Auror Wing, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic
In his time as Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour had made many enemies. Therefore, it was difficult to determine who exactly wanted him dead.
More informatively was how the Minister had died. An assassination by poisoning, disguised as a terrorist attack. For one thing, Harry couldn't rule out the possibility that the Minister's murder and the poisoning of the guests were parallel, but unconnected events.
Then there was the attack on Potter Manor. His home.
Sirius had been found quickly, with Nipsy popping in as soon as the commotion started dying down. To everyone's shock, he had just been stunned, and a simple ennervate charm had him back on his feet, shouting warnings about Death Eaters.
The attack on the manor appeared to be simple. Many of the remaining Light and Light leaning Neutral Houses in one location. With the Wizengamot in turmoil, it would have been quite straightforward to elect sympathetic regents for the vacant seats and, so doing, gain complete control over the Wizengamot for the Dark.
Yet they had the opportunity to murder Sirius, arguably the single most valuable champion for the Light in the political sphere, and had refrained from doing so.
Harry was a large man. Broad shouldered and muscular, he had to stoop and bend his knees to ensure he was fully covered by his father's invisibility cloak. After cursory testing in the Manor, Harry knew that Granger's eye could not see through his father's cloak.
As such he was skulking behind the party of Aurors as they escorted the captured Death Eaters to the Department's holding cells. He often stumbled, the combined effort of remaining stooped like a hunchback and keeping part of the cloak trailing to cover his boots meant that he constantly tripped himself on the hem.
Finally, they stopped in lockup, Harry dodging and weaving as Aurors milled around, escorting the many captured Death Eaters into their temporary lodgings. Harry's magically enhanced vision followed Granger and Fairview as they escorted Corban Yaxley into an interrogation room. The second interrogation room held Diggory, a female Auror Harry did not recognise, and Reginald Montague, brother to the Ministerial Nominee.
Taking careful note of the Aurors' movements, Harry slipped into the closing door of Interrogation Room One.
"I always knew you were a piece of shit, Yaxley," Fairview started. "But I never realised you were a Death Eater. I thought you'd have some sense… but here we are."
"How are your kids, Fairview?" Yaxley grinned. "Mary's visiting her grandmother, right? That muggle filth? A house without wards can be a dangerous place for a young witch… why… anything could happen…"
Hermione held a hand out to forestall Fairview's rage.
"Get the Veritaserum."
"No suspect may be interrogated through means of Veritaserum unless suspect is under due suspicion." Yaxley cited with a jeer. "I thought you were smart, Granger? Then again… can't be that smart… a mudblood in the DMLE… Not exactly the safest place for your kind…"
"Tell that to Savage and Proudfoot." Hermione said, unaffected.
"You were wearing Death Eater garb, asshole." Fairview seethed. "That constitutes due suspicion in my book!"
Yaxley tutted.
"People v. Applecore, 1981. Being found with suspicious regalia does not constitute grounds for due suspicion. Do try to do your job, Fairview."
"You were attacking civilians with Unforgivable curses!" Fairview roared, slamming his fist down on the oak table.
"I was under the Imperius." Yaxley feigned swooning. "Why, I had no control over my actions! I could see everything I was doing, powerless to stop myself! Oh… the humanity!"
"You can't prove that!"
"Burden of proof lies with the accuser." Yaxley sneered.
"Fairview… get some air." Hermione said quietly, preventing another burst of emotion.
Hermione took her time, sliding into the wooden chair across from the Death Eater.
"Fair wand, grim wand?" Yaxley snorted. "You really think that will work on me?"
"Departmental guidelines state that in the event of interrogating suspected enemy combatants, due force is allowed."
Yaxley's jaw worked for a moment.
"You're going to torture me?" He scoffed. "Hermione 'knotted-knickers' Granger? You wouldn't take a shit if it wasn't specified in departmental guidelines."
"Then it's fortunate for me," She slowly drew her wand from her sleeve. "That Departmental guidelines very clearly instruct how… advanced interrogation is to be conducted."
Yaxley tensed.
"Guidelines you know quite well, don't you, Corban?"
"Keep my name out of your filthy mouth." He spat, a glob of mucus narrowly missing Hermione's chest and landing on the table. "DMLE guidelines state that a certified healer must be present to prevent undue injury. Suck on that, mudblood garbage."
Hermione calmly, surgically, removed a round medallion from her inside pocket, sliding the certified healer's pendant across the table towards Yaxley.
"I think you'll find, Corban…" Her voice was dangerously low. "Underestimating a lowly mudblood like me can have very painful consequences…"
Drops of sweat broke out on Yaxley's pale face.
"Granger!" The door burst open. "Director's here, asking for a debrief, now!"
"It can wait."
"Not by the looks of him!"
Hermione stood slowly, retrieving her healer's pendant.
"We'll continue this later." She turned, stopping just before she left the room. "See you soon, Corban. I'm looking forward to our chat."
"You'll be too late."
The hall was quiet outside, most of the Aurors having left for home.
Yaxley leaned back in his chair, letting out an uneven breath as he relaxed. Excepting the latter half of the interrogation, he thought that went rather well. He pressed his right thumb against the brass button on his left sleeve, feeling the button cool quickly. A second group of the Dark Lord's servants would be making their way to the ministry soon. He just had to hold out until they arrived.
With any luck they'll find no resistance except for Granger's toadies, already tired from the night's battle.
Yaxley stiffened as the room filled with a low buzzing. As far as he knew, silencing charms were forbidden in interrogation rooms. A rustle of fabric, like opening heavy curtains came from behind him.
The cartilage in his nose cracked as his head was slammed into the heavy wooden table.
"Fuck!" He cried out, blood gushing down his face. "Departmental guidelines forbid the use of-"
He felt the bone of his eye socket crack as an iron knuckled fist connected with it. His vision darkened as the shards of bone cut into his darting eye.
Fingers of magic dug into his skull, thrusting the bone fragments and blood back into place.
A variant on the mending charm, knitted flesh and bone back into place, even pulling blood back into the body. It could heal any wound as long as it wasn't near fatal, but alleviated no pain while doing so.
Harry knew the charm intimately.
"W-what do you want?" Yaxley gagged.
Harry's legilimency probe slammed against Yaxley's mind, but his vision flashed with black and green.
"The Dark Lord protects what's his!" Yaxley tried, desperately. "Go now, and he might still spare you!"
Harry slammed his fist into the side of the man's face, feeling teeth shatter and dig into the flesh of Yaxley's cheek. With his other hand Harry twisted his fingers through the man's thick, blonde hair, holding him in place. He sent three, increasingly heavy blows into the Death Eater's face, stopping to heal the man once again when his jaw snapped.
"What do you want!?" Yaxley sobbed, hands feebly pushing at the vice grip that held his head. "Just tell me!"
He screamed as Harry snapped three fingers on his right hand.
"I want answers." Harry rammed his fist into Yaxley's broken hand, pinning it to the table. "Why did you attack Potter Manor?"
Yaxley screamed.
"Answer me!" Harry bellowed. He ground his fist down hard, causing fragments of bone to push out through the ruined flesh.
"We weren't there for Potter!" Yaxley rasped through ragged breaths.
Harry released the pressure, allowing the wizard to cradle his mangled hand. With a flick of his wand, Harry sent Yaxley into another fit of screams.
"Then why?" He demanded, voice low and dangerous.
"For Granger! And Riddle!" Yaxley's voice was hoarse and gravelly from the strain of screaming. "Riddle first, to get him out of the running for minister!"
"And Granger?"
"She's too high up!" He panted. "She'd come down too hard on the Dark Lord's followers."
"And why leave Black alive?"
Yaxley broke out into heaving sobs.
"I can't!" He cried. "They'll kill me! The Dark Lord will kill me!"
Harry slammed his gloved hand into the man's mouth to stop his blabbering, pulling him closer by his jaw.
"I won't kill you." Harry whispered. "But I will break every bone in your body until you tell me… And if you haven't told me by the time I crack your skull… I will heal you… and begin again."
Yaxley pressed his eyes closed, sobbing as Harry threw him to the floor, still magically bound to the chair.
He slammed a booted foot down on Yaxley's leg, breaking his knee at the joint.
"I can do this all night."
The door exploded. Harry rolled as splinters of wood scattered through the room. The Death Eater in the door started as he saw Harry's feathered Cloak. Not giving him time to recover, Harry leaped up and sent the man sprawling to the ground with a flying kick.
"Help!" The scream tore from Yaxley's ragged throat. "I'm in here!"
Harry silenced the man with an overpowered stunner. He turned, counting thirteen dark robed Death Eaters scattered throughout the hall, dead or dying Aurors decorating the floor in red robed bunches.
A Death Eater noticed him, shouted, and flung a spell his way. Harry lifted his cloak, feeling the spell splash against it, and darted forward, spinning to slam his foot into the man's knee, snapping it backwards. A blow from his fist felled the man as a spell slammed into Harry's side, cutting through the flesh. Cursing his inattentiveness, Harry sprang forward, ducking into the open doorway of the nearest room.
"It went that way!"
"I'm not going in there!"
Harry whipped his wand from its holster, quickly healing the wound in his side. He grabbed and downed a Pepper Up potion to stall his fatigue, then flipped his cloak around so that the invisibility cloak was facing outwards. He'd have to be careful. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if it got damaged. With a flick of his wand, the lamp lighting the room burst.
"Fine! I'll bloody check it!"
Harry pressed himself into the corner of the dark room as the Death Eater entered, wand lit and held out ahead of him. Harry slipped out of the room into the hallway, careful to keep himself completely covered.
"There's… there's nothing here!"
Harry chose his next target carefully, rushing quietly down the hallway, taking the lamps on the walls out as he went.
"Whatever it was, it fled. Let's get Yaxley and do the same!"
"What's happening to the light-"
With a quick blow to the man's throat, the Death Eater collapsed.
"What was- Someone's down back here!" The voice was panicked. "Fuck! It's Montague!"
"He's not ennervating! We'll have to levitate him out."
Harry dashed from his hiding place, passing inches from the group of investigating Death Eaters. He stuck out his arm, clotheslining the nearest robed figure. The woman went down with a yelp. A banishing charm sent another flying into the stone wall with a crack.
"It's still here!" A Death Eater cried out, voice breaking.
"Stay together!" Another called. The remaining nine Death Eaters stood back to back, wands lit and held out ahead of them as the last few lamps shattered, leaving the hall in total darkness.
Harry jumped, using the wall as a springboard to get above the group, whipping a blasting curse to the floor beneath their feet. The brickwork exploded, sending them screaming to the floor. With a quick blow to the head and a boot to the face, Harry ensured only Seven got back up.
"It's picking us off one by one!" The remaining Death Eaters threw out spells and curses recklessly, blasting holes in the walls and sending fragments of stone flying.
Harry ducked, sliding across the floor to avoid errant curses and debris. Taking cover around a corner, Harry took a moment to catch his breath, and flipped his cloak back around, protective side outward. In the darkness, the black feathers were as good as invisible already. He gathered his nerve.
"Screw Yaxley!" The Death Eater's voice shook. "Screw Montague! I'm getting out of here!"
"You're not going anywhere." Harry's voice echoed through the room.
Seven lit wands swirled around, trying to illuminate the whole floor at once.
"Lumos Maxima."
The bright flash of light blinded the Death Eaters momentarily as Harry dashed forward, leaping forward to send a Death Eater crashing to the stone floor, head first. Harry jumped, using the upward momentum to strike another Death Eater on the chin, lifting him clean off his feet.
Rushing through the long hallway, Hermione cursed their luck. It was downright unheard of for Death Eaters to attempt to rescue captured comrades. With Diggory and Fairview guarding the Director, she had to pray that some of the guards were still fighting. Her eye gave her the advantage, but until she came near enough to the cells, she wouldn't be able to see what the situation was.
Auror Hattrick's Rabbit patronus had found her in the Director's office, uttering only a panicked 'Death Eaters on the Detention floor-' before fading. From this distance, she could tell there was a fight going on, but couldn't make anyone out. It was like someone had drowned the whole floor in shadow.
A curse slammed into Harry's stomach as he rounded on the last three Death Eaters. The withering curse began slowly eating away at his robes, and the skin underneath, revealing an ever growing patch of flesh. He slashed his wand sideways, hurtling another Death Eater into the wall.
A string of weakening curses splashed harmlessly against his cloak. He spun, cracking the nearest Death Eater's mask with the force of his kick. He was already seeing spots. He pulled his cloak protectively over himself, downing another potion. The cursed wound would require special healing, but the blood thickening tonic would stem the bleeding. The last Death Eater sent curse after curse splashing feebly against the feathered cloak.
Harry stood to his feet slowly, deliberately, his spectrespecs making his eyes glow like a demon's in the darkness.
"What are you?!" The Death Eater screamed, backing away. His back hit the wall. Claws slashed the tendons of his wand hand, making him cry out as he dropped it. A hand grabbed his throat, lifting him against the wall. He pointed his toes to remain on the ground.
"I am wrath." Harry's voice was strained.
With a last hammer fist blow, the Death Eater toppled. Harry gasped, hand to his side as he turned to flee.
"Stop!" Granger's voice.
"I-I told you… to stay-"
"Stay out of your way, yes!" Granger held her wand out to the side, intentionally pointing it away from him. She drew something from inside her robes. A healer's pendant. "You're injured. I can help!"
"Cursed wound." Spots danced in his vision.
"Let me help you!"
"Let me leave."
"Why did you stop them!?" Granger stepped in front of him, eyes boring into his mask, searching. "Why poison the ministry ball, just to turn around and stop a Death Eater raid?! It doesn't make any sense!"
Harry shoved past her, wincing as the wound in his side jolted.
"Give me some answers, or so help me I will drop you!"
Harry paused, turning his head.
"We are on the same side, Auror Granger."
"Prove it!"
Harry turned back walking towards the exit.
"The poisoning was a distraction." He said quietly. "To cover up an assassination. The Minister was the sole target."
"How could you possibly know that? Everyone had the same champagne?"
"Except the Minister's champagne wasn't poisoned. His potions were."
"What? What do you-"
Light flashed, blinding her for a moment. When her vision returned, the man was gone. She whipped her wand around, but wasn't surprised when she didn't find anything.
"Take a closer look at the Minister's potions…" The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.
Crouching under his invisibility cloak, Harry stealthed from the room.
Stars shone brightly against the night sky, just beyond the window. Despite his father's death, Malfoy manor was… occupied… so Draco lived in a cottage outside Hambleden with his wife. Magically expanded with six bedrooms and a large dining room, they were by no means roughing it. Tonight, Draco watched the stars silently.
"You coming to bed soon?" Astoria asked. "I- well, I would like not to be alone."
She drew the blanket around her shoulders tighter.
"Yes.'' Draco said, kissing his wife gently. "I'll be right up."
"Don't be long." She whispered.
He turned back to the window,
His allegiance to the Dark had been… slipping… for a while now. It began in his sixth year at Hogwarts, where had been forced to take the Dark Mark as a punishment for some 'misdeed' his father had perpetrated in the Dark Lord's eyes.
Recently, he had been cursing his father more and more for dragging him down with him into the Dark Lord's service. Unlike those recruited, as one of the Chosen, Draco had not needed to do the initiation to join the Death Eaters' ranks. The Dark Lord had always considered him to be his.
In a way he was deeply affected by his father's death. He had mourned, at first, but increasingly he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He did not want to serve the Dark. He never had.
He could think of only one way out of the Dark Lord's service.
He would speak to Professor Riddle. No one who served the Light knew more about the Dark Arts than he did. His mind made up, Draco drew the curtains, and made his way to the bedroom.
The morning found Harry biting down on a leather strap, lying prone on his workshop table.
"Stop squirming." Sirius chided, using a pipet to apply another drop of Negation Oil directly to Harry's exposed flesh. The liquid bubbled and hissed as it evaporated.
"'M n'd shkmng!" Harry bit down harder on the strap as Sirius applied another finger of Healing Salve. His skin stretched and pulled, covering another small patch of flesh.
"Nasty business, withering curses." Sirius clicked his tongue, repeating the process as Harry writhed from the pain.
Immediately after Harry got home, he downed a powerful healing potion to counteract the effects of the curse, then stumbled halfway to Sirius' room before passing out. There Sirius had found him, with a gaping wound the size of a plate, oozing pus. After two hours, they'd managed to reduce the wound to the size and shape of Sirius' thumb, ugly scarring now where Harry's flesh had rotted away.
After a final, agonising stretch of time had passed, the healing was done.
"Fuck." He gasped, covered in sweat, and ran a hand through his matted hair.
"You okay, kid?"
"I'll live. Thanks to you."
"I might not agree with what you're doing," Sirius placed a fond hand on his godson's shoulder. "And I don't. But I'll always help when you need me."
Harry gingerly sat up, wincing as his still freshly grown skin pulled.
"Speaking of which…" Sirius handed him a silver locket.
"I'm flattered. Does it match my eyes?"
"I made it," Sirius continued, unperturbed. "Based on something your dad and I made in school. The mirror inside is linked to one I'll keep with me. So we can talk while you're out, and I don't need to worry my wrinkled ass off every time you come home late."
"Thank you, Sirius." Harry said earnestly. "I- this means a lot."
Tapping at the window drew their attention. A gorgeous snowy owl tapped her beak against the glass, a letter tied to her leg.
"I'll fetch the bacon." Sirius said.
Harry let the owl in, stroking her head as he scanned the letter. Sirius returned, feeding the owl a rasher.
"Astoria's invited me for lunch again."
"Oh! Good. You'd better get dressed then."
"I've got some time yet." Harry cast a quick cleaning and refreshing spell over himself. He scratched out a quick reply, then let the owl back out. An inexplicable sense of loss hit him as he watched the snowy owl fly away, a feeling of something precious to him missing from his life. He shook the feeling off, turning back to his godfather. "I've a stop to make before I go."
"Oh?" Sirius lifted an eyebrow. "Where to?"
"The ministry." Harry said, tugging a black buttoned shirt over his head,
"Why?" Sirius frowned.
"That damned Ledger." Harry sighed. "I need to establish an alibi before it updates."
"Ah."
"What will you be doing today?" Harry asked as they walked to the fireplace together.
"I've got Bill and Fleur Weasley in from Greece to redo the wards."
"Make sure they add a redundant recognition circuit-"
"That accounts for entering through fireplace travel." Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know. You've only reminded me a hundred times."
"Sorry." Harry winced. "I-I just feel so vulnerable. Being attacked in the manor…"
"Things haven't exactly worked out as expected for us since we've returned to Britain. But we knew there'd be challenges and setbacks. A one man war on the most powerful Dark Wizard since Grindelwald was never going to go as planned. "
"You're right. 'Stick your nose the way the sun's rising', right?"
"Harry," Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you. You know that, right? And… your mum and dad, well, they'd be proud too."
"Thanks." Harry smiled, then drew his godfather in for a hug. "And they'd be proud of you too. You make a pretty great dad, Sirius."
Harry grinned over his shoulder, then vanished in a flash of green fire.
One stop later, he walked quickly over the black tiles of the Ministry Atrium, dress shoes clicking on the polished floors. By all accounts, his alibi was now already set, but he had a much better, more public idea.
"Harry Potter here." He declared, flashing the attending guard a smile. "Can you point me to the DMLE?"
"Right this way, mr- Lord! Lord Potter." The guard leapt up, much to the displeasure of the line of visitors waiting to be allowed entry.
Hermione sighed as her magical eye found Harry bloody Potter laughing and joking with her Aurors.
"Good morning, Mr Potter." The clamour died to a low rumble.
"Auror Granger." He stepped forward and bowed formally. "I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for your defence of my person and property, and those of my guests last night. House Potter is in your debt."
"I-" Hermione blanched. "Don't mention it."
A round of surprised laughter moved the crowd. Harry produced a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of firewhiskey.
"My sincerest thanks." Potter flashed a smile.
After a moment's consideration, Hermione waved her arm.
"Step into my office?"
"Looking for a more private setting?"
"Something like that."
Harry settled against the closed door while Hermione leaned against her desk.
"Nasty scar you've got there…" She noted with a nod at his abdomen.
"Are you going to make a habit of looking under my clothes?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Potter." She quirked a twisted smile.
"Withering curse hit me at the Manor last night."
"I hadn't noticed…" Her eyes narrowed.
"Neither had I really." Harry ran through his cover story in his head. "The bastard must've been weak, because we only noticed an hour later. Had to rush to find a healer."
"You must know a good healer. Withering curses are notoriously difficult to treat."
"Only the best I can afford." He winked.
"And you can afford quite a lot…"
Harry shrugged uncomfortably.
"You're very… fit… for a noble, Potter."
Harry looked at her strangely.
"Okay, you've lost me." He frowned.
"A man, disguised in a heavy cloak and robes, broke into the ministry last night… and sustained a very similar injury as you did. I saw it happen myself."
"How do you know it's a man?" Harry frowned.
For a moment, Hermione paused, her cheeks reddening slightly.
"The Director has decided to name the assailant a Chimera." She continued as if nothing happened. "He says that at this critical juncture it is important not to frighten the populace."
"I still don't understand what this has to do with me."
A knock on the door interrupted the reply Hermione had prepared.
"Sorry, chief," Fairview held out a letter. "It's from Longbottom."
Hermione snatched the letter up, tearing it open with quick efficiency.
"We'll have to continue this discussion later, Potter." She said, snatching her cloak from her chair. "Hold the fort, Fairview. I'm heading out."
"I'd best be on my way too." Harry said, moving aside as Hermione rushed past.
"Need a guide to find the exit?"
"I think I'll manage." Harry grinned.
As they left the office, Harry flicked his wand, switching a vial in his pocket, wrapped in his invisibility cloak, with a quill from Hermione's desk. The vial clinked as it rolled to a stop on the desk, the swirling silver smoke of a memory behind the glass.
Harry waved at Fairview as the Auror watched him leave making his way to the elevators.
In a hallway adjoining the Department Entryway, Daphne cursed her luck looking carefully up and down the hallway. The Unspeakable Exit had dumped her right in a ministry bathroom on the DMLE level. Swearing quietly under her breath, she vowed to take a look at the ward scheme herself when she returned from lunch.
She kept her eyes straight forward, speedwalking to the elevator gate.
"Hold that please!" She insisted as the brass gate began sliding closed. She stepped inside quickly, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks."
"Daphne?"
She froze.
"Potter," She turned her head to face him. They were alone. Panic gripped her. She had planned to talk to Astoria about her findings on the enchanted parchment. Enchantments she had triple checked. "Hi. Why are you in the DMLE?"
"I could ask you the same thing." He laughed easily. "I came to thank the Aurors for saving me at the manor last night. You?"
"I was visiting a friend." Her head spun as she thought of anyone she knew in the Auror department. "Cedric Diggory."
"That so?"
"As a matter of fact it is."
"You seeing Astoria for lunch?"
"Aren't you curious." She quirked an eyebrow.
He held his hands up in surrender.
"Just thought we could walk there together."
She spun around, taking a step closer to examine him. He grinned.
She turned back around, hearing him laugh softly behind her. Her cheeks pinked. If even Potter could tell she was off balance, she needed to regain control of the situation. "Potter, why were you in the ministry on the sixteenth and seventeenth?"
"Well, the portkey brought me here…" He frowned. "And then the Wizengamot thing was the next day."
"I didn't see you in the Hall."
He shrugged, beaming. "It's pretty Dark in there, isn't it?"
She seethed, forcing her traitorous lips not to smile. He didn't look even remotely ruffled.
"I think I will take you up on your offer, Potter."
"Hm?"
"I could use a walk."
"Oh. Good. Yeah, me too."
The elevator gate opened. She righted a fold in her jumper and stepped confidently out into the atrium. For a moment, she wondered why looks and whispers seemed to be following her.
Then, as if with perfect clarity, she saw herself leaving the elevator, looking slightly flustered, with Potter alone following after her. If not for her cosmetic charms, she was sure she would have glowed.
Heedless of the stares and giggles, she made her way to the Muggle London exit. When Potter made to join her in the phone booth, she pressed a hand to keep him out.
"Something wrong?"
He had no reason to smile like that. Like he was playing some inane joke.
"You can take the next one."
"There's loads of room." He rolled his eyes long-sufferingly. "But if you're that bothered, I can wait."
He stepped back, giving her an encouraging nod.
She hesitated.
"Fine." She relented. Standing in the far corner as Potter stepped in.
"Thank you kindly." He leaned against the opposite wall, waving both arms in the space between them. "See? More than enough room."
"I am warning you Potter." She did everything in her power not to smile. "I will push. You. Out."
Harry laughed as they ascended to street level.
Before exiting the lift, Daphne steeled herself. She waved her wand in a figure eight, causing a quick, purple flash.
"What was that?"
"It's an eavesdropping charm." She explained. "Anyone listening will just hear mundane conversation. It's what, uh, what I use for work."
"It makes sense. Being an Unspeakable would necessitate some things needing to go unspoken."
Daphne missed a step, the toe of her foot snagging on a crack in the sidewalk. Potter caught her before she could fall.
"How- How could you possibly know that?"
He grinned mischievously.
"Astoria said you're a spell researcher, but you referenced the exact dates I appeared in the Ministry, which means you had to have checked the Ledger, making you a ministry employee. I guessed you were most likely Unspeakable, since I haven't seen you in the DMLE before today."
"That is infuriatingly well reasoned."
"I can't help you're infuriable."
"I want answers." She rounded on him. "Why enchant research notes?"
"I needed DMLE files. They would have noticed too quickly if they weren't distracted, so I created a diversion by being seen in the DoM. While I was there I nicked some research notes on death and resurrections. I enchanted the parchment so you wouldn't figure out what I took too quickly."
"Merlin." She breathed. "Razor has been searching for his notes for a week now."
"I can give them back." He shrugged. "I've already made copies."
"Our parchment is spelled anti-replible."
Harry snorted.
"Trivial to remove."
Daphne sniffed.
"I'll have you know I worked very hard on that charmset."
"Should've accounted for inlaid grafting."
"Why would I- oh."
"You're welcome."
"Who are you?" She demanded. "Fourteen years ago my friend is exiled from Magical Britain, and doesn't Owl even once. In that time all I see of him are interviews, and broom races and- and swimsuit calendars! Now you're back and you're what? A thief? With a level of understanding on wards and charms and enchantments that would take anyone decades to get?"
"Did you like the trunks?" He replied nonchalantly. "I preferred the thong myself."
"I feel like I'm losing my mind!" She cried out.
"Ok." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Ok. If I owe anyone answers, it's you."
"Why, Harry?" She pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"
"Justice." Harry's face lost all hints of humour. "For my parents. For Remus. For everyone this corrupt, diseased society has hurt."
"By stealing notes and breaking into the ministry?" She frowned.
"I- I need to know what I'm up against."
"What do you mean?! Harry, you sound like a crazy person!"
"Voldemort has people on every level of the ministry. I can't fight the battles I don't know are coming."
"What battles are you fighting? Why you?"
"Because no one else was doing anything!" His eyes flashed. "It's been fourteen years since my parents' killer brought himself back from the dead. For fourteen years he's terrorised and corrupted Magical Britain. Think about that, for a moment! A well known terrorist has been at large for fourteen years, and not so much as a manhunt has been called!"
He took a moment, visibly reigning in his temper.
"I spent fourteen years preparing. Studying the most obscure branches of magic from around the world so that I can take him down properly this time. I will do whatever it takes, even if I have to hunt down his followers one by one until I find him."
"Why do this to yourself?" She pleaded. "Haven't you suffered enough?"
"I suffer so no one else has to."
"I know you think that makes you sound noble, but it really just makes you come off deranged."
He looked away, scowling.
"Harry, you're my friend. I want to help you. I can see that you're hurting, but taking that hurt and giving it to everyone else is not justice, Harry."
She took his hand in hers, bringing his attention back.
"You are just going to keep lashing out, hurting more people in this pursuit of justice, until one day you are wrong. You beat some kid to a pulp who was simply born into the wrong family, or made the wrong friends."
"The mark can't be forced on them. I've done my research."
"There are ways to compel someone to do things beyond potions and charms, Harry. Fear for your life or the life of your loved ones. Can you really fault someone for choosing the wrong side to protect their family?"
"Then you can see why what I do is necessary?" He turned back to her, eyes burning. "To make sure no one is ever forced to make that choice."
"Yes. I can."
Harry faltered.
"But you don't need to destroy yourself to do it. If you compromise your morals to fight and end this war, you just keep it alive in yourself."
Harry sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. After a moment he smiled. Daphne could have cried with relief, seeing the ever present spark of mischief rekindle in his eyes.
"You know, if we arrive late to lunch… together.."
Daphne paled.
"Astoria will never let us live it down."
"After you."
As Daphne walked ahead of him, lengthening her strides, a dark look flashed across his features, then faded again.
Tom Riddle smiled as he marked a final note in his journal. He'd had an inkling about the Room of Requirement for years, and finally found what he had hoped for.
After a quick burst of descrying charms, he lifted the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw from its pedestal. He resisted the compulsion to put the diadem on, stowing it instead in a satchel at his side.
Throughout the meal, Astoria had been levelling meaningful looks at both of them. Harry had also noticed the glares Daphne sent in reply.
"Harry, do you have plans for Wednesday?" Astoria asked casually. Too casually.
"Not at the moment… no…"
"Would you be my date for St Mungo's annual ball?"
Daphne choked on her tea.
"Not Draco?"
"I have…" His eyes took on a distant look. "A prior engagement."
The look on Astoria's face made it clear not to ask about it.
"I'd love to, Tori." He smiled reassuringly. "Do you need anything else?"
"Only for you to dress right."
"I think he can be rather dashing." Daphne interrupted before Harry could. "When he puts his mind to it."
"I'll be sure to let Sirius know that you approve of how he taught me to put my trousers on the right way round."
"I'm sure he'll be flattered." Daphne smirked.
"High praise, coming from her." Astoria noted.
"Downright extraordinary." Draco agreed.
"I'll be sure to use the memory next time I need to conjure a patronus." Harry rolled his eyes. He turned to Daphne casually. "Could you point me to the restroom?"
"Sure, it's-" She cut off, catching the look in his eye. "Rather complicated. Let me show you."
They felt Astoria's eyes burning their backs as they walked off. As they turned a corner, Harry flicked his wand, emitting a familiar, purple flash.
Daphne's eyes widened.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She hissed.
"Relax," Harry grinned, wiggling his wand. "It's untraceable."
"Stow that!" Daphne jerked her head around, checking for any eyes. "What did you do anyway?"
"It's an eavesdropping charm." He grinned.
"You did not!" She gasped. "I crafted that spell myself! I didn't even tell you the incantation!"
"Wizards never reveal their secrets." He grinned. "And since you know mine… I need your help."
"With what?"
"I'm investigating the Minister's murder. I've given it some thought, and I think you can help me."
