Harry cursed loudly as he stumbled into an alley, kneeing an old barrel that splintered slightly under the pressure. That probably could have been done a lot more gracefully but speed was really of the essence here. A young Junior Auror hastily followed him, eyes wide. Harry didn't know if the kid was going into shock or was just awestruck. Either way, he was going to have to snap out of it of he was going to be of any use. The Voldemort-Vanquisher (yes, that is what they were calling him now - the Wizarding World really did love their alliteration) made a shush in gesture and dragged the young man behind them. They did not need anyone alerted to their present predicament. And Merlin, the new recruits were looking younger and younger with each passing year. This guy looked like he'd just finished his OWLs.

The man crouched behind Harry who narrowed his eyes as he listened carefully. There was just the normal sounds of Hogsmeade traffic; villagers calling greetings to one another, doors opening and closing, moderate footfall and rolling barrels. Nothing discernibly out of the ordinary. Thank Merlin it wasn't a school weekend, he wouldn't have been able to make anything out over the sounds of teenagers shouting. Or easily dart between them. Why did teenagers even walk around in packs anyway? It was completely unnecessary.

Rubbing a hand over his face distractedly, pointedly ignoring Benson's (the Junior Auror) presence for the moment, Harry thought about what steps they would have to take next. He had warned Kingsley about this sort of thing, Harry had told him multiple times! He really shouldn't be the one that brought new Aurors out on their first patrol, something always went wrong. Just the typical Harry Potter luck in action. He was much better suited to the training room anyway; he was good at it and got good results out of the trainees. And it was fun. The worst that could happen was a quick trip to the Medical Bay because of a rebounding curse. Okay, there was that one time that Trainee McLean had to go to St Mungo's but that would teach him not to use spells that weren't on the approved list! But no, Kingsley had waved his concerns aside - completely disregarding the condition poor Penny Smith had been left in the last time Harry had been assigned newbie patrols. Poor girl would probably never be able to look at trolls the same way again. At least she stuck the Auror Program out though, that wasn't one of his worst ones.

A strange sound came from the street making Harry freeze and narrow his eyes even further so they were practically slits. He didn't recognise that sound...

"Is this a normal Monday for you?" Benson asked, breaking the silence briefly before resuming chewing his lip.

The man (Harry had to make a concentrated effort not to think of him as a kid) was probably going to regret that later, chapped lips were no fun. Nervous habits like that were not good in the field, especially if you were as weak in silent casting as Benson was.

Harry snorted, probably too loudly, and Benson looked at him with a mixture of confusion and panic. Deciding not to address that right now, Harry sent out a quick Patronus to Robards. Prongs easily slid from the tip of his wand generating a gasp from Benson. It was probably the first time he'd seen a corporal one.

"No, the assassins usually try to kill me on Tuesday," Harry said semi-seriously, suddenly having an urge to be inappropriately mischievous.

Stupid, wannabe Death Eaters and egocentric criminals. They had lost all sense of subtlety and finesse these days. The ones that had targeted him in the eats following the War at least had some skill, a sense of purpose, gave him a challenge. These ones just annoyed him. Honestly, who thought that throwing a cloak over his head was a good way to form a noose? They didn't even get anywhere near his neck or made any real effort to subdue him. It would have been pathetic if it hadn't been so side. In his day Death Eaters had standards and those guys would definitely not have made the cut.

"Is that sarcasm?" Benson asked dumbly, honestly looking puzzled.

He was not going to last long if he couldn't pick up on that. Harry's words had practically been dripping with it.

That odd sound from earlier repeated itself, this time louder. Why weren't any spells being cast? Harry couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, inaction did that to him. He turned to Benson to hopefully put him at some sort of ease so the man didn't do anything stupid.

Poor bloke looked a bit stunned, obviously not expecting something like this from the Hogsmeade Patrol. It was called the 'Yawn Patrol' for a reason. Harry would have felt more pity for him if, before they had left the office, he hadn't spent half an hour trying to pry details on his fights with Voldemort, yes Benson called them fights.

Thankfully, Ron appeared at the other end of the alley before Harry said something rude to Benson. His best mate was waving keys in the air. Finally.

"Yes, idiot," Harry snapped, not quote managing to control his emotions because seriously? "Now, get in the van before they see you."

"Hey!"

Too late. Harry winced as the men who had been after them stood across the road from the alley. Well, shit. The two sides stared at each other, no one reaching for their wand. Harry did not like his and Benson's odds in this cramped space. He gave the younger man a shove to get him moving and soon they were both sprinting down the alley to Ron's van. Ron jumped into the driver's seat as Harry and Benson collapsed in a pile in the back. Harry just got the door closed when a jet of light ricocheted off the wheel. Ron revved the van and soon they were screeching down the streets attracting all sorts of attention from the Hogsmeade residents.

"Took you long enough," Harry grumbled, fastening his seat belt and showing Benson how to do it.

Ron grinned at him in the rear-view mirror.

"Still saved your arse," his so-called best mate pointed out smugly.

Harry kicked the back of his seat.