Harry Potter and the Golden Amulet

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I mean it. So please don't sue me.

Summary:

Voldemort has been defeated and exiled to a Hell dimension, finally bringing harmony to the wizarding world. But one of the Dark Lord's loyal followers will do everything in his power to rescue his Master from his hellish prison, threatening the fragile peace so recently acquired. This takes place six years after Hogwarts. Some R/Hr, D/G, H/?.

Chapter 3

Decisions

Walking into the meeting room, Harry noticed he was not the first to arrive; Hermione and Ginny were already seated and were chatting away, trying to speculate as to the reason behind this conference. He wasn't surprised Ron had not yet arrived.

"So, have you lot figured out why we're here?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head in the negative. "We've no idea. No one around here will tell us anything," she replied before looking at her watch, which pointed at 'Almost time to begin'. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

"I wonder where Ron and Draco are," Ginny mused. Both Hermione and Harry noticed she had called Malfoy by his first name and they exchanged a knowing look. Ginny and Malfoy had been partners for over two years and she always made it a point to only refer to him as 'Malfoy'. "Doing otherwise," she had said, "bred familiarity." According to Ginny, she didn't want to become too familiar with him, especially since Malfoy seemed to have taken a liking to her, despite her being a Weasley. But now that Ginny and Malfoy were on a first name basis, it was just a matter of time until he broke down her defences.

"Well you know Ron. He's never on time for anything," Hermione criticized, bringing Harry back to reality.

"Humph!" Ron entered the room and looked quite put out. "Will someone please tell Her Majesty Know-it-all that I'm NOT always late? I happen to be on time today!"

"There's a first time for everything," Hermione huffed, annoyed at being called a know-it-all.

"Excuse me? Did someone hear something? I thought I heard a squawk." Ron cupped his ear as if he was trying hard to hear something that wasn't there. Harry shook his head. This wasn't how he liked to begin his day. He couldn't believe that after all they had been through, Hermione and Ron still insisted on arguing every little thing.

"Squawking?" Hermione exclaimed incredulously. "Are you comparing me to a HEN?"

"If the feather fits…."

"IF you two are finished," a voice interrupted. "I would like to begin." All four turned in the direction of the voice and recognised the owner immediately. Her name was Samantha Donovan and she had graduated from Hogwarts the same year as Fred and George Weasley. She was also a Slitheryn, which didn't sit well with the former Griffindors in the room.

As she crossed the room, Harry noticed how attractive she was and wondered how he had never noticed before now. He supposed it was because of the intense rivalry between the Griffindor and Slitheryn houses; at Hogwarts, he never would have let himself become attracted to one of the enemy. But his Hogwarts days were long gone and this was the 'real' world.

Harry watched Samantha as she positioned herself at the head of the conference table and began emptying out the contents of her leather attaché case onto the table before her. Like the rest of her attire, her case was black. It must be her favourite colour because it was all she wore. Her shoes, slacks and form fitting wool turtleneck were all black and, not surprisingly, so was her hair. Her long, silky mane was tied neatly at the nape and spilled down into a tamed ponytail. The only splash of colour one could find on Samantha would be her eyes. They were a piercing shade of cobalt blue. Her eyes searched the room and Harry shivered when her cobalt blues rested upon him.

"Where is Mr. Malfoy?" she asked sharply. For a second, Samantha reminded him of Professor McGonagall.

Harry began answering but was interrupted when Malfoy entered the room. "Don't get your knickers in a bunch, Sammie. I'm here," he said. Harry thought he saw a glimmer of amusement shine in her eyes but the flash was gone so quickly, he was sure he had imagined it.

"Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence, Malfoy," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"My pleasure," he replied.

She faced the rest of the room and introduced herself. "I'm sure you are all wondering why you've been asked here this morning," she began. "As you all know, there has been an disturbing increase in attacks on muggles and muggle-born wizards. We have received new intelligence revealing the source of these attacks," she informed them and then pointedly looked at Malfoy.

"My father," he said quietly. It was more of a statement than a question. Samantha nodded.

"We believe he will try to find a way to retrieve Voldemort from the hell dimension."

"How do you know this?" Ron asked. "We've no evidence of Lucius' involvement."

"We have our sources," Samantha said simply.

"What kind of sources?" He was suspicious.

"Sources which do not concern you," she replied, clearly annoyed with Ron.

Before Ron could get himself into trouble, Harry spoke. "What does that have to do with us?"

"The Ministry has decided to create a task force whose specific responsibility would be to track down Lucius and his cronies."

"I thought you were the one appointed with the task of finding Lucius," Malfoy said.

"I was," she replied bitterly. "The Ministry, in its infinite wisdom," she continued angrily, "is of the opinion that the mission has become too great for one person only. I have been assigned the charge of training you lot to become Schola Aurors."

"Schola Aurors?" Hermione asked. "I thought they were only a myth." So did Harry.

"I assure you, Ms Granger, they are not."

Since his Auror training, Harry had heard whispers and rumours concerning the Schola Aurors. According to the scuttlebutt around the Ministry, the Schola Aurors were well versed in many forms of Dark Magic and used these in order to obtain intelligence and carry out captures, which would be impossible through legal means. He had also heard they had a licence to wield the Unforgivable Curses.

"So what you're saying is that the rumours are true?" Ginny asked.

"Not all the rumours. Contrary to popular belief, we are not 'licensed' to use the Unforgivable Curses. We may use them and the authorities will look the other way. However, if the public ever discovered the use of the curses, we would be officially disavowed. The Ministry wants no loose ends." They shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"I will not lie to you. The Schola Aurors tread a very fine line between what is legal and what is not. More oft than naught, you will have to bend the rules to suit the specific situation but the rules can only bend so far. Occasionally, you will be obliged to break them. It is during those time you will be the most vulnerable. Once you cross the line, you will be on your own. The Ministry will save its own neck before yours but I assure you, that the risk is worth the rewards. Schola Aurors, ensure order by capturing wizards who pose a clear threat to the muggle and wizarding worlds. Without us, many innocent people would die," she said.

"Of course, you have the option to refuse this invitation. It is strictly on a volunteer basis."

Harry looked about the room. It was obvious Samantha's admission began sinking in. Could he 'cross the line'? What if he did? There's a chance he would be sent to Azkaban. But, by being a Schola Auror, he could put Lucius away. He could do some good.

After a few minutes of silence, Malfoy spoke up. "I'm in, Samantha," he said smiling. "Seems right up my alley, being a Slitheryn and all."

Samantha nodded and turned to the others. "Well? What of you four?" No one answered. "Now, I know you Griffindors are so fond of your precious rules," Samantha goaded, causing Malfoy to snigger. She shot him a cold and piercing glance and Malfoy immediately quieted. "Why not live on the edge?" she asked. Samantha leaned on the wall and crossed her arms across her chest, waiting for an answer. "No? Alright then." She began putting away the documents she had placed on the table. Once she was done, she turned to leave.

"Wait," Harry called out, stopping her dead in her tracks. Samantha faced him. "I'll do it," he said. She acquiesced.

"Right then. I gather I'm in as well," Ron said. He shrugged and looked at Harry. "What have I got to loose?"

"Ladies?" Samantha asked.

"I did just request active duty. You can't get more active than this. I'm in as well," Hermione replied. Ginny was the only one left.

"Well, who am I to break a Griffindor trend? Count me in."

"Brilliant," Samantha said and Harry noticed a small smile grace her lips. "You have fifteen minutes to meet me in the gymnasium. Please change into the appropriate attire. You will find what you need in your individual cabinets."

Samantha prepared to leave and was almost out the door before she stopped and deliberately looked at Malfoy. "And Draco," she began softly. "If you are ever late again, I *will* make you regret it." Her tone of voice sent a cold shiver down Harry's spine.

***

A/N: Please, please, please review! There is more to come.

Thank you to Lady FoxFire who provided me with my one and only review. I do appreciate it.