* ~ The Eighth Year Universe Series ~ *
PART FIVE
Blame it on Hate
You Always Say the Words That Save My Life
The chapter title is from the song:
Run Through Walls by The Script
Harry had planned to talk to John first thing on Wednesday morning, but there was a note on the door to his office stating that he would be late. Harry found that odd because, in his entire career, he had never known John to be late. All the same, Harry brought Percy in for his appraisal, which went fine. By the time he was done, John still hadn't shown up and the next review on the cards for that day was Elizabeth's.
Harry decided to bring in Oliver Wood and get his appraisal out of the way. Then he put Aiden Ford in charge and headed over to CPS for the final review of the day. When he walked in, she immediately glanced up guiltily.
"Hey – appraisal time," Harry said airily.
Elizabeth nodded, "My turn then?"
Harry sat down opposite her and nodded.
"Where's the gang?"
"Romilda and Dennis are working in the Closes," Elizabeth replied.
"And Rob is off because it's the full moon tonight?" Harry guessed.
Elizabeth bit her lip.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her, and Elizabeth tried her best to put on a poker face, but Harry saw right through it.
"That son of a bitch! He suspended Rob, didn't he? Even though I fucking told him not to!"
"I told him not to as well," Elizabeth admitted.
"Where is that son of a bitch? I'm going to kill him!" Harry snapped.
"Woah," Elizabeth said, "Harry, don't do anything rash-"
"Don't do anything rash?" Harry asked furiously, "If he had just told me the truth, I wouldn't have gotten in a fight with Rob last night that resulted in me getting three ribs broken and a bloody collapsed lung, would I?"
Elizabeth's eyes widened.
"Rob did that to you?"
"Yeah, Rob did that to me because he had lost his job and his best friend, and he thought I was in on it when in reality, I had no clue why he showed up stinking of alcohol, spouting depressing thoughts!" Harry snapped, "All because your idiot of a husband didn't tell me the damn truth! Now it's the full moon, and I can bet you that Rob didn't take his wolfsbane this morning. You know how it will end if he locks himself up tonight, Liz – he hated himself before he became a werewolf."
"You think I don't know that?" Elizabeth asked curtly, and Harry drew back because he had never seen her raise her voice, "It's my niece that will lose her father if Rob does something stupid! It's my sister who will lose her husband, and it's my husband who will have caused it all!"
Harry shook his head, "So that's why he didn't show up this morning? He's avoiding us."
Elizabeth blanched, "He didn't show up this morning?"
"No," Harry muttered, "He left this cryptic note on the door about being late, but he's not been in all morning."
"Oh…no," Elizabeth said, her eyes wide.
"What? What's that look for?" Harry asked anxiously, "Oh…no…no. You don't think he's that stupid, do you?"
"Stupid enough to go after Rob before he loses his best friend forever?" Elizabeth quipped, "Yes, I think he's that stupid."
Harry kicked the wall angrily.
"Where the fuck are they going to be?"
"I know where John would go, but I'm not so sure about Rob," Elizabeth admitted, "I suspect Ireland?"
"Ireland," Harry said slowly, "The Hills of Kildare."
"Harry, that's a big place," Elizabeth pointed out.
"It doesn't matter," Harry said simply, "I'll find them."
"Just be careful," Elizabeth said, her eyes meeting his.
Harry's heart skipped a beat – he was reminded of words his mother had said to him as a baby and of words Hermione had said to him on multiple occasions.
"I will be."
True to his word – Harry found Rob. It took a few hours of searching, and as such, it was getting on towards evening when he eventually saw the Irishman sitting atop a hill with his eyes on the sky.
"Rob!" Harry called as he ran towards him, "Rob, I swear I didn't know what Shep did."
Rob looked coldly at him.
"Like hell you didn't," he said, shoving himself to his feet.
"I didn't," Harry promised, "I only found out this morning from Elizabeth. I had no idea. If I'd known, I would never have fought with you last night."
"Because you're scared of me?" Rob growled, "Like everyone else is?"
Harry shook his head, "If I was scared of you, would I be standing here hours before the full moon?"
Rob looked away from Harry to the darkening sky.
"I'm not scared of you, but I am sorry," Harry said, "I told him not to suspend you, Elizabeth told him not to suspend you, but he didn't listen to either of us."
"Like hell," Rob scoffed, "You'd take any chance you could to get rid of the department embarrassment, the lot of you. It was all fine and well to have a werewolf on the team when that made you look good, wasn't it? It was all look how inclusive we are, but now you throw me to the curb because I'm not any fucking use to you!"
"That wasn't what it was about!" Harry snapped, "I was against the idea from the get-go and Shep, yeah he didn't want the department to look bad, but he also didn't want the vultures coming after you."
"Sheppard doesn't give a shit about me, and he definitely doesn't care about protecting me," Rob spat, "He's just like Sumner was, and you'll probably follow in his footsteps. That's what it takes to be Head Auror after all, isn't it? You've got to make the hard decisions, and you know all about that."
"Yeah, I do know all about that!" Harry agreed, "And if it had been my call, I'd not have done anything with you. I'd have stood my ground and backed you when the press came calling, and I would have shown the wizarding world that we don't judge a whole race based on the actions of a few people."
Rob didn't know what to say to that.
"And I don't think you're the department embarrassment," Harry continued angrily, "I have looked up to you from the moment I met you, do you know that?"
Rob's eyes softened.
"I…" he shook his head.
"I met you, and I saw a man who was desperate to change the world but unable to do it," Harry said, his eyes burning into Rob's, "I saw an Auror who didn't care about glory, who didn't give a shit about politics. I saw a man who wanted to help kids, kids who were orphaned, unloved kids, abused kids - kids like me."
Rob tried his best to hide the tears in his eyes when he looked back at Harry, but it was a futile effort.
Harry didn't care anyway. He was crying too. He had lost enough people in recent years; he couldn't lose anyone else.
"I worked with you for a few weeks, and all I could think was, I wish there had been a Rob in my life. I looked up to you like a father, and I won't lie, more than once I wondered what my life would have been like if you had come and taken me away from my aunt and uncle, like I took Alastor away from a life of poverty."
Harry shook his head angrily and looked Rob in the eye once more.
"So for you to think that lowly of me? So lowly that you think I feel like you're an embarrassment to the department? That hurts, Rob, because you – you're everything good about the department. You are everything right about it. You are the reason that we do what we do. It's not about glory, it's not about becoming a politician, it's not about roles like Head Auror, it's about saving lives, and it's about making a difference. You taught me that, and you made me into the Auror that I am. They all talk about me being the chosen one, they say I'll become the youngest ever Head Auror, and they all think it's because I killed Voldemort when I was a kid, but that's not true. The reason I'm so good, the reason I'll beat all of these records? It's because of you."
"I love you too, kid," Rob said, his voice thick with emotion.
Harry laughed a little tearfully.
"I pour my heart out to you, and you come back with that? Come on, that's worse than Han Solo saying I know after Leia says she loves him."
Rob laughed too; he leant against a nearby tree.
"Seriously, Harry – all I've ever wanted for Nick is for him to turn out as half the man you are. All I want is for him to be as good a person as you are, despite your start in life."
"He will be," Harry promised Rob, "How can he not be with you as his dad?"
Rob bowed his head.
"I've had a lot of father figures in my life, Rob," Harry said honestly, "They all leave me in the end. I never get enough time with them. The minute I get close to them, they're gone."
Rob swallowed and nodded.
"But you have been here for five years," Harry said – he reached out and gripped Rob's shoulder, "You've never left, and you've never failed to be there for me. So when I thought you were going to lock yourself up when that moon came out tonight…."
Harry cleared his throat, "That hurt worse than it did when I saw Sirius go through the veil or when I saw Remus's body in the great hall after the final battle."
Rob pulled him into a bear hug, and Harry could tell that the older man was crying.
"Guess nows a bad time to tell you that I really did shag your mum in high school and that I'm your real dad, huh?" Rob joked half-heartedly.
Harry chuckled and drew back with a smile on his face. He was ready to tell Rob to shut up when the smile on his lips died because of what he saw over Rob's shoulder.
Rob frowned and turned around – his eyes darkening when he saw John approaching them. Harry cursed under his breath when Rob growled and drew himself up to his full height.
"I had just calmed him down," Harry muttered to himself.
"Rob, I'm sorry-"
"No," Rob barked, "You don't get to be sorry. It's too late for an apology. I don't even know how you found me."
"Harry told Elizabeth that you were here, and she told me-" John began to say.
"See? That's everything that's wrong with us!" Rob barked, "Harry knew where I was, but you didn't, and you're supposed to be my best friend."
"Rob-"
"No, you don't get it," Rob said with a shake of his head, "Do you have any idea what I did to Harry last night because of you?"
Harry grimaced.
"I hit him, and I don't know what damage it did, but I sent him flying," Rob said angrily. He turned to Harry, "What did I do to you?"
"Nothing, I'm fine," Harry lied.
"Harry," Rob said impatiently, "Tell the truth."
Harry sighed, "Three broken ribs and a collapsed lung."
"See?" Rob yelled as he turned back to John, "All because you couldn't communicate with the kid! All because you didn't listen to him, because you didn't trust him! What kind of Head Auror doesn't trust the guy he made his Assistant?"
"I do trust him," John said. He backed away as Rob advanced on him and his back hit a tree.
"Like you supposedly trust me?" Rob asked, his eyes flashing amber, "You don't look like you trust me right now. You look like you're shitting yourself."
John took a breath and looked Rob directly in the eye – there were centimetres between them, and Rob, at his full height, was taller than John.
"I trust you, and I am not afraid of you," John said, his voice didn't waver in the slightest.
Rob stopped and looked him in the eye for a moment. John kept his eyes locked on Rob's as the werewolf studied him – it felt like a predator was assessing him. After a very long minute, Rob moved back slightly,
"I'm sorry," John said quietly, "I was trying to protect you and the department-"
"Me and the department!" Rob growled, closing the distance between himself and John and gripping the Head Auror by the throat. Within seconds, he had him pinned against the tree.
John gasped for breath, and Harry reached for his wand for the first time since he had come across Rob.
"You and your fucking department!" Rob snarled, "That's why they made you the Head Auror because you put the department before everything else, don't you? You put it before me!"
John tried to shake his head, and Rob loosened his grasp a little.
"No," John rasped, "I don't put it before everything. There are some things I care about more than a stupid job."
Rob didn't look convinced.
John reached in his pocket, and for a second, both Rob and Harry thought he was going for his wand. Rob tightened his grip on the other man's throat, and Harry took a step forward, ready to split them apart.
John pulled out his badge and threw it to the ground, "I don't care about it, and I don't want it. If being Head Auror means making calls like this, calls that could have cost me my best friend, then I don't want it. It's not worth your life, Rob."
Rob let go of John, and for a moment, both John and Harry weren't sure if he was going to curse him or punch him. Instead, Rob pulled John in for a bear hug, and Harry blew out a sigh of relief, slipping his wand back into his pocket.
John hugged Rob back tightly, "I'm sorry, man."
Harry shook his head in amusement, "What is it with you lot thinking you can add 'man' onto the end of a sentence to make it sound less gay? It's like Theo and Draco all over again, all we need now is a freak thunderstorm, and you'll be making out."
Rob pulled back and shot Harry a vaguely amused look,
Harry grinned in response, "As cute as that was - it's not the time. The full moon is going to be out in less than half an hour, and this little reunion won't end well if that happens on this hilltop."
"When did he get so sassy?" John muttered.
"He's always been sassy, I just honed his skill," Rob said, shooting Harry a grin, "Thanks, kid."
Harry smiled, "Thanks for seeing sense. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you, Rob."
"You'll never lose me," Rob said, gripping Harry's shoulder tightly, "That's a promise."
Harry wasn't used to open shows of emotion from Rob. They had never had that kind of relationship, so instead of hugging the older man, Harry resorted to insulting him.
"Come on, old man, let's get you chained up at Blacknot Castle."
"I'm really not that old," Rob complained.
"You're old enough to be my dad," Harry reminded him, "And I have four kids. You're basically a grandad, Rob."
"I'm only 44 for fucks sake!"
When Harry and John walked into CPS together and saw Elizabeth sitting at her desk, they both knew they were in for a real grilling.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, looking between them.
"Well, let's just say that the latent homosexual feelings between Rob and Shep are no longer latent," Harry remarked sarcastically.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her husband.
"You didn't?"
"I hugged him, we made up," John said with a shrug, "Nothing else."
"You threw your badge down and said you would give up the Head Auror job because it wasn't more important than his life," Harry reminded John.
At this, both of Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up, "Did you?"
"Yeah," John sighed. He sat down on an armchair by the fire and let his head drop into his hands.
"So, is it the full white wedding or just a trip to the registry office for you two?" Elizabeth quipped.
Harry snorted in amusement.
John shot her an exasperated look.
"Ha-ha."
Elizabeth smirked and turned to Harry.
"How's Rob?"
"He's okay," Harry answered, "He's chained up at Blacknot Castle for the night."
"Good," Elizabeth said, her eyes on John, "Are you really giving it up?"
"I can't do it, Liz," John said, looking up at her, "It nearly lost me Rob tonight and if he had died…I could never have lived with myself. It would have destroyed me."
Elizabeth nodded.
"I don't like what this job is doing to me," John said honestly, "I hate the politics and I…" he shook his head, "I just don't want it."
"Okay," Elizabeth said calmly, "Let's think about this logically before you barge into the head of the DMLE's office and resign. Who is going to replace you?"
John looked up at Harry, "Do you think you could do it?"
Harry looked over in surprise.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you."
"Now?"
John nodded.
Harry sank into the armchair opposite John.
"You've already proven that you have the people skills," John said, "And you know all of the right people on the political side of it already through the Wizengamot. You know how to talk to them, how to get things done and when you do get stuck, your pureblood wife helps you out."
Harry nodded thoughtfully.
"You proved today that you're better at making the hard decisions than I am," John admitted, "I made the wrong call today, and it nearly cost me not just my best friend but a damn good Auror. You have been a leader for a long time – in the war, as an Auror, and you have never made the wrong call."
"That's not true. I made the wrong call once, and my godfather died," Harry said, frowning into the fire, "But as a rule, when I need to make that call, I just listen to my gut. I always have done."
"It's a gift I don't have," John said, his eyes meeting Harry's, "So do you think you could do it? And do you want it?"
"I want it," Harry said honestly, "And yes, I think I can do it, but I can't have Draco as my Assistant Head yet."
John shook his head, "I would agree with you – he's not ready."
"The job is his when he's ready for it, but if I'm jumping in at the deep end, I'll need an older, more experienced Auror to be my Assistant to show me the ropes," Harry said with a frown, "Would you step down?"
John shook his head, "No, I can't I'm sorry. I need a clean break."
"Do you want the training centre?" Harry asked.
John shook his head, "No, Harry. I just want to be an Auror – find a department that needs me and put me there."
Harry looked away from him and sought out Elizabeth.
"In that case – how do you feel about the job, Lizzie?" he asked in a flawless Irish accent.
Elizabeth looked startled.
"Firstly – never do that again, and secondly, what?"
"You would be a fantastic Assistant Head," Harry said honestly, "You're great with people, and you are empathetic, which is a vital trait. All of my weaknesses are strong points for you – we would be a good team, you would keep me right, you would tell me when I was going too far, and unlike your idiot of a husband, I would actually listen to you."
John huffed in the background.
Elizabeth stared at Harry.
"You're serious?"
Harry nodded, "Are you interested in the job?"
"Yes, of course," Elizabeth replied, "I just…I never aspired to it because I didn't think it would happen."
"I don't know why – you're a brilliant Auror and an even better politician," John said with a slight smile.
Elizabeth smiled at her husband then turned to Harry.
"Thank you."
"Thank you," Harry returned. He looked between John and Elizabeth and said, "There's more to work out, but that can be done in the morning when I'm not exhausted."
"I agree with that," Elizabeth agreed – her eyes on John.
"Am I allowed to come home tonight?" He asked cautiously.
"You can come home, but you're sleeping on the sofa," Elizabeth said bluntly.
John shook his head and pushed himself to his feet.
"Nah, I'm going to camp out at Blacknot Castle, so I'm there when Rob wakes up in the morning."
Elizabeth smiled, "Okay – stay safe."
John nodded and shot her a smile on his way out of the door.
Once he was gone, Elizabeth asked, "So if you and I end up running this place, who is going to look after CPS?"
Harry smirked, "Oh, don't worry – I've got an idea," he said cryptically.
When Harry got home that night, it was late, but his family were still gathered in the drawing-room of Potter Manor – minus the kids.
"Where the hell have you been?" Daphne asked.
"And why do you look like shit?" Lilly added.
Neville frowned and watched Harry stroll across the room. He sat down and sunk into a chair by the fire.
"I'm Head Auror."
"What?" Daphne snapped.
"Who died?" Lilly echoed.
"Nobody," Harry replied with a frown, "John just had a mental breakdown over a fight with Rob – it's a long story, but either way, I'm Head Auror."
Daphne and Lilly were dumbstruck.
"Congratulations," Neville said proudly.
"I'm 25, and I'm Head Auror," Harry said in disbelief.
"Do you want to say Head Auror one more time?" Daphne teased.
Harry turned to look at his wife.
"I'm the fucking Head Auror, Daphne."
"Really? You didn't mention that," Daphne remarked with an amused smile.
Harry shook his head in disbelief, and Neville smiled knowingly – Harry had been like this after Voldemort had died too. It had taken a few days for it all to sink in.
Lilly snorted, "What made John lose it?"
"He made a bad call," Harry said, "He suspended Rob without telling me, even though I advised him against it the other night. That was why Rob was so aggressive when he came here last night – he thought I was in on it."
"Right," Daphne said with a nod, "That makes a bit more sense now."
Harry leant back in his chair and sighed, "Yeah and to cut a long story short, Rob ran away to Kildare to lock himself up and turn – without taking his wolfsbane."
Lilly shook her head, "How selfish! He's a father!"
"Yes, well, so is Harry and let's not forget his recent selfish, stupid actions," Neville said dryly.
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Nev," Daphne said smoothly.
"Woah, enough," Lilly cut in, "We've been through that a hundred times. It's over – Harry is sorry, and he isn't going to do it again. Let's just be happy for him because he's just got his dream job rather than bring him down over an idiotic mistake."
"Thanks, Lil," Harry said. He frowned over at them and sighed, "As for the whole thing with Rob….From my experience – people don't do that because they want attention or because they are dramatic. They do it because they are in so much pain that they can't see through it. That's the thing I realised about suicide after I spoke to Caroline. It's the cowards way out because it hurts the people you love more than it hurts you."
Daphne swallowed and looked away from him.
"Yeah," Neville agreed, placing his hand on Harry's arm, "Death is far more painful for the people left behind."
Harry looked over at Daphne, who still wouldn't meet his eye.
"When Rob realised that, and when he realised that he was appreciated and loved more than he knew – there was no question in his mind about getting somewhere safe and letting me chain him up."
"He never really wanted to do it," Lilly said perceptively, "That's what you're saying, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Harry agreed, "Because Rob has been like a father to me in recent years, and you know the old phrase, like father like son."
Daphne smiled a little sadly at that.
"So you used your recent experience to talk someone else down? You turned it into a positive, a way to help someone you loved?"
"That's exactly what I did," Harry agreed. He rose to his feet and pulled her up from the chair, into his arms, "Because between the three of you, I've finally realised that my life is worth living."
When Rob woke up on Thursday morning, he felt black and blue. He blinked groggily and tried to move but doing so made his entire body throb.
"Take it easy," John said gently as he unlocked the door to the outhouse.
Rob winced when the sunlight streamed in.
"You gave yourself a right beating last night," John added as he looked Rob up and down.
"Could you not look at me like that while I'm naked?" Rob muttered, "Especially after you declared your love for me last night."
John shot him a sceptical look.
"I gave the top job up for you last night, or have you forgotten that part?"
Rob looked up, "You meant that?"
"Yeah, I meant that," John said. He knelt next to Rob, "And for the record, I wasn't eying you up. I was assessing your injuries because you look like shit."
Rob looked down at himself, "Fuck…I do, don't I?"
"You kept pulling against the chains," John said, flinging Rob a pair of slacks to put on, "From the crack I heard around 3 am, I think you might have broken an ankle."
Rob opened his mouth to say that he wouldn't have done something so stupid, but before he could, John pressed on his swollen right ankle, and Rob threw his head back and shrieked.
"Yeah, definitely broken," John said calmly, "Open your mouth."
Rob looked at him warily, "Not until you tell me what you're going to put in it."
John pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket.
"Is that clean?"
"Scougify! It is now," John replied dryly.
Rob sighed in defeat and opened his mouth. John shoved the handkerchief in and said, "Bite down – this is going to hurt, and no amount of numbing charms will help you because of your werewolf DNA."
Rob just nodded, so John fixed his broken ankle with a localised, "Episkey!"
Rob's eyes watered as he cried out in pain and bit down on the handkerchief.
John at least had the decency to look guilty when he pulled it out and inspected Rob's wrists which were black, blue and bleeding from his straining against the chains. He carefully removed the shackles and healed Rob's wrists. Then he did the same with Rob's other ankle.
"Gave yourself a sore one," John said, motioning at Rob's chest.
Rob pushed himself to his feet gingerly and pulled his trousers on.
"It'll heal."
"Can't I at least seal it for you?" John asked, reaching out and steadying his best friend.
"It's fine. It'll heal quickly," Rob said as he limped out of the outhouse, "Why are you here?"
"Because I was worried about you," John admitted, he rubbed his eyes, "So I stood guard last night."
"All night?" Rob asked.
"Yeah," John answered, "I know I fucked things up, Rob. I mean, I've fucked things up more times than I can count – we missed years of each other's lives, but now that we're friends again, I genuinely don't think I can live without you. When I thought you were going to kill yourself last night, I was just…lost."
"I wasn't going to kill myself," Rob said gruffly, "The kid talked me down."
"But if he hadn't?" John retorted, catching up with Rob and standing in front of him, "If he hadn't found you, I would have come into work this morning to see grave faces, wouldn't I? I'd have been forced to look at the crime scene pictures, sign the document that ruled it as a suicide."
Rob looked away from John.
"Harry said it to me last night after we'd got you all chained up and you were howling at the moon," John said quietly, "Suicide is a cop-out. It's a cowards way out. It would have been easy for you to look yourself up, let yourself transform and then let the wolf in you tear the man apart but do you know who it wouldn't have been easy for?"
Rob looked him in the eye. He hadn't seen an expression that hard on John's face for a long time.
"Us," John said firmly, "The people who love you that you left behind, so don't you dare do that again, you hear me? No matter how bad it gets, don't do that to me again."
"I was never going to," Rob confessed, his eyes softer than they had been before, "Before Jen, I did hate myself. Nick was all I had, all the good in me I'd channelled into him and if I had been turned back then? I'd not have lasted, but now I've got a woman who loves me despite my many flaws, and I have my best friend back again, so when I thought you'd gone behind my back for the department," he practically spat the word, "That hurt more than it did when you stole my girl all those years ago."
John stared him right in the eye.
"I made a bad call, Rob and the consequences of that, what the consequences could have been tore me apart. I meant what I said last night. I don't want the job if this is what it does to me."
"So you throwing the badge down was for real," Rob said.
"It was for real," John agreed, "I'm done, I'm not the Head Auror anymore."
Rob frowned, "Then…who is?"
John opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, a huge, majestic stag pranced into the grounds of the castle and spoke with Harry's voice.
"Good morning, sunshines! The sun is out, and the sky is bright. It's another beautiful day to save lives! Get your arses into CPS as soon as you can – we need to work through some stuff."
The Patronus vanished, and Rob looked at John in disbelief.
"No way."
John shrugged, "Who else?"
"My kids the Head Auror?"
"He's not your kid," John reminded Rob, hooking his arm under the werewolf as they headed for the gate together.
"He's as good as," Rob pointed out, "He said as much last night."
"If he's your kid, then you've got four grandkids," John pointed out, shooting him a sideways grin, "Explains why you can't keep up with me anymore – grandad."
"If it wasn't for the fact I was drained of every ounce of energy in my body, I would deck you right now, you bastard," Rob returned.
"You don't even sound like you mean that," John snickered.
Rob smiled slightly, and as the sun rose behind them, they stumbled out of the gates together.
When John and Rob stumbled into CPS together, it was empty bar for Harry and Elizabeth, who were drinking coffee, sharing a muffin and pouring over a large diary together.
"Aren't you two cosy?" John joked.
"New dream team," Harry shot back with, "Rob, get your arse on that sofa and get that wound sealed."
"I'm fine," Rob objected.
"I know werewolves heal fast, but that's going to get infected," Harry said calmly, "So sit your arse down and let someone heal you. If you're still pissed at John, I can do it."
Rob sat down and grimaced.
"I'm not that pissed – he had a pretty good apology."
"Did he snog you in a thunderstorm or declare his love for you atop a tower? Or are you not quite at Draco and Theo levels yet?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"I regret teaching you how to be sassy," Rob muttered with a shake of his head.
"You didn't teach me anything," Harry said with a smirk, "I was sassy to Severus Snape when I was 13. It's the James Potter in me."
Elizabeth smiled in amusement, "Oh, I don't know about that – your mother was just as sassy, normally to your father."
"You knew her?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Uh-huh," Elizabeth replied from behind her coffee mug, "She was a bookworm, and I was a Ravenclaw. Our paths naturally crossed in the library from time to time."
Harry smiled at that, "I didn't know that, but I guess it makes sense."
John dabbed a dittany cream onto Rob's wound, and the Irishman winced.
"Why did you summon us here, my lord?" Rob asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Really, I've had the job less than 24 hours, and you're comparing me to Sauron?" Harry snorted.
Rob grinned then winced when John dabbed his chest too hard
"Mate, you suck at this. Lizzie, can you take over?"
"No," Elizabeth replied matter of factly.
"Why?" Rob complained.
"Because I'm pissed off with you, and unlike John, I have nothing to feel guilty for," Elizabeth retorted, "Trust me, he's more gentle with you than I would be right now."
Harry made a face, "In light of your rekindled bromance, that sentence makes me feel rather nauseous."
Elizabeth shot him an amused look.
"Would you like to enlighten them on why you summoned them here?"
"Of course," Harry said calmly, "I summoned you here because there are changes afoot. I mean, there have to be in light of John's recent mental breakdown."
"It wasn't a mental breakdown," John cut in, "Merely a change of heart."
Elizabeth shot him a sceptical look.
"I don't even think you believe that, honey."
Rob smirked at John, who kept his mouth shut – he didn't need to piss his wife off any more than he had already in the past 24 hours.
"This changes the power dynamic, but it also leaves holes in the department that need to be filled," Harry pointed out, "I need to find somewhere for John to go, and I need an Assistant Head Auror."
"Well, just put John in your old role," Rob said, "Let him lead Homicide with Draco."
Harry shook his head, "I'm not going to put anyone in that role. I'm going to leave Homicide running with five members of staff. Draco is in charge, and if he needs to go out in the field, he takes Terry or Jason as backup. Hell, he can do what he wants with that department. If he wants to take the whole team to every crime scene, he can."
John frowned, "It's not how the department operates."
"Well, maybe that needs to change," Harry said simply, "If Draco needs a partner for any reason, I'll still be that for him. I won't be a Head Auror who works solely out of an office."
"But it's too risky for you to work the field," John cut in, "Look at what could have happened when Jack and I went on that raid in the church."
"I agree with you," Harry said with a sly smile, "Which is why I need an Assistant Head Auror who is willing to retire from fieldwork. Someone happy to work a desk so that if anything happens to me – they will always be there as back-up."
John had been privy to part of the conversation the night before, so he knew where Harry was going with this, but Rob didn't.
"That being said, I also need to know if a certain hot-headed werewolf is coming back or if I'm burning his badge," Harry said, looking pointedly at Rob.
Rob looked a little sheepish.
"I want it back."
Harry pulled it out of his pocket and said, "You need to stop giving it away, you know?"
Rob rolled his eyes and held out his hand.
"Just give it back."
Harry didn't hand the badge over just yet though.
"I'll give it back to you on two conditions."
Rob narrowed his eyes at him.
"Okay?"
"One – I need you to give up Elizabeth," Harry said with an amused smile, "Because she's my new Assistant Head Auror, I'd have asked you, but I know you've never wanted it."
Rob snorted, "The Assistant Head Auror is the one who needs to be a people person, remember?"
"Which is the real reason why I didn't ask you, but I didn't want you to get offended," Harry smirked.
Rob grinned, "Sly, I like it. What's your other condition?"
Harry grinned broadly, "Do you reckon you can put up with this pain in the arse on a more permanent basis?"
"He's Liz's replacement?" Rob asked in surprise.
Harry nodded and looked at John, who didn't seem surprised by this, "Yep."
"But…" Rob frowned, "I'm still in charge, right? Because technically, he's a superior officer."
"Rob, he's just been demoted from Head Auror to CPS," Harry said in disbelief, "Do you really think I'm going to put him in charge? He's a bundle of bad decisions and nervous energy – of course, you're in charge."
Rob grinned wolfishly at this and clapped his hands.
"Oh, that's a deal," he said eagerly.
Harry handed him back his badge and saw John rolling his eyes out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm your boss," Rob said excitedly, "And do you know what? That back cabinet room needs filing."
"Fuck you," John retorted.
"That's no way to speak to your superior, Sheppard," Harry remarked smoothly.
"I was literally your boss up until 24 hours ago, you little dick," John muttered irritably.
"Hey Shep, that's no way to speak to the Head Auror!" Rob exclaimed.
Harry grinned at the werewolf.
"Treat your superiors with respect, Sheppard," he agreed.
"You're enjoying this a little too much," John huffed.
"Oh, you deserve it," Elizabeth said airily.
And despite the massive changes that were afoot – the air felt lighter than it had in a while.
* ~ TBC ~ *