Harry.

"Yes Sir" she said, deadpan.

Percy left.

"You speak four languages?" asked Harry.

"Doesn't everyone?" she asked.

"I can read Latin and Greek, for obvious reasons but that's my limit" said Harry "I made sure the assistant's position required runes and arithmancy in case the office needs it, I know neither"

"You took divination, didn't you?" asked Angela.

"A load of crap" sighed Harry. "Care was good, I do know my magical creatures"

"And that must be sooo helpful here in the office" said Angela.

"Well, back to the register" said Harry pointedly, and they both went back to slowly looking though the muggleborn register and cross-checking the Azkaban inmate records.

Time passed.

Harry made Angela have lunch in the cafeteria; she brought her box of homemade cooking; it looked pretty elaborate to Harry, who drank tea and ate a sandwich.

"My Aunt's house elves cook it" said Angela slightly louder than was really necessary.

"Can you cook?" asked Harry.

"Good grief no" said Angela "That's what elves are for" Harry shook his head.

"So you do all the cooking?" Angela asked.

"Erm, no, my house elf does. I'm too tired, and we all get home at different times."

"You should leave at five" said Angela "Get some rest"

Harry waved his wand in an upward circle "Privacy charm" he said "Are you having any… issues"? The table quietened down.

"I'm perfectly healthy, thank you, and feel no urge to go beyond the veil. I'm going on a date this weekend" said Angela. Harry smiled "That's good" he said "I worry some times"

"Since I got the ring, I've been fine" said Angela. "Charm off?"

Harry flicked his wand and the room noise swelled.

-==0==-

"I told you Potter and Watermeadow had a thing" said Melody to Cheryl. Cheryl nodded "Privacy charm, ring… Dennis from security says they went out before lunch yesterday and my cousin Susanne saw them shopping in the Alley.

-==0==-

By five pm, they had a list of seven people and Harry spoke up "I'll get them tomorrow"

"I could help" said Angela.

"You need to know the Patronus charm in case the Dementors cause problems" said Harry. "I'll bring in a book on it"

"My tutors did cover it" said Angela.

"Well, cast it" said Harry.

"I only get a cloud" said Angela.

"Cast it, and I'll have you doing it properly in time for tea" said Harry.

Angela stood, drew her and and precisely, but nervously cast "Expecto Patronum". A silvery mist shot out of her wand.

"You're using the wrong sort of memory" said Harry "Find one that fill you with a feeling of love, of being loved"

"That's not how my tutor did it" said Angela.

"I had fifth years casting this properly" said Harry "A memory of love, of protective love."

Angela thought and recast the spell "Expecto Patronum" she said. A silvery mist shot from her wand and formed a blobby indistinct shape.

"See" said Harry. "More concentration on the feeling; let the love surround you"

"Would when mother embraced me when you lot brought me home be a good memory?" asked Angela.

"Probably" said Harry.

Angela recast the spell with a slight nervous "Expecto Patronum". A silvery mist shot from her wand and a silvery thestral appeared.

"What the hell is that" she asked, as the thestral paced backwards and forwards.

"A thestral" said Harry. "They tow the carriages at Hogwarts, and you can only see them if you've seen and understood death."

"If I went back there I'd see them now, wouldn't I?" asked Angela.

"You were at the battle, you'd see them now" said Harry.

"It looks creepy" she said, and the thestral faded away.

"You have to accept your Patronus. You can move it with your wand, and with some extra twists, use it to send messages."

"An owl is easier. I feel quite…"

"It is quite draining" admitted Harry.

"Why is mine a creepy horse?" asked Angela.

"It's a magical creature you can only see if you've seen death. They are quiet and shy, they eat meat not grass; mostly ferrets and rabbits. They have wings too"

"They fly?" asked Angela.

"They fly faster than the books say they do" said Harry "We rode them from Hogwarts to London in under an hour"

"But why is it mine? I like nice animals, not creepy carnivorous ones."

"It's the animal of the Peverell family" said Harry "Who made the stone"

"So they didn't get given them by death" said Angela sarcastically.

"My ancestor's father, If I guess correctly, made three items and gave one to each son." said Harry.

"So why the story about death?" asked Angela.

"Necromancy" said Harry "I think that's what my how many great-grand-grandfather was. A really brilliant Necromancer and inventor"

"Not very… occult" said Angela.

"Says the woman I brought back from the dead with the stone" said Harry very rudely.

"Why does it only work for you?" she asked.

"Because I have, had, all three. I'm in charge now. The wand probably doesn't even work for others"

"What wand" she asked.

Harry drew a white wand ornamented with carved berries "This one" he said, and lazily flicked it.

The whole room was tidied instantly.

"That's... a powerful charm" said Angela.

"Expecto Patronum" intoned Harry and a silvery stag burst from Harry's wand, and stood ,steaming silver mist, breathing heavily, exhaling silver smoke.

"Easy boy" said Harry, and the stag turned and sniffed Harry's hand. It snorted a cloud of silver smoke.

"Good Prongs" said Harry and the stag turned and trotted over and sniffed Angela.

"It's practically solid" she exclaimed. Prongs stood between Harry and Angela.

"I've never used this wand for a Patronus. It makes the impossible merely very difficult" said Harry.

"That's why you used it to fix the ring" said Angela.

"Yes" said Harry "That ring was permanently destroyed. It fixes broken wands too"

"Broken wands?" asked Angela.

"My normal wand, it got snapped in ninety-seven, while I was on the run. I used this one to fix it" said Harry.

"Why not just use this wand" asked Angela.

"Because this is the elder wand, the death stick" said Harry "It is cursed to cause the death of it's owner"

"You don't seem afraid?" asked Angela.

"It's mine, the curse is mostly people killing the owner to get hold of it. Nobody except you knows, and you owe me your silence" said Harry.

"Not ominous at all when you say that" said Angela.

Harry shrugged "And it's a family heirloom too"

"So people looking for the hallows..."

"Are just burglars trying to take my family's artefacts" said Harry.

"You're awfully confident for a halfblood raised by muggles" said Angela.

"I killed you-know-who. He was older and had done such evil things… and I beat him" said Harry. "Four times we fought, I killed him three times, escaped alive once. Of course, the last time I killed him, was permanent" said Harry.

"Are you worried I might be the next Dark Lady?" asked Angela.

"You're a well brought up witch, and I can take you with one hand tied behind by back, and know your single terrible weakness"

"The ring" said Angela.

"The ring" acknowledged Harry "My children will have to be told, in time, I suppose"

"Your children?" asked Angela.

"Well you won't die any time soon" said Harry "Though, don't test that, if I'm wrong you end up probably deader than the stone can fix"

Angela blinked "You're quite calculating for a such a reckless Griffindor."

"Who the hat wanted to put in Slytherin" said Harry "We're going to Azkaban tomorrow, so wear really warm clothes."

"You really are the next Alistair Moody, aren't you?" asked Angela.

"No" said Harry "He was good paranoid old Auror. I killed my first evil wizard when I was eleven. I've got all my limbs, both eyes, and I just save people. No fighting, not any more."

"But you'd fight if you had to" said Angela.

"No" said Harry "I'd kill my attacker and be done. I'm not interested in taking prisoners, or questioning or anything anymore. Threats become corpses. Simple, quick, done."

Angela looked at Harry "That's why you're not an Auror, isn't it?"

"Yup" said Harry "I have no time for that. I spent seven years at war, anyone starts something, I may even use the elder wand on them."

"What spell would you use?"

"Percutio." quick, fast, and not unforgivable. For more than one, bombarda maxima."

"One of yours bounced off the snake and killed a whole group of death eaters" observed Angela.

"Yes" said Harry "I used the wrong spell, I should have used the killing curse on the snake, but Neville got it for me, so that's okay"

"It's not unforgivable on an animal" said Angela.

"Or technically anything that's not a human; so tough on Goblins, Centaurs, mer-people, house elves" said Harry "That law needs reformed to not on sentient creatures, even though it would protect acromantulas"

"The giant spiders, ew" said Angela.

"They have no place being near the school" said Harry. "If I had a spare weekend, I could go… but Hagrid would be cross"

"The half-giant?"

"My first friend in the magical world" said Harry "He doesn't realise we're small and weak"

Angela crossed her arms "He doesn't realise?" she said.

"Yeah" said Harry "He just assumes everyone will swat naughty acromantulas, so he breeds Cerberus, the whole dangerous oaf thing Malfoy used to go on about. He finds acromantulas about as dangerous as krups. He wants to be human, to be ordinary so much, he can't see he's"

"Eight feet tall and can wrestle a troll" said Angela "Mother and Father remember him from when They were at school"

"Well he's a wizard, so he ages slowly, and he's part giant, and well, they live a very long time." said Harry.

Angela blinked "You're actually quite well read, and clever" she observed.

"About things that mattered to me" corrected Harry. "Remember, warm clothes. You'll want your woolly undies"

"My underwear selection is no business of yours" said Angela haughtily. For an instant she was clearly Daphne Greengrass, in glasses, with a hair colour charm on.

"The boat takes three hours each way, there's no real shelter on it, and the island is like an ice-cube." said Harry. "I fly it, so that's even colder , but only takes under an hour ; you won't have a Firebolt two, so it's take you longer."

"You fly there, over the ocean?" asked Angela, sounding horrified.

"It saves time" said Harry "And top speed is about four hundred miles and hour, it's quite a rush"

"Four hundred miles an hour. On a broom" said Angela "You're insane."

"Well I'm taking my insane self home" said Harry, and left.

-==0==-

"Harry" said Hermione as Harry took his cloak off "There's Potters on the Black family tapestry"

Harry turned "Not surprising. Um... my something aunt?"

Hermione took Harry upstairs and pointed "Dorea Black married Charlus Potter"

"He's my great uncle" said Harry.

"Your Great Aunt was a Black" said Hermione.

"And a Slytherin" said Harry "I worked this out last Christmas: the hats are colour coded. Silver for Slytherin… gold for Griffindor; see you can see a bit of Sirius's hat."

"you great uncle was a Slytherin too" said Hermione tightly.

"Well can you see anyone from Slytherin dating a Griffindor at school?" said Harry.

"Your secret love affair with poor Daphne Greengrass" said Hermione teasingly.

"Which was a setup to get to you" said Harry seriously. "And she was murdered, so it's not funny"

"So… the Blacks really were all Slytherins?" said Hermione.

"No, Sirius's mum just blasted them all till you can't see them. There's a few Ravenclaws; there's a few Ravenclaw banners in boxes in the attic."

"It's a pity it can't be repaired" said Hermione.

"I've got an idea, come back in a minute or two" said Harry.

Hermione looked very curious, her eyebrows forming a defensive vee on her forehead.

She left the room, Harry cast a quick privacy spell and drew the elder wand "Reparo" he cast, at Sirius's burnt patch; and it slowly returned to depicting Sirius's smiling face, and a golden hat. It took Harry more like ten minutes to fix the whole tapestry, and he put the elder wand away. As the last burnt patch was repaired, the tapestry shimmered with golden threads briefly visible.

Harry used his Holly wand to undo the privacy charm on the door and opened it, letting an impatient Hermione in. She stepped in,looked around and gasped "You fixed it"

"It's rather beautiful now" said Hermione. "Oh, there's Sirius; his hat is gold."

"There are two more Griffindor blacks too" said Harry. "The old bat was just trying to hide history."

"Is it... sparkling, sort of?" asked Hermione.

"I think it's got a tiny bit of magic all the time now" said Harry "Even the old fusty Blacks look better for it"

"Even Malfoy looks less…" said Hermione, lost for a word.

"Putrid?" said Harry unhelpfully.

"Bellatrix still looks mad" said Hermione stiffly.

"Well, she was" said Harry, wandering over to the corner, under Sirius and seeing the blue thread linking Harry Potter to Sirius Black. Harry's eyes watered. Dust, it was dust.

Hermione came over "Oh, here you are" she said.

"This is where my family will be" said Harry, eyes watering. It was the dust.

Hermione patted Harry on the back and left the room.

Harry strolled the room, taking in the family tree. Weasleys; Cedrilla Black. Must show Ron, Harry thought, seeing Cedrilla's nose looked a bit familiar.

He left the room, noxing the lamps. The tapestry glowed faintly silver in the darkness.

Harry spent the evening surreptitiously visiting the unused uninhabitable bedrooms and bathrooms and scourgiy'ing and reparo'ing with the elder wand. The rooms were left merely old-fashioned and decorated in too much black, and too many snakes. Impulsively, Harry colorvaria'ed a spare bedroom to soft cream. The effect was a bit much, like being stuck in a design store, but, Harry decided, better than black. The rooms nobody was using got a pale leaf green; it was soothing, and Harry locked his bedroom door and after a flick to tidy, make the ceiling white again, the upper walls cream and the woodwork a warm brown the reminded him of someone's eyes. Harry teared up. He missed her so. The bed got reparo-ed out of lumpiness, the carpet back to.. actually quite colourful embroidery, and the last few bits of bedding, to a dark red with faint gold. Griffindor, but not going to wake anyone up. Harry looked around. The elder wand was really, the greatest home renovation tool ever. The old riddle manor… Harry mused. It had been falling apart on the outside, but the inside had been merely abandoned. It would make a fun Saturday.

Harry stalled. Saturday lunch was Toby Sunderland and Barbara...Shunwood. Barbara with the snarky humour, and cute dimples. Being Toby was… freeing. Smith had been a disguise, to allow Harry to be his own Moody; Toby was… Toby was whoever he wanted to be.

Before lunch then. An early start.

-==0==-

Daphne Greengrass strolled into the Drawing room, still in her work robes

"Mother" she said to Sabrine. Sabrine smiled "Dear"

Daphne pulled her wand "Watch this" she said "Expecto Patronum" she intoned, and from the jet of silvery mist, a Silvery Thestral formed and sniffed the air, then stepped gracefully over and sniffed Sabrine.

"You can cast a corporeal Patronus now" said Sabrine "It's a little..."

"Side effect of you know what" said Daphne. The Thestral raised it's head and walked around the room. Daphne twisted her wand and the Thestral spread it's bat-like wings, trailing a fine silvery mist.

"Oh my" said Sabrine "I can feel.."

"Love" said Daphne "Love" she repeated.

"You clever girl" said Sabrine.

"My boss taught me the missing steps" said Daphne. "Apparently there are also some tricks to get it to talk"

"Talk?"

"You can use it to send messages" said Daphne. "Like a talking owl"

"Like using a dragon to light a birthday cake" said Sabrine.

"Mostly for showing off, though it was very useful in the war, apparently" said Daphne.

"And you'll learn that trick?"

"I certainly will" said Daphne. "Miss Watermeadow got fifteen NEWTs, people expect things of her"

"How many O's?" asked Sabrine

"Nine" said Daphne "Honestly, they should have made a more believable fake id"

"Isn't this charm beyond NEWT level?"

"Yes" said Daphne "And counts as Defence and charms"

"does your Miss Watermeadow have an O in Defence?"

"An Acceptable"
"So, hypothetically, if you retook defence and charms?"

"An O plus in both" said Daphne smugly.

"You Got an O in charms, you'd get an O, double plus." said Sabrine. "Your fake identity isn't actually much smarter than you"

"Speaking of which, I'm going on a date using a different fake identity on Saturday"

"Daphne, a Date" said Sabrine excitedly. "Who is it?"

"Toby Sunderland, he's back from the continent, and works as estate manger for Harry Potter"

"Not a rich man then?"

"He's cute" said Daphne. Sabrine chuckled "Oh dear, I'm so glad you're getting out. Be good, but not too good"

"Thank you mother" said Daphne. "I wonder if my Patronus can wake Astoria up"

"You'd use a beyond NEWT level charm to wake your sister, shame on you" said Sabrine levelly, and smiled. "Do show it to her first, otherwise she might get a fright."

"Yes mother" said Daphne, leaving to go get changed.

-==0==-

Potter and A.D Watermeadow stepped off the Azkaban ferry. Both were wearing heavy robes.

A group of four of Aurors, coming for shift change preceded them to the doors of the castle.

The wind blew spray sideways.

"You didn't exaggerate" said Watermeadow. "It's cold"

Watermeadow cast a Patronus; the glowing Thestral ran forward, spreading it's wings. The Dementors slid silently down the stone corridor; avoiding it; leaving the stones cold, but the corridor merely a stone tunnel. She held her wand out.

...

"That's AD Watermeadow, Potters offsider." said one guard "Smarter than Percy Weasley, and you saw that Patronus; a bloody thestral."

"Where does he find a girl Friday like that... she's pretty, smart and"

"Can probably smear us across the walls" said the other Auror.

"I heard he and her are a couple on the quiet like" said another Auror "Margery from records says Sonia from Ministers told her"

"And she's an assistant director" said the first Auror "We're all going to be polite and"

"Try not to get pulverised" said the second one.

"Yeah" said one "Potter…"

"He's not holding a grudge about The girl Weasley though"

"He's emptying the bloody prison"

"It's all legal"

"And he's emptying the prison"

"Shame he can't kill Dementors"

"Oh don't be bloody stupid He's not bloody Merlin reincarnated"

"His mate, Ron Weasley's a temp Auror. Old Sticky tried to haze him; the room of curses and he just laughed. Said he'd had worse and didn't care."

"I hear he's a good man in a fight"

"Well, he's been fighting for years; Potters lot fought Death eaters in ninety-five down in the DOM."

"Creepy"

"Come on, the poor bastards need a slop ration"

-==0==-

Saturday Morning , in the cool light Harry played a game he called Riddle Manor vs Reparo.

With the Elder wand, Riddle Manor's missing tiles jumped back out of the tangled lawn, cracked windows reformed and the worst damage to the wall from years of neglect faded away.

Harry apparated to the shrieking shack and ensured his clothes looked sufficiently like Toby Sunderland. He apparated again to outside the Three broomsticks, where he was going to meet Barbara Shunwood, lunch with Toby Sunderland. At the Three Broomsticks.

Harry's / Toby's hands sweated.

He sat, nervously in a booth.

Barbara arrived by floo a little after twelve.

They talked about the weather, favourite foods, as they ate battered cod, and drank warmed butterbeer and made goo goo eyes at one another. It was… fun.

"Next Saturday?" asked Barbara.

"Of course" said Toby.

Barbara kissed him goodbye. On the cheek, but still. Blimey.

Harry apparated home, arriving on his doorstep as Toby, cancelling the glamours with a quick finite, and going inside.

Harry passed the Drawing room where Hermione was reading something thick.

"Hello Harry" said Hermione.

Harry stopped at the doorway and leaned in "Hi Hermione" he said.

"You look happy" said Hermione.

"I had a good morning" said Harry.

"Doing what exactly?" asked Hermione.

"House repairs" said Harry, then smiled.

"Harry, are you still going muggle-chasing on Friday nights?" asked Hermione.

"Who said that" said Harry, pretending to be defensive.

"Um, Toby, your property manager" said Hermione. "Really Harry, you should look for a respectful relationship"

"I'm perfectly Happy with the relationships I have" said Harry completely honestly, unable to stifle a smile.

"Are you… seeing some muggle girl?" asked Hermione. "It's terribly unfair on them"

"Hermione, don't worry about me" said Harry "Nothing bad is going to happen" he said and walked off whistling off-key.

-==0==-

The week is a blur to Harry; Harry as Toby visits properties in the mornings, Watermeadow is her usual efficient self, Harry escorts another dozen people out of Azkaban. Harry is reluctant to make Watermeadow go along; she doesn't deserve it, after all that's happened.

On Friday night Watermeadow looks to Harry and says "Have a good weekend sir" very politely.

"You too Watermeadow, you too" says Harry, feeling like that's satisfied social protocol, and he waits the ten minutes to lock up last. Watermeadow almost skips on the way to the lift. Even revenants like Fridays, he thinks.

Friday night, Harry dresses up a bit and is almost ready to leave to go "clubbing" when Ron stops him.

"Um, Harry?" he asks.

"Yeah Ron?"

"Can you, um, come with Hermione and I on Sunday. We're going to see her parents, they're back in England, back at their old house." asked Ron.

"Isn't that more a you and Hermione thing?" asked Harry.

"Harry, please" asked Ron, and for a moment, Ron's eyes are suddenly sad.

"Sure Ron." said Harry.

"Are you going out muggle clubbing?" asks Ron.

"Yeah" lies Harry.

"Harry, um… be careful" says Ron.

"I'm not bringing one home" said Harry lightly.

"You never do, do you" said Ron slightly judgmentally.

"Muggles have houses" said Harry "They live in them/"

"Harry, you're my mate and all, but… it's a bit… off" said Ron.

"I don't use magic on them" said Harry honestly.

"Yeah, well... I hope you're happy" said Ron.

Harry stepped onto the front steps, having been gently criticised by his best friend for going muggle clubbing. Not that he really was, Harry buttoned his coat; and apparated to the Riddle Manor.

The old house was looking a bit better, and Harry used his key to go inside, locked the door behind himself and after casting a couple of muggle-repelling charms, settled into an evening of casting scourgify and Reparo.

After four hours, he had to admit, Tom's father's family had had quite good taste.

He was feeling a bit cold, cast a warming charm and continued casting till about twelve.

Harry apparated to an alley near a muggle pub withing walking distance of Grimmauld place and went in and ordered a couple of shots of whisky. It burnt, and tasted awful, but Harry ordered the last couple of small pies from the pie warmer on the bar and ate them, then drank two more shots, and wandered around the pub; the back room had a small dance floor where quite drunk muggles danced to modern music. Harry watched for a bit, and was surprised when a woman voice said near him "Hey, green-eyes, fancy a dance?" asked the woman, not as young as Harry, wearing an short shirt and sleeveless top. She looked a bit drunk. Her hair was purple.

"I, um don't know how to dance" said Harry

"Well, I'm Gail, and you come over and look handsome, and I'll boogie" said Gail.

Harry's mouth involuntarily twitched and he got dragged out for a dance with Gail, who danced worse than Harry.

Gail leaned in and stared at Harry's face "You're not into this are you?" she asked, rocking side to side on her heels.

"I'm seeing someone" said Harry, and he couldn't help smiling.

"Lucky girl" said Gail, and she leaned over and kissed Harry messily on one cheek "You going home to her?"

"No" said Harry.

"How about poor old me?" asked Gail.

"I think my housemates are going to give me a hard time as it is" said Harry, sighing.

"Well see you green eyes" said Gail, pecking Harry on the other cheek.

Harry left and walked partway home, apparating once he got into quieter streets.

He opened the door and got inside, finding the lights on.

He peered into the drawing room and found Hermione asleep on the couch.

Harry turned off some of the lamps and went to bed.

Harry got up, ate a hot breakfast and then got dressed in a Toby-appropriate manner, under an anonymous coat.

He spent anxious hours cleaning and repairing the outside of Riddle Manor; it was starting to look less like it might fall down tomorrow. Was Barbara going to show up? Would that kiss be repeated.

He finished a bit before noon and apparated straight to Hogsmeade.

The three Broomsticks was mostly filled with chattering Hogwarts students, who looked at the grownup and slid away, like minnows from a pike.

Barbara was a little late and sat down at the same booth they'd been in last week.

"Have you been waiting long?" she asked.

"Not really" said Toby "I was surprised I got a booth, I had to do estate management stuff this morning" admitted Toby "Daylight helps for some jobs"

Barbara smiled and visibly relaxed "I hope nobody was beastly" she said.

Toby chuckled "Nobody in the house I was working on".

Barbara frowned "What?" she asked.

"Harry inherited a small manor from a relative and it's hasn't had any maintenance for fifty years" said Toby.

"Sounds like a wreck" said Barbara.

Toby shook his head "Looked like it was ready to fall over, but it's not even leaking much. Fish and chips?"

"And hot butterbeer" said Barbara.

Toby got up and walked to the bar through the crowd of students and ordered. Barbara eyed Toby's retreating form. A good looking man. Not huge but… confident in himself. With a yummy tan and brilliant teeth. And those lips.

Barbara looked earnestly at Toby as he returned from ordering.

"So this small manor isn't a disaster?" she asked.

"It's weather-tight, or nearly so now" said Toby "And most of the furniture is intact. Quite tasteful stuff. All muggle of course."

"Muggle?"

"Muggle relations" said Toby "An old halfblood cousin apparently"

"So not Blacks then" asked Barbara.

Toby laughed, this teeth flashing. Barbara leaned forwards "Toby… are you getting paid properly?"

"Harry's giving me more than I expected" said Toby. "And the work is quite varied."

"Tell me more" said Barbara, blinking comically.

"Well, old widow Praxis… she's been renting from the Blacks for a long time. Hadn't had any maintenance at all, and had let rubbish pile up."

"So what did you do?" asked Barbara.

"Cleaned up the place, fixed the roof and banister" said Toby.

A tray with two warm butterbeers was dropped off by Madam Rosmerta who gave Barbara a wink.

Barbara took a sip and Toby continued "And then I suggested that she pay the back rent"

"She was in arrears?" said Barbara, sounding a bit disgusted.

"Eighty galleons" said Toby "I see her point, the landlord wasn't fixing her house, so she stopped paying."

"Oh, Toby" said Barbara "You big softie."

"Well, Harry had told me we'll use the goblins for debt collection if tenants won't pay" said Toby.

"The Goblins" said Barbara levelley, taking a larger sip of Butterbeer "That's… very harsh of Harry Potter"

"It's that or not pay me" said Toby "I told Madam Praxis and I think she's paying."

"Potter's that hard up for money?" asked Barbara.

Toby shook his head "Sorry Barbara, can't discuss that. I can say the repairs budget is … more than I get paid, and Madam Praxis was the tenant with the smallest debt."

"How big does it get?" asked Barbara.

Toby leaned over "One of the tenants hasn't paid since the nineteen eighties" he whispered. "You can imagine, that's an awful lot"

"That must be thousands" whispered Barbara.

"Hence the goblins" said Toby.

"Gosh" said Barbara.

"So how was your week?" asked Toby.

"Well I'm seconded to a different department and all the paperwork's a bit unfamiliar" said Barbara.

"That sounds hard" said Toby.

"Well, funny you should say that, because who did I see in the office, but Hermione Granger; one of heroes of the war."

"Is she really as dangerous as people say?" asked Toby. "I mean, she's a war hero and everything"

"She's actually quite nice" said Barbara. "We're not working in the same office, but she's a few doors down in DMLE prosecutions, and she's showing the new girl there, Watermeadow around."

"The one that the paper claims is Harry's secret mistress?" asked Toby. "I can't believe they write that, I keep meeting him Fridays at the pub and well… he takes a different Muggle girl off each night."

"Really" said Barbara "That rumour is true?"

"Women dripping off him" said Toby.

"I've seen him at the ministry… he doesn't seem the type to have women hanging off him" said Barbara, her hand lying on the table next to her mug. Toby's hand reached for his mug and their fingers touched. Toby smiled his dazzling smile at Barbara and her hand stroked his briefly. Toby blinked.

Barbara sighed "Wands for the wandless seems to be making waves" she said changing the subject.

"Harry said his boss, Weasel is quite agitated" said Toby.

"It's Weasley, Junior Undersecretary Weasley" said Barbara "One of those Weaselys. From the war."

"Oh like Auror Weasley" said Toby "I've heard of him."

"I believe Auror Weasley and Hermione Granger are an item" said Barbara.

A tray with two plates of fish and chips was deposited and conversation stopped for a bit.

Both people ate for a bit. The students were noisy in the background.

Barbara blotted her lips and looked up at Toby's oily lips. They looked good enough to eat.

Barbara took a sip of Butterbeer and said "Toby… where do you live?"

"Uh" said Toby "A place in um… Knockturn. It's cheap."

"Oh good grief, you could be murdered in your bed" said Barbara, looking upset.

"I'm ah… angling to get a room in one of Harry's buildings." said Toby. "Easy for me, and Harry won't have to pay me to pay rent."

"Has he anything suitable" she asked.

"He's got a couple of buildings that could do, and a flat over a shop in Diagon Alley"

"A flat over a shop in Diagon Alley… that's wonderful. You'd be so much safer" said Barbara.

Toby blushed a bit.

"Where are your family ?" asked Barbara.

"Still in Belgium" said Toby. "You came back recently too?"

"I'm at my Aunt's, my parents are staying with grandmother. She's a bit… set in her ways. Auntie's a bit more tolerant."

"Of lunch dates on Saturday?" asked Toby.

"Of dates at all" said Barbara "She's quite pleased to see me getting out and about"

"Well you are very busy with work" said Toby.

"Wands for the wandless are serious about wanting to raise more money. Warn Harry Potter, his friend Granger's serious about the charity gala with a date auction" said Barbara.

"Who thought of that?" asked Toby.

"Um… I did" admitted Barbara "I thought, it's a fundraising thing, dinner at the gala with the heroes of the war, should be worth hundreds of Galleons."

"You really think someone would pay a hundred Galleons for a dinner with Harry Potter?" asked Toby "He's not very… cheerful."

"He's a sad man" said Barbara "The whole world knows about his tragic love-life."

"Well he seems to have found solace on the weekends" said Toby.

"Going muggling" said Barbara "Still, if it makes him happy."

"Lets talk about something nicer" said Toby.

"Well, tell me about your hobbies?" asked Barbara.

"I used to draw" said Toby. "Before you ask I was horrible at it. I used to make up stories, and no, I haven't got any from before I went to school. I actually really enjoy fixing things."

"Fixing things?"

"Reparo versus anything" said Toby "One of the best things about my job. That and vanishing rubbish"

"Are you good at both?" asked Barbara.

Toby nodded "You have no idea" he said "And colour-changing old rooms."

"Really?"

"Well, one of Harry's houses, all the rooms are black" said Toby enthusiastically.

"Black?"

"Black walls, stained ceilings, black floors" said Toby. "All the varnish has gone bad"

"Oh" said Barbara. Toby's eyes gleamed "So… colour changing."

"A whole room"

"One bit at a time" said Toby "All cream is a bit much"

"All cream?" said Barbara "A room needs some colours"

"And that's what I did next" said Toby.

Hours passed.

"I uh, really enjoyed this" said Toby. "And I like your ideas for colouring rooms"

"Will Potter let you do it?" asked Barbara.

"He doesn't really care" said Toby "He's more concerned that the tenants have a house that doesn't leak, and has no faults. Well, and then, them paying."

"So only the vacant ones are getting the Toby makeover?" asked Barbara.

"I'm vanishing all the rubbish I find at the occupied houses, but Harry says to let the tenants do their own thing" said Toby.

Barbara got up and so did Toby. Barbara gave Toby a hug, kissed his cheek and left out the front door. Toby stood there, holding his cheek, looking a bit stunned and then left. Madam Rosmerta cleared their table and shook her head. "Young love" she said. The bartender, an old witch with a waistcoat on, pointed at the students in booths "What's that then?"

"Just kids.. those two… they've got something growing" said Madam Rosmerta.

"A hug and kiss on the cheek" said the bartender

"That's their second date"

"You're counting"

"They're distinctive" said Madam Rosmerta. "And they ignored the room full of Hogwarts students, and ignored me standing next to them for ten minutes. He's Toby Sunderland, and he's Harry Potters property manager, mostly fixing buildings that aren't occupied, and she's Barbara somebody and works at the ministry."
"All that today?"

"They're a pair of specky lovebirds" said Madam Rosmerta "And she's been touching his hand. Remember doing that with a young man?"

The bartending witch smiled nostalgically, then poured four mugs of warm butterbeer and handed them over to a third year student.

"Bet a sickle they snog next date they have" said Madam Rosmerta, taking a tray of drinks off to the now crowded booth the young adults had occupied, now full of students.

-==0==-

Sunday morning Ron and Hermione sat at breakfast awkwardly.

"You got home late" said Ron.

"I was busy with Toby. Estate management" said Harry.

"And you were out late on Friday"

"Clubbing" said Harry.

"Your clothes stank of smoke and booze" said Hermione.

"Pubs are like that" said Harry.

Harry, Hermione and Ron apparate from the front doorstep to a suburban back yard.

It's spacious, but rather overgrown.

Hermione leads the way to the back door and she knocks. The door opens quite soon afterwards and Hermione's mother stands there "There you are" she says, "come in then."

...

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat awkwardly in the sitting room with Hermione's' parents.

"So, you dropped out of school after you used magic to make us forget you and move to Australia" said Hermione's' mother, in a tone eerily like angry Hermione.

"We had, uh, things we had to do. The war took priority" said Hermione.

"And now we all have ministry jobs" said Harry. "They pay all right and we're making a difference"

"Making a difference?" asked Hermione's' mother.

"Harry's been getting people falsely imprisoned out of the prison, and the camps, and getting them back to their houses and jobs" said Hermione.

"Ron's an Auror. That's kind of like special police for catching dark wizards."

"We're slowly rounding up the last of the other side from the war" said Ron.

Hermione nodded "And I'm working for um… Department of magical law enforcement prosecutions, going over the last two years of convictions and getting the convictions for crimes that don't exist anymore repealed, and people freed from prison." said Hermione "Harry's assistant is seconded to my section and she's a real help."

"Oh Watermeadow?" asked Harry.

"She's very hardworking" said Hermione generously.

"So you've all got real jobs" asked Hermione's' father.

"Pretty much" said Ron "I'm only signed on till we get things back to normal, then I'll go do something a bit less dangerous"

Hermione glared at Ron briefly.

"So Hermione, are you seeing anyone" asked her mother.

"Her and Ron" said Harry. "Since the war ended."

Ron went red in the face. "Um not exactly" Ron mumbled.

Hermione took a deep breath "I did date Ron for awhile but we're um…."

"Too different" said Ron "Work better as friends" he said, sounding bitter.

Hermione glared at Ron "You said you wouldn't make a fuss" she hissed.

"Okay" said Ron sulkily.

"We've missed quite a bit while we magically thought we were the Wilkins then?" asked Hermione's father.

"You two would have been the terrorist's first choice as hostages" said Ron "Stands to reason."

"Harry was undesirable number one for two years" said Hermione. "I was number two."

"My reward was lot bigger than yours" said Harry sarcastically.

"Shut up Harry" said Hermione bitterly.

"Why were you two so wanted?" asked Hermione's father.

"The leader of the terrorists thought I was the only person who could defeat him" said Harry. "Hermione was my known accomplice. Ron, that was really clever; we used a … stand-in who pretended to be Ron with a terrible infectious disease. Meant his family weren't suspected as early.

"They still burnt our house down" said Ron. "Took weeks to rebuild."

"If Hermione hadn't done it, you'd probably have been... well it would have been very bad, especially after they took over the government" said Harry.

"And why does Harry have such a strange job?" asked Mrs Granger.

"Well, he's really good at… getting things done" said Hermione. "And Dementors, the prison guards, you need to know a very difficult spell to repel them. Harry's really good at it."

"Repel the prison guards?" asked Hermiones mum/

"We use soul sucking monsters as prison guards" said Harry "I'm against it but… I can only save who I can save."

"Isn't that terribly dangerous for the prisoners, and inhumane?" asked Mr Granger angrily.

"Ron's sister died because of the guards" said Hermione. "She was in prison for a month or two… just um… she found out who tried to put Harry in prison for life and well, they were boyfriend and girlfriend, so , well, she used a curse on the murderer" said Hermione, trailing off as Harry and Ron were glaring at her.

Harry had hunched over and his fists were white.

Ron was biting his lip, trying not to cry.

"That can't be legal" said Mrs Granger. "There's the Geneva convention and things..." she said.

"Don't apply" said Harry "We split off our government in sixteen eighty-four. And well, most people don't die from two months in minimum exposure. Ginny… Ginny had a horrible thing happen to her in ninety-two, and it had a relapse from the Dementors." Harry sniffed.

"So you save people from that place" said Mr Granger.

"It's an inhumane hellhole" said Harry bluntly.

Mrs Granger got up and walked over to Harry "Stand up Harry" she said.

Mrs Granger hugs Harry "Poor you" she says. It's a hug, from his best friends mum, and it's awkward, but she means well, Harry supposes.

"So what happened … there was murder?" asked Mr Granger.

"It's too complicated" said Hermione. "We'd be here all day explaining."

"Good" said Mrs Granger. "Start talking."

Hermione explained, glossing over exactly why Marietta Edgecombe was so against Hermione.

"Where's this person now?" asked Mrs Granger.

"Prison, maximum security" said Harry.

"And the people whose daughter died?" asked Mrs Granger "What justice did they get?"

"The person who did it won't do it again and is unhappy all day every day" said Harry. "And they got some compensation. About three years pay."

"Because you paid them, you git" said Ron.

"I could hardly just say 'Sorry, your eldest daughter's dead… have a biscuit' could I" said Harry.

Ron shot Harry a guarded look. Harry shook his head.

"Harry…. Is it prudent to go handing over a three years pay like that?" asked Mr Granger.

"No it isn't" said Hermione. "Is it Harry?"

"Can everyone get off my case" said Harry. "I'm rich, I can afford to compensate people for problems we started in the first place."

"You have to make sure your expenditures are less than your income" said Mr Granger.

"I know that, you're as bad as..." said Harry, then shut up.

"Harry hired a property manager for his tenancies and Toby's doing a lot of work making the houses right, and getting the tenants to pay their rent" said Hermione. "Toby's just back from Europe, he comes to our wands for the wandless meetings."

Hermione went on a bit of a wands for the wandless spiel at this point.

"So… the government took the wands of people like um, Hermione" said Mrs Granger.

"No, they took wands off people like me, halfbloods" said Harry "Muggleborns went to the camps, and their parents were murdered."

"You make it sound like world war two just ended" said Mr Granger.

"A lot like it daddy" said Hermione. "But just for magical people, and just in the UK."

"So Hermione, do you fancy this Toby fellow that works for Harry?" asked Mrs Granger lightly.

Hermione snorted "Toby had been at a meeting ten minutes when Barbara Shunwood; her family just came back from America, she snagged Toby. Barbara's very funny in a dry way."

Harry tried very hard not to smile.

"So what part of the ministry does Harry work for?" asked Mr Granger "I know you're with DMLE prosecutions and Ron's an Auror."

"Harry works for the department of the minister, Office of special services" said Hermione "And they don't know just how terrible that name is."

"And mostly you get shopkeepers out of prison" asked Mr Granger.

"And anything else the minster wants done" said Harry "Though I report to junior undersecretary Weasley. That's Ron's brother Percy."

"Office of suspicious services" said Ron "Harry walks around wearing a DMLE badge; though he's not in it."

Harry shrugged "Makes things easier" he said.

"So you're a fixer?" said Mrs Granger "mostly imprisonments?"

"Mostly" said Harry "And the rest is all secrets"

-==0==-

Harry is sitting at his desk in the ministry, working on the lists when Miss Watermeadow speaks up

"I can help with the prisoner transfers, you know. I can cast a Patronus."

Harry refuses. Girls shouldn't go to Azkaban, even Watermeadow.

Weeks pass and Harry gets used to the routine of seven or ten hours of work, a bit of popping around England as Toby Sunderland, and Saturday lunch being Toby with Barbara.

Walking around Hogsmeade in the mud with Barbara, admiring all the different shades of brown.

Visiting the Shrieking Shack. Being Toby, and not knowing why it's the Shrieking shack, but being Toby and casting a few Reapro's on the building anyway. "It's my thing" Toby explains. Barbara chuckles.

Buying chocolates with Barbara. Hand-feeding Barbara fancy chocolates. Barbara looking at Toby in a way that made Harry's insides flutter like he's swallowed a snitch again.

Walking around with Barbara, ending up holding hands.

Spending lunchtime holding hands on Saturdays.

Wishing the bloody week would hurry up and get over so he could kiss Barbara after lunch again.

Toby had tried to get Barbara to go to dinner during the week but she was too busy. In all honesty, as Harry didn't finish work till seven, there was no way it could ever work anyway.

Harry got one of the apartments he owned in Diagon Alley, evicted the rats and fungus, and fixed it up. Toby had to live somewhere, after all. And Barbara was so worried about Toby's imaginary room in Knockturn Alley. That Toby's bedroom had a quite nice bed, with clean sheets and the tiny living room had a comfortable couch. Well, no point buying rubbish ones.

The business of being a landlord, of managing the investments was still beyond Harry.

He understood the bits where houses get repaired, and people are encouraged to pay up. More people were paying, but how much money was too much, was it a bad idea to spend money on buildings; the repair spell didn't do everything. (Thought with the Elder wand, Reparo did most things.)

Things would be better if Harry had more time, but people need saving.

-==0==-

The shopkeepers register is empty. All the names have been crossed off, one way or another.

"We're not saving anyone" grumbled Harry.

Angela looked at Harry "We have no mandate to pull ordinary citizens from Azkaban" she said.

"Hermione's still saving people working for DMLE prosecutions, going over old cases"

said Harry.

"I could do that" said Angela Watermeadow "I've nothing to do here"

Harry signed the memo Angela wrote and it flew off.

After lunch, a reply came.

With a signature from Percy, Angela Watermeadow was seconded to DMLE prosecutions until required at OSS.

Angela Watermeadow walked into DMLE prosecutions, holding a small wooden file-box.

"That's AD. Watermeadow from OSS" whispered Frank to Hermione.

"Harry has mentioned her, she is very efficient" said Hermione, tiredly.

"Attention everyone" said Pervis, head of Prosecutions, a pinstriped robe with a ball-shaped head attached.

"Ministers office have loaned us Miss Watermeadow late of OSS, she's been the one doing all the Shopkeepers act paperwork." said Pervis. Pervis pointed his wand and conjured a desk in the junior area, all the desks and occupants moving along a bit.

Miss Watermeadow sat at the newly conjured desk, unpacked a blotter, a memo pad and self-inking quill and simply said "A guide to operations would be helpful"

"Granger, you show Watermeadow how it works, she's a apparently quick study so you won't have to go slow like you do for us" said Pervis.

Hermione sighed, got up and pulled her chair over to Miss Watermeadows' desk, and summoned her paperwork.

"What we do, is get a case file from the period 1996 to 1997 from records, and check the charges; if it's clearly a criminal matter; assault, murder, we leave it be. If it's violating the muggle-born registration act, we pull the case and start filling in a P134-X" she said, pointing to various parchments as she spoke.

"Prisoner transfer" interrupted Miss Watermeadow "I'm familiar with them"

"Then we clip the case with a cover showing review under the muggleborn registration act and other matters repeal act, 1998, and give it to Denise over there, who organises the prosecution dockets. She gets it into a hearing calendar, the judge stamps it, and DMLE are authorised to action the P134-X"

"We didn't have to go via a judge for the shopkeepers act" said Miss Watermeadow critically.

"I asked about that, the repeal act as passed only allows judicial review." said Hermione.

"That is stupid" said AD Watermeadow. "My uncle is on the wizengamot, I'll see if he can get it amended to streamline this process a bit"

"Can't" said Hermione "I tried, the older … darker faction""

"Are blocking it" said Watermeadow perceptively.

AD Watermeadow thought for a bit. "Just stamping?" asked Miss Watermeadow.

"Yes" said Hermione.

"Well, how many do we submit at a time?" asked Miss Watermeadow.

"Denise?" Hermione called out "How many repeal act cases can we submit on a calendar?"

"Er, I've been putting ten in, I didn't want to annoy the judges" said Denise.

Watermeadow spoke , loudly and harshly "Innocent people are in Azkaban and you're worried about annoying the judges. They can stamp paperwork all day, and we can save more people."

Hermione blinked at Watermeadow "Thanks" she said. "I've been trying to change things" she said softly.

"Call me Angela" said Angela softly . "Denise, which judges are hearing these cases?" she said more loudly.

"Smith, Abbott and Selwyn" said Denise.

Angela raised her wand and jabbed "Expecto Patronum!" A silvery Thestral appeared, it's breath showers of silver smoke.

Several staff looked pale at the sight of a skeletal draconic horse you can only see if you've seen death.

Angela twisted her wand "Harry Potter" she said, then twisted her wand again "Boss, Judges Smith,Abbott and Selwyn need leaned on, DMLE is about to flood them with muggleborn repeal act paperwork". She jabbed the wand and the Thestral nodded it head , turned and flew off through the ceiling.

Hermione looked at Angela "Did you just get Harry to go lean on judges?"

"Director Potter is very motivated to get everyone innocent out of Azkaban" said Angela. "It's a hellhole."

"Oh, have you been" asked Hermione and an office full of ears turned.

"Yes, several times for prisoner transfers; Two Patronuses and warm cloaks and we could move five or six at a trip" said Angela.

"OSS does prisoner transfers?" asked Pervis, looking confused.

"OSS do whatever the minster wants done" said Angela, with some pride.

"The minsters private hit-squad" muttered someone.

Angela spoke up, to the room to no-one in particular "OSS have always been scrupulous to act within the law, though often outside the usual ministry lines of operation. We pass legitimate cases to DMLE, who have on occasion, questioned suspects and raised cases."

"That Edgecombe case" said someone, too loudly.

Hermione smiled "I think this is going to be Harry's best idea ever" she said.

Angela looked at Hermione and shook her head "Harry was just complaining" said Angela "It was my idea to come and help."

"Yours?" said Hermione, eyes bulging.

"Undersecretary Weasley approves of our mission, so he signed off on it" said Angela.

"Percy… Percy bends the rules?" said Hermione.

"Undersecretary Weasley oversees the OSS for the minister" said Angela. "He knows exactly what we're doing. Director Potter is very candid with the Undersecretary" she said in a dry, bureaucratic tone.

Hermione snorted slightly "Oh dear," she said "Your sense of humour is rather dry."

"Desiccated" said Angela. "Now, about getting some files… archives are so very slow."

Hermione tensed up "Don't even try to streamline getting records out of Archives" said Hermione. "A very angry old lady came up and made Mister Pervis cry." she continued.

"I've worked with them before" said Angela "They can't be rushed."

"Our requests make up forty percent of their daily accessions" said Hermione. "We do at least ten a day, as Doris said."
"Eighteen is our personal best" said Angela. "Three shopkeepers and all their staff."

"Oh" said Hermione "This must seem a bit rubbish" said Hermione glumly.

"We only got one another day" said Angela glumly "The owner we got, but all the staff had been… taken away."

"Ouch" said Hermione.

-==0==-

Barbara and Toby sat at their usual booth at the Three Broomsticks, quiet this week without Hogwarts students crowding the place out.

They ate lunch; battered cod and Harry stared at the woman who was helping him forget all the crap from before; the woman… he… he loved.

"Barbara" he said, watching, leaning on one elbow as she fastidiously tidied her face with a napkin

"Yes Toby?" said Barbara, looking at him in a way that made him feel so warm.

"I'm… um. Using a disguise charm" said Toby/Harry. "It's nothing bad, I just… after the war"

Barbara leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips "We both have some on" she said.

"How about we cancel the charms, count of three?" she said "I'll love you anyway."

Harry swallowed. She'd said it. "I love you" he said.

"I don't really look like this" said Barbara, waving a hand at herself.

"You're not old and fat" said Harry.

Barbara snorted "And if I had been?"

"I'd have ignored you. I'm pretty superficial that way" said Harry.

Barbara laughed. Harry listened; she had such a pretty voice. Somehow familiar.

"We should, on count of three" said Harry "which would be one, two,three, cast"

"No, one, two, three and cast" said Barbara.

Harry snorted "Aren't you a Picky one" he said jokingly.

"You have no idea" said Barbara grandly.

Harry drew his wand, "Yeah" he said, "Lets do this" he said softly.

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

"Finite" they both said, at the same time.

Barbara's dark hair lightened to a blonde, growing out light brown, her eyes a shiny blue.

Barbara's eyes widened in horror "Potter?" she said, going pale; instead of the pleasantly flushed she'd been moments earlier.

All Harry could think was that he'd just been snogging… the animated corpse. The revenant; the Unspeakables had called her; it. He could taste her on his tongue. He. His gorge rose. He'd been kissing an inferii, basically. For weeks and weeks; rot held at bay by necromancy.

Harry's pupils shrank to pinpricks and he heaved, turning and hunching, vomiting.

Kissing a dead body. He had to go, had to apparate away. Crack.

-==0==-

Harry apparated home to Grimmauld place, got inside the front door and called for Kreacher

"Kreacher, mouthwash, quickly!" he cried out.

Kreacher appeared, holding a bottle of mouthwash. Harry rinsed out his mouth, spitting onto the floor and swigging more.

"If master would not spit on the floor please" said Kreacher quietly.

"Fetch a basin and a purgative" said Harry, swilling more mouthwash, trying to get the sweet, warm taste out of his mouth; the taste that Harry knew was really that of an animated corpse.

Harry spat into the large basin Kreacher placed on the floor with a "pop".

He swigged some more and spat

"Purgative, Kreacher" Harry asked and took the small purple bottle, letting the mouthwash bottle fall towards the floor. Kreacher suspended it and popped off, the mouthwash bottle vanishing also.

Harry took a swig of purgative, knelt and merely moments later vomited into the bowl.

He wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt and headed for the bathroom.

Harry turned the shower as hot as it would go and scrubbed and scrubbed. His remaining stomach contents came up.

-==0==-

Astoria Greengrass dropped a ring with a large black stone on Harry's desk.

'Watermeadow' had not arrived at work. Harry suspected she'd quit.

"Here's your ring back" Astoria said bitterly.

"My sister says she can live without you in her life. I never thought you really were her secret lover." she said bitterly.

"I wasn't" said Harry.

"So you were just dating her, gave her a ring..." said Astoria sarcastically.

"I … didn't know it was her" said Harry.

"Oh, so she's alright as long as she's not my sister. You're as big a bigot as the people your lot complain about" said Astoria. "She hasn't stopped crying in days, you… you… cad."

Harry's brain stripped a gear. Daphne Greengrass was crying, without the ring.

"Was she still crying after she gave you the ring?" Harry asked.

"Of course she was, are you retarded?" said Astoria. "You are unwelcome at our home ever again, Mister Potter."

Harry stood up "Stop" he said.

Astoria Greengrass stopped, not having reached the door. She turned.

"What?"

Harry stabbed his wand at the door and is slurped into the door-frame.

"Daphne Greengrass was emotional without wearing this ring?" asked Harry.

"Are you the worlds greatest egotist?" asked Astoria.

"No" said Harry "But the ring is what brought her back to life. Without it she was…"

"Odd" said Astoria "She was odd for months after she came back; then she got this job and..."

Astoria stared "You hired her just to get into her knickers?"

"What? No" said Harry "The stone is … it … if she had it nearby, she wasn't a spirit who'd moved on, so she could feel, well feelings other than love and regret."

"So that wasn't an engagement ring?" asked Astoria.

"NO" said Harry.

"But you dumped my sister" said Astoria.

"The revenant" said Harry.

"The what?"

"A kind of undead; powered by revenge" said Harry "Your sister… is one, not a person."

Astoria laughed very bitterly at Harry. "You absolute, utter arsehole. Did you check?"

"Check?" asked Harry, stupidly.

"There's a spell to tell. Mum did it ages ago, Daphne was so relieved that she wasn't one, just had this soul-moved on thing going on, but that's cured."

Harry went pale. "Not a revenant?"

"My sister might be a swot, might have had some terrible awful affection for you; as 'TOBY', whoever that was, but she's not an undead. She's having a monthly as well; hardly very undead behaviour" said Astoria. "Now let me out"

"oh fuck" said Harry, and felt the room crushing him.

-==0==-

"What are you doing?" asked Astoria Greengrass, poking Harry, who was lying on the floor of his office, staring at the ceiling. "Apart from fainting like a big puffskein?"

"I've made a terrible mistake" said Harry.

"Yes, you have" said Astoria.

"I thought she was a revenant" said Harry.

"And that's why you used her ?" asked Astoria.

"I didn't know Barbara was Daphne" said Harry. "When I found out, I, um, sicked up."

"You are never ever making up for that" said Astoria simply.

"I don't have to" said Harry, standing up and pocketing the ring.

"If you try to visit, father will throw you out" said Astoria.

Harry looked at Astoria and tilted his head "I've killed Voldemort; your father can't break my shields. Besides, I've got an ally."

"Who?" asked Astoria.

"You" said Harry.

"I'm a messenger, not an ally; and you're just the man that locked me in here with you" said Astoria. "I was the second daughter, I could do what I wanted, now I'm the heiress and have to run the business"

"That's not my fault" said Harry, cancelling the coloportus "Your sister was murdered. I gave her a second life, I'm sorry that has inconvenienced you."
"You can't just barge in and say 'you owe me'" said Astoria.

"I rather think I can" said Harry "I already paid your Father two thousand galleons."

"That was the ministry paying compensation" said Astoria.

Harry shook his head "That was me being nice."

"Well, I'm going home" said Astoria.

"And I've got a wayward assistant to find" said Harry "Miss Angela Watermeadow is late for work."

"You can't do that" said Astoria as they walked to the lift, then the floo.

"Miss Watermeadow is your cousin, and she is a late for work, as her supervisor it is entirely appropriate for me to come and rouse her."

They flooed violently to Greengrass.

Astoria staggered getting out "What's wrong with the floo?" she asked.

"It hates me" said Harry offhandedly, and asked "Well, where's your cousin's room?"

"You can't do this!" said Astoria loudly.

Harry drew his pale wand and cast 'Expecto Patronum'.

Prongs materialised from silver mist, huffing clouds of silver smoke.

"Daphne's is cooler" said Astoria.

Harry twisted his wand a little and the Stag turned to face Harry.

"Daphne Greengrass" he intoned, and twisted the wand again "Miss Watermeadow you are late for work. I expect to see you by the fireplace post haste. And I apologise for my reaction, I thought you were a revenant, Thank you for telling me earlier that you weren't."

Prongs huffed, turned and raced off through the walls.

"That's not an apology" said Astoria. "You need to apologise."

"That was bait" said Harry, casting some charms.

"What are those?"

"Protections, for when she comes out firing" said Harry.

There was a loud yell of "POTTER!" from upstairs and someone pounded down the stairs.

Daphne Greengrass dashed into the hallway, her blonde-brown hair streaming, her eyes red and puffy, and her wand drawn. She started firing vicious looking spells that Harry deflected with flicks of his wand, then he cast a charm "es lateus."

Daphne stopped her attack. "A cheering charm You hit me with a crappy cheering charm" she said sarcastically.

"I will say, in my defence, that it … Ow!"

Daphne had fired a powerful stinging hex at Harry, and he was rubbing his arm.

"Damn, I was aiming for your bits" said Daphne.

"I'm sorry I sicked up, I thought you were a revenant" said Harry "I'd like to apologise."

"Apology not accepted" said Daphne imperiously.

Harry walked over, grabbed Daphne by the waist and hair and kissed her.

"Unhand me" she said "Or I'll hex you."

Harry let her go. "I am, as I said Sorry. I was – "

At this point , Daphne's knee connected with Harry's bits.

He collapsed on the floor, gasping.

"Oh, that worked a bit better than I expected" said Daphne, looking at Harry curled up on the ground.

"Episky" she cast. Harry continued to groan.

Astoria walked over and looked down at the wizard, huddled over his groin.

"He did grab you and kiss you, this is totally justified" said Astoria.

Daphne looked annoyed by this.

"You don't enjoy it did you?" asked Astoria.

"I spent every Saturday lunchtime with Harry disguised at Toby for the last..." said Daphne.

"Months. You've been snogging him for months?"

"I can't possibly be anything with him, he's my supervisor" said Daphne. "It would be improper."

Harry lay curled up on the floor.

"And kneeing him in the balls?" asked Astoria.

"I was displeased" said Daphne.

"You owe me" croaked Harry.

Daphne's eyes narrowed and she glared at Harry "For what?"

"One resurrection" said Harry, wincing, and casting epsisky on himself. He sighed and stood up shakily. "Don't do that" he said "It hurts a lot, and I could lose my temper."

"You can't say you can be forgiven for sicking up after kissing me, because you resurrected me" said Daphne.

Astoria winced.

"Um Daphne, he has a point… he did being you back to life" said Astoria.

"I refuse to ..." Daphne stopped talking because Toby was standing there, looking hurt. Toby with the delicious lovely skin and those lips.

"Turn back at once" said Daphne.

Toby wrapped an arm around Daphne's waist and another around her shoulders and snogged her. Daphne relaxed into the kiss eventually and she pushed him back "I'm still very annoyed with you" she said. "Using a disguise."

"It's just me with a tan and brown hair" said Harry. "If I get out in the sun in summer I go like this anyway"

Astoria eyed Toby speculatively "He looks good in a tan" she said, eyeing Toby.

"I can't have a relationship with you, you're my supervisor" said Daphne.

"Harry Potter is Angela Watermeadow's supervisor." said Harry, leaning over and nuzzling her hair.

"Harry Potter is not Daphne Greengrasses supervisor" he murmured "Toby Sunderland is just Harry Potters' estate manager."

"Toby Sunderland is too poor to be anything to me" said Daphne.

"Well, aren't you lucky I'm Harry Potter" said Harry.

"How you can be Toby, Toby's kind and sweet and funny" said Daphne.

"Toby's poor and imaginary" said Harry "I can be sweet."

"I couldn't, we work in the same office" said Daphne.

"Woo hoo" said Astoria "I'll bet you'd get up to all sort of things!"

"You're seconded to DMLE and I'll quit" said Harry. "I need to spend more time on estate management."

Daphne crossed her arms over her chest "Don't be stupid, you're terrible at estate management, I swear it all went in one ear and out the other"

"I can't help finding Barbara very distracting. She's you after all" said Harry. "Dirty blonde instead of bleach growing out on light brown and hazel instead of your fabulous blue eyes/"

Daphne stood still "You think my eyes are fabulous?" she said.

"Absolutely astounding" said Harry "And light brown suits you better than blonde anyway"

Daphne pulled a hairbrush out of her robe pocket, fiddled with it and brushed out the blonde.

"Oh, sis, is that your natural hair colour?" asked Astoria.

"Yes" said Daphne grumpily.

"It's… different" said Astoria "You've been blonde so long… I hardly remember it."

"Well I'd like to apologise" said Harry

"Apologise?" said Daphne.

"For seizing you and kissing you ?" asked Harry

"How?" asked Daphne.

"Well," said Harry, wrapping an arm around Daphne "We could snog?"

She collapsed like a puppet with the strings cut.

Harry knelt down and felt her neck "Bollocks" he said.

"What' wrong with her?" asked Astoria, starting to hyperventilate.

"She's dead, again" said Harry, and with some tugging pulled the ring out of his robe pocket and turned it long ways three times. "Come on Daphne Greengrass, get up" he said.

Nothing happened. Harry hurriedly pulled a silvery cloth out of his other robe pocket and put the ring, his pale wand and the ring together and shook them like dice.

He stowed the wand and cloth, and turned the ring again.

"I own all three. Daphne Greengrass, get up" said Harry forcefully.

"What about Angela Watermeadow?" asked Astoria, between breaths as she started to hyperventilate.

"Angela Daisy Watermeadow, arise" said Harry. Nothing happened.

"Shit" said Harry. "Shit Shit Shit."

"Why doesn't it work?" said Astoria "You're the big necromancer"

Harry turned the ring and two shades appeared, and slowly solidified into the ghostly image of a man like Harry, but a bit younger looking if anything, and a young woman. They both looked sad

"Harry" whispered the man, like the sound of the wind in the trees

"Harry" whispered the woman.

"Hi mum and dad, just checking the stone still works, it's not resurrecting Daphne Greengrass like it should" said Harry.

The woman's hand passed through Harry's arm, she looked annoyed "Harry," she murmured.

"Why isn't it working?" asked Harry.

"Peverell" said Harry's mother, very sadly, like she was sorry for something.

"It's my fault" whispered his father's shade "Harry I should have – "

"Oh god" said Harry "Mum and dad, just , what do I do?" he cried aloud.

"Daphne Peverell" murmured his mothers voice. Astoria snorted. "No way" she said.

Harry turned the ring ring three times. Daphne coughed and sat up.

"What?" she said "Who are the ghosts? Why am I on the floor?"

"You died, sis" said Astoria. "Those are Harry's parents."

"Daphne, meet my mum and dad. James and Lily Potter" said Harry.

"Daphne" murmured Lily fondly, reaching out a hand that again, passed through Daphne's arm.

"Well you mum likes me" said Daphne, shivering.

"Sorry he's a bit dimmmmm" murmured James "My fault."

Daphne snorted. "Thank you James" said Daphne.

"Daphne, Harry couldn't resurrect you till Lily called your real name" said Astoria.

"What?" asked Daphne.

"Daphne Peverell" said Harry. "The ring?"

"You paid Dad a sack of galleons for Daphne's hand, then put a ring on her finger, and she owed you her life" said Astoria. "You're already married."

Harry looked at Daphne then at this mother's shade, who looked a bit… peeved.

"Mum I had no idea" said Harry.

"My faullllllttt" murmured James and Lily slapped him on the tricep. He winced and rubbed his arm.

"I should have had my wand, stopped Voldemort in the sitting room and you wouldn't have been brought up by Petunia and Vernon" said James, much more clearly.

Lily seemed to roll her eyes "Don't think you can skip having a nice wedding" she said, surprisingly clearly for a disembodied spirit. "I'm sorry Daphne dear, I'd had a few too many wines when we conceived Harry, I think it stunted his brain."

Harry went red "Mum!" he said loudly "You can't say that"

"Who'd have thought necromancy could be so humiliating" said Astoria. "Mum!" she yelled "Dad!"