A/N: My extreme apologies for the delay in updating. I haven't had time to write for a very long time due to my comprehensive exams in-between my part-time job. I'll be having more time this summer (in my country, summer is from April to May) and I'm aiming to finish this fic before the July release of book 6. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll try to update the next one soon. No Hermione in this chapter, but I'm putting her on in the next one.

Chapter Twenty-Two

First Day

"Morning Weasley! You're early."

Harry didn't even think. He just hit the floor, set up a shield charm and prepared for the worst.

He and Ron waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Harry decided to throw caution to the wind and look up.

A young Auror he knew only too well was looking down at them with a mischievous grin. Harry glanced around. There was nobody there, but he knew it could be another trap. Somebody could be hiding behind the next cubicle waiting to strike.

"Relax, Weasley. It's over. You're a Junior Auror now, you're one of us." The older Auror held out a hand to him.

Harry continued to eye him doubtfully. The blond young man chuckled. "You are paranoid," he said.

Harry slowly got up the floor but kept his guard. "That's because you always take it out on me," replied Ron sarcastically.

"I also take it out on the other kids, Weasley. But you're a challenge and I always love a challenge. You almost always foil my best tricks."

"That's because I have two older brothers who can make your tricks look like child's play," Ron retorted.

"Of course, I've heard of them—Fred and George. They were only in their first year at Hogwarts when I was in my third and they already beat my reputation as best pranksters. If I wasn't an Auror I would be begging them to give me a job at their joke shop." His expression turned serious. "But come now mate, no hard feelings. Sorry if I caused you lots of trouble. Let's start fresh, shall we?"

Harry was ready to forgive, but Ron refused to lower their eyebrow. "Are you sure there are no more jokes, Kelley?"

"Auror's promise. And call me Edward. We're colleagues now and we're on the same team. Best one there is in my opinion, but don't go spreading that around. Moody heads it so we get all the top cases. Right now, the Malfoy hunt is up so we get that one."

Harry relaxed and he felt Ron did as well. "How many of us are there?"

"Seven, including you and your new partner. Normally, they keep it even, but since Shacklebolt died, they haven't found a replacement. I think they did that out of respect for him. He still comes in occasionally when we brainstorm for strategy but he's not officially part of the team anymore. You'll get to meet the rest later. Right now, my task is to introduce you to your new space."

Kelley led them to a cubicle fitted with a new yellow label and blue lettering that said: WEASLEY, R.

"Make yourself at home. I'll see you later at the meeting." Kelley said before turning to work on some papers at his own cubicle.

"So this is it, Harry. Our own little laboring corner."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. He noted the bare cork board and the slightly dusty desk distastefully. He'd take deadly assignments anytime rather than stick around and do reports here. He knew eventually he and Ron would have to do some paper work. He just hoped it wasn't that frequent. The less time he and Ron spent time on this desk the better.

Ron stowed their small bag including their Assault Training Guide Book and copy of Ethics for Aurors at one of the larger drawers and took out their wallet. Harry was puzzled for a moment, until Ron pulled out two pictures they kept there: one was of the entire Weasley clan and the other was a picture of himself, Ron and Hermione playing in the snow. Ron tacked both pictures on the board.

"Might as well make it personal, Harry. All the other Aurors seemed to do that anyway. Something positive to look at when this board gets filled with Death Eater pictures we're supposed to be hunting."

Harry silently agreed with him. His eyes trained at the giggling picture of Hermione whose hair was being whipped by the wind while she tossed handfuls of snow at picture-Ron's head. Harry wanted to turn away from her image, but Ron kept his gaze. Harry struggled to keep his feelings in check, but he gave in as Ron's emotions poured into him. Ron missed her and longed to be near her as much as Harry did.

"She's coming home in less than three weeks. Just in time for Bill's wedding."

Ron nodded. "You know Harry, I never told her…"

Harry could feel panic rising out of him. He didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Something wrong?" He knew Ron sensed his agitation.

"Nothing."

"But you do know, right? Harry—"

"Yes, yes," Harry quickly replied. "Come on, let's go. Our first meeting with the team starts in five minutes."

Thankfully, Ron gave no further questions. They went over to Kelley's cubicle and found Tonks there.

"Wotcher Ron! We're at the conference room in two. Best to get there before everybody does."

"You're part of our team, Tonks?" Harry asked as they walked to the conference room.

"Of course. I may be a klutz but that doesn't mean I can't be part of the top team."

Sure enough Tonks bumped into stack of papers on her desk and sent them sliding to the floor. Harry and Ron moved to help her pick them up.

"Go on," said Kelley. "I'll help her. Tardiness among the new ones doesn't sit well with old Mad Eye."

"Thanks," said Ron with a genuine smile at their former tormentor.

"Wesley," the sneer greeted Harry and Ron once they stepped into the room.

"Hello Lancry," Ron sneered back before taking a seat as far away from their partner as possible.

The French boy scowled. "Look, I do not like this either. But I propose a compromise."

"And what compromise would that be?" challenged Ron. "I look out for you, while you hex me from behind? You wish, Frenchie."

The lines of De Lancre's face hardened. "Name calling? How childish."

"No more childish than what I put up with you," snapped Harry.

Bam! All three of them looked up to see the door burst open. Moody strode in with hard forceful steps followed by Tonks, Kelley and two unfamiliar Aurors. One was a man about Kingsley's age with short brown hair and squared glasses. The other was a younger slender woman early twenties with long dark flowing hair. She could have been pretty if not for the harsh expression on her face.

"You better get your bloody act together boys if you want to be on my team!" Moody barked. "I don't put up with petty rivalries. Anyone who makes trouble in this group can kiss their Auror careers goodbye. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry and Ron glared at their partner but nevertheless murmured a yes under their breath with de Lancre.

"Very well then, I trust you know Tonks and Kelley. These are Philip Fian and Diana Mackenzie. You can chitchat on your own time. Now I want some work done. Kelley, what do you have? Add a little background for our juniors."

Kelley unrolled a scroll of parchment on the table. Well as far as the Malfoy case is concerned, we've got a lead after he was spotted yesterday. Borgin still denies knowing anything about Malfoy, but I suspect he'll crack if we grill him further since he's in hot water himself. We might be able to get a clue if we find out what he's buying."

"Do you reckon he's staying anywhere near London?" asked Mackenzie who had a distinct Scottish brogue. "He can't exactly get into any of the Malfoy apartments in the city. All the Malfoy assets are frozen."

"We can't be certain," replied Tonks. "We've done a routine check on Diagon and Knockturn Alleys. We also made rounds of all magical households in the vicinity and we've got nothing. He may well be outside the city by now if he was able to access a floo somewhere or a portkey. Of course he could also be staying in a muggle place. A hotel maybe?"

Ron snorted.

"Something you want to add Weasley?" Moody asked.

"Malfoy in a muggle place? That will be the day," Ron laughed sarcastically. "Bet he's in torture right now if that were true." Harry laughed inwardly with Ron. He could just imagine Malfoy looking lost and half-scared of the normal muggle appliances around him.

"The boy's got a point," Moody acknowledged, to Ron's and Harry's surprise. "Malfoy's got too much pride, so it's most likely he's in a magical home. Of course, we could never chalk it down that he's desperate enough to swallow his pride. What about exits outside the country?"

"Checked with all international portkey and floo sites. They're locked tight. Unless he left by muggle transport or swam the length of the English Channel, he's definitely still in the country," reported Fian.

"So that's it? Just Borgin as a lead?" asked Moody.

"Yes," replied Tonks. "Ron's told me he knows Malfoy's been coming to Borgin's since he was a kid so the old man's definitely lying when he said he doesn't know him."

"Good then," Moody nodded. "I'm taking the Juniors here and teach them how to intimidate Borgin. The rest of you, check all the Muggle exit points just in case anyone saw Malfoy out."

Harry thought de Lancre didn't need a lesson in intimidation. But he and Ron didn't need it either. They had enough experience dealing with Malfoy over the years to know how to do it properly.

Moody dismissed the entire group. Harry and Ron bid goodbye to Tonks and Kelley then followed the older Auror to the detention center down the hall. They found Borgin in one of the cells.

Moody entered the cell looking more menacing than usual. Borgin immediately cowered in his seat.

"Well, Mr. Borgin, are you ready to talk? And perhaps we'll get the truth out this time."

"I already told your Aurors the truth. I don't know anything about Malfoy. I might have sold something that looked like him, but I don't remember…"

Moody turned to Ron. "This boy tells me you're lying. He says you know Mr. Malfoy."

Harry stared at the cowering man before him but it was Ron who gave him a severe look. Harry could still remember the first and only time he saw Borgin. "Draco Malfoy's been to your shop before, but let me refresh your memory. It's been several years after all," said Harry. "It was what? Six years? Oh yes, I remember. Lucius Malfoy came into your shop with his son and he sold you a couple of items that are quite illegal."

Borgin's eyes darted nervously. "I… I never bought anything illegal… not then… "

"I seem to remember you bought quite a few." He enumerated a list of items he remembered Lucius Malfoy sold that day. Borgin looked even more nervous. But he continued to shake his head.

"Oh and if my memory serves me correctly," Harry added. "You rather praised Draco Malfoy at that time for his taste in an artifact called "The Hand of Glory," an item, I believe which is in the list of Ministry prohibited objects… "

Borgin's face paled. Harry was about to go for the kill when de Lancre stepped forward and turned to the older Auror. "If you do not mind, I think Weasley and I can take it from here."

Moody looked at him in puzzlement.

"Please, allow us?" he asked in a polite manner that Harry didn't even think he was capable of.

He considered for a while, before nodding. "Alright," huffed Moody. "If you think you know what you're doing. But report back to me when you're done." He left the cell.

Harry scowled at his partner wondering what was he up to, but de Lancre merely grinned then sat next to their prisoner as if he wanted to get chummy.

"Tell you what, Mr. Borgin" de Lancre said in a most sympathetic voice. "We'll make this eezy. Tell us what you know and perhaps we can arrange something…" He gave the prisoner a dazzling smile.

"What is he doing?" asked Ron. "He knows we don't deal with criminals."

"I don't know but I don't like it," replied Harry. "Lancry!" he added out loud, but the French boy ignored him. Borgin was looking up at de Lancre hopefully.

"Alright. He came to my shop to buy a few things. But I don't know anything else. He didn't say anything, just that he wanted a few ingredients."

"What kind of ingredients?" de Lancre asked as if he was asking for the weather report.

"It was a long list."

De Lancre conjured up a quill, ink and a piece of parchment. "This might help."

Borgin hesitated and Harry knew why. If the ingredients were illegal, it could compound his own illegal possessions case.

"Mr. Borgin, we are much more concerned with capturing former Death Eaters than going after such trivial cases. I am sure that if you help us with this little thing, the Ministry might… overlook some things… if you know what I mean."

"Lancry, we don't—" Ron started to protest, but their partner cut him off.

"Don't pay attention to my partner here, Mr. Borgin. Weasley's not quite aware about informants' privileges."

"What informants' privileges!" Harry and Ron both asked.

"See?" de Lancre replied, as if Harry and Ron were a silly child. Harry and Ron continued to glare at de Lancre but their partner shot them a warning look to stay silent. "Now, Mr. Borgin, do not worry a thing." He pointed to the parchment and patted his back for encouragement. The old man looked at him and began writing.

"Is this all?" asked de Lancre when he had finished. The old man nodded. "And you don't know anything at all? Because Mr. Borgin, if you are lying about what else you know…" he added in an obvious hint of warning.

"No, no," assured Borgin. "There's nothing more I know, I swear."

"Very well, then. Thank you Mr. Borgin." He got up and nodded to Harry and Ron to follow.

"You will let me off, will you?" the man asked desperately. "I mean, for all the help I did?"

De Lancre smiled at him from outside the door. "Oh do not worry Mr. Borgin. I am sure you will get what you deserve," he said before gently shutting his door.

"WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?" Ron shouted.

De Lancre shook his head. "Wesley, Wesley… do not you know the saying: 'You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.'"

"What informants' privileges were you talking about? There's no such thing. The Ministry's still prosecuting him for illegal possession. He's not going to get out of that one! Didn't you know that?"

"Of course, I do. But Borgin does not. And we even have this," he held up the parchment. "To add to his case."

"So you just lied to him?" Harry said incredulously.

De Lancre gave a snicker. "My, my Wesley, you are thick."

"Well it's hardly ethical!" Harry protested.

"Zo what? I have this. What did you get?"

He walked on leaving Harry and Ron to fume.

Moody was extremely pleased at the results. He sent de Lancre to Department of Magical Law Enforcement who was handling the Borgin prosecution case then sent Harry and Ron with a copy of the Borgin's parchment to Auror Research Division for analysis of the ingredients.

A familiar redhead greeted them at the ARD.

"Ronald! 'ow was your first day?"

"Pretty much alright. You?"

"Wonderful. Terry and I are doing well but very busy. What brings you 'ere?"

"Got something for you." Ron gave her the parchment. "We got that from Borgin in relation to the Malfoy case. Can you tell me if you can make something out of those ingredients?"

"Alright. I will 'ave to look into it. It may take some time. I will send you a memo later if I know anything."

"Thanks, Maddy," said Harry then turned to go back into his office but Ron whipped back again.

"Harry, I'm gonna do you a favor. Hey, Maddy!"

"Yes, Ronald?"

"Ron, what are you doing?"

Ron didn't reply back, but Harry could feel him grinning inwardly. "If I'm not off to chase anything, you want to meet up for dinner tonight?"

Maddy's face lit up for a second before falling. "I am zorry, Ronald. I want to, but I cannot. I 'ave guard duty tonight."

Ronald put a face of mock disappointed. "Next time then?"

Maddy smiled. "Yes, I would like zat."

Ron waved at her before taking leave.

"What did you just do?" asked Harry.

"I thought maybe it's about time you asked Maddy out."

"I didn't ask her out, you did!"

"What difference does it make? I did it for you."

"But she thinks it's you who asked her. Besides, what did you do that for? I never said I wanted to go out with her."

"Not yet, but you will, Harry. She's a great girl."

"If you think she's so great why don't you ask her out for yourself, instead of getting me involved."

"Told you before, Harry. She's not my type."

"And you think she's my type?"

"Could be, you could look great together."

"Are you forgetting I don't have a body to look together with her?"

"Oh yeah right, I was thinking about the old you. We really should get you a body soon. Maybe we could sneak into Mortis Island when Lancry's on duty and get the Dementors to kiss him."

"Tempting, but I figure I'd hate myself if I have to see his face every time I look into a mirror."

Ron chuckled just as he reached Moody's office. His team leader looked slightly puzzled at him.

"You boys having a laugh?" he asked.

"Private joke, sir," said Harry.

"Call me Moody, Potter. Or is it Weasley? I hope you've patched things up with de Lancre."

"Er, we're… civil," Harry lied.

"And keep it that way," said Moody. "I expect you boys to work it out. Go wait for him then I'm sending you off to help out Tonks and the rest."

Something flew in from the door. It was a memo paper airplane. Harry caught it just as it neared his head and he unfolded the paper.

"The results are in from ARD. That was fast." He read it aloud for Moody's benefit:

To: Auror Investigative Division, Team 1

From: Auror Research Division

Re: Results from Borgin parchment

We managed to cross reference the list of ingredients you provided and we have concluded these elements are used for the creation of a pensieve.