Hello all, apologies in the delay of posting the next chapter. I'm currently on a boat and the wifi is spotty. It's my goal to update this at least once a week. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!
-S
Harry spent most of the day on the couch in the living room with Ginny. Mrs. Weasley arrived home that afternoon with the news that boys would be back over for dinner that evening, and the determination that she would make all of Harry's favorites.
"You nearly scared me to death dear. You can't keep throwing yourself into these things." She said a stern look on her face, which was immediately ruined when her eyes became watery. She wrapped him a tight hug before bustling off to start dinner.
"Did I really look that bad?" Harry asked, looking at Ginny.
"Well between Ron coming home to get me drenched in your blood, and then you coming back looking like you were about to fall over. Yes, yes you did." Ginny said tightly.
Harry sighed and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry Gin, I didn't mean to scare you."
"Prat." She muttered under her breath before returning to her book.
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly with Ginny glaring at him every time he tried to take the sling off, and just after 6 the fireplace roared to life and dispensed a haggard looking Ron and Hermione.
"Harry." Ron said darkly. "We need to talk."
Ginny shot him a worried look. "Alright, let's go up to the attic. All of us, there's things you need to know as well."
They made their way up the stairs and into Ron's attic bedroom. Harry waited until Ron shut the door and cast a silencing charm.
Ron looked over at him and sighed. "Barnard is trying to paint it like you were at fault for what happened yesterday."
Ginny fired up at once, not even giving Harry a chance to speak. "That slimy little slug, how on earth can he blame Harry for what happened when Harry was the one that suggested going back for more aurors?"
"You told her what happened?" Ron asked.
Harry just shrugged. "Have you told Hermione yet?" Ron shook his head and Harry told her the same thing he'd told Ginny just that morning.
Hermione was frowning in disapproval by the end of it. "That doesn't sound like much of a plan Harry. Do these things normally happen like that?"
"Not always," Harry replied. "But it's not unusual. We've got to get to an area before they move, we have to act quickly. We'd received 3 tips in the same general area, I assumed Barnard wanted to move in before we lost him because they switch locations so often. I became suspicious when he pushed for us to move ahead with it rather than going back for more aurors, and then instead of taking point he stayed in back. None of it sits right with me"
"But you said it yourself," Ginny interjected. "There was no proof that he was a sympathizer during the war."
Ron looked at Harry. "There wasn't, but mate, how many people warned us about him? If it were one or two, I'd understand, but half of the bloody Senior Aurors?"
"Honestly though, are they actually looking out for you or trying to cover up for themselves?" Hermione speculated. "Wasn't one of the reasons Kingsley brought you in was because he thought the department was corrupt? Most of them were in their positions during the war, what did they have to do in order to stay there?"
"So, let me see if I have all of this down." Ginny huffed. "Barnard made a bad call that almost got Harry killed, and is now trying to put the blame on him. We're not sure if he's trying to kill Harry because he was a sympathizer during the war or if he really is just that much of an idiot and is now trying to save himself. And to top it off you can't trust essentially any of the higher ups in your department?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Yeah I think that about covers it." Harry said. "But what can we do? Where would we even find evidence of his movements during the war? Most of the death eaters destroyed the papers pertaining to them."
"The Muggle-Born Registration Commission." Hermione breathed.
"The what?" Ginny, Ron, and Harry all asked at once.
"It's what Umbridge headed when Voldemort took over the Ministry remember? They sent out snatchers to muggle-born homes and brought them in for 'trials'."
"Okay, but what does that have to do with Barnard?" Ginny asked.
"All of the snatchers we came in contact with we're incredibly dim. Most muggle-borns went into hiding at the start of the war if they could, so how did the Ministry find them?"
"Aurors." Harry said, realization dawning. "They're the only ones with the resources and the experience to find them."
"Exactly. And if there's one thing that Umbridge loved it was paperwork. Anyone who brought in a muggle-born was paid, there might still be a record of it." Hermione explained.
"But wouldn't that only list the name of the snatchers?" Asked Ginny.
"Possibly, but what if Aurors also brought them in? Or at least got part of the money for helping to locate them?"
"That's brilliant Hermione," Harry said. "there's just one problem. No evidence was found against any of the current Aurors in the department. Those with known connections we're tried directly after the war. Which means that even if that does exist, we don't have it, and that's assuming it wasn't destroyed."
"It's just a thought. But it might give us a starting point." She said.
"I'm not even sure where we'd find something like that." Harry admitted.
"Death eaters house most likely." Ron pondered for a moment. "Malfoy Manner, it was their headquarters during the war. It was searched after the war but only for items of dark magic."
"I'll talk to Kingsley when I go in for my interview later this week then, though I'm not sure how much we can actually tell him." Before Harry could continue on Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs.
"Harry! Ginny! Ron! Hermione! The boys are here, time for supper!"
The four looked at one another. "I don't like this," Hermione admitted. "I don't like this one bit. If anyone associated with this catches wind of what we're trying to do, I don't want to imagine what will happen. Desperate people will do anything to protect themselves."
"Well then," Harry sighed. "We better make sure no one catches wind of it." They all nodded; grim expressions etched across their faces before making their way down the stairs.
Dinner passed with Harry getting nods of approval from all of Ginny's brothers.
"I'd threaten your life," Charlie joked. "But you're so good at doing it yourself. Honestly, you make it very hard to hate you Potter. Though you better keep it in line, I have a lot of hungry dragons that would enjoy some enrichment in their diet."
Ginny shot a hex at him that he managed to miss by a mere inch. "Aw come on Ginny! Only kidding!"
Mrs. Weasley wrapped up things quickly after dinner, demanding that Harry get some more rest.
Harry and Ginny made their way up the stairs and into the room.
"So, what do you think you're going to tell Kingsley?" She asked.
"I think I'm just going to ask if I can search it again to see if we can find any details for other safe houses. I'm not sure if he'll buy it, but I don't want any chance of Barnard catching on to what we're doing."
Ginny nodded and got into bed. "I've got practice tomorrow, but I want to stop at St. Mungo's to see Dean before I go. I feel like I need to thank him for getting you out of there."
"I'd really like to go with you to practice tomorrow. I know your practices are closed but I'd feel better if I were there." Harry said.
Ginny looked like she wanted to argue but kept it to herself. "We'd better get some sleep then; we're going to have to leave early to make sure I get to practice on time."
"Come on," Harry sighed. "Say it, you'll burst if you don't."
"Fine. I don't need someone following me around 'protecting' me if that's what this is."
Harry gave a throaty chuckle; he knew she'd have something to say about it. "Mostly it's just because I want to watch you practice, I may not be as bright as Hermione, but I am well aware that you can take care of yourself Gin. Though I'd be lying if I didn't say that it would make me feel better to be there."
"As excuses go, it's not the worst one I've ever heard."
Harry and Ginny made their way down the hallway of St. Mungo's looking for the correct room, when they finally found it Harry could hear Ginny gasp in shock. Dean was laying on the bed one leg on a bed of pillows, pant leg cut off at the thigh, several what appeared to be claw marks going down his leg. His face was pale, and it was only too obvious that he was in pain.
"Dean?" Ginny said quietly, not wanting to disturb him if he was resting.
He opened his eyes and his face split into a grin. "Hey guys, Harry how are you feeling?"
"Unfortunately, better than you I bet."
"Shut up with that, if it had been anyone else taking point, they'd have been dead." Dean eyed Ginny.
"She knows." Harry confirmed.
"Just trying to break all the rules, aren't we? Not like it'll matter much in the end, I'm sure it'll be plastered across the Prophet before we know it."
"The investigation already is, and I've been informed that Barnard is trying to place the blame firmly on my shoulders."
"Like hell," Dean growled. "If it had been anyone other than you Greyback would have killed them rather than just tossing them around like he did you. Besides you knew something was off when we got there and wanted to go back. Barnard is the one that pushed for us to go through with it."
"I've got a meeting with Kingsley later this week, I'll go over all the details with him. From what the rest of the team has said, he's not happy."
"His golden child was almost killed," Dean said. "Can you imagine the field day that would happen?"
"Why couldn't you have worked at Quality Quidditch Supplies or something like that?" Ginny grumbled.
"Sorry Ginny." Dean muttered.
"You wouldn't have liked me as much." Harry said.
"Well we just wanted to check on you before I went to practice Dean. And I wanted to thank you, Harry said he wouldn't have made it out of there if it weren't for you."
"Not like he hasn't done the same for the rest of us." Dean said awkwardly.
"Still, thank you." Ginny said quietly, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "It means a lot."
They exchanged good-byes before making their way down the hall towards the fireplace.
"He's going to be okay, right?" Ginny asked concerned.
"Those are cursed wounds, the same as Bill's. So, he'll always have scarring and like his steaks on the raw side, but yeah. He'll be fine don't worry."
"Chicks dig scars."
"Don't I know it." Harry chuckled before grunting when Ginny's elbow met his stomach. "You sent and owl to Gwenog so she knows I'm coming?"
"Yes, and she wasn't happy about it either. But I made the case that you'd never been able to come to any of the open practices, and she finally relented though I have a feeling I'll hear about it today."
They made their way to the practice field and Harry found a seat in the stands while Ginny went down to the locker room to change into her uniform. He loved watching Ginny play, and was happy he was finally getting to see one of her practices. While Gwenog held open practices for friends and family occasionally, Ginny had warned him off of coming considering the sheer amount of people that showed up, she assumed, to see him.
The afternoon passed quietly with Harry watching in delight. The Harpies certainly had a good team, and Gwenog knew what she was doing. He wouldn't be surprised if they made it far that season. Halfway through the practice the team was practicing a new formation, and Harry was watching their seeker. She had a strategy similar to his when he played, to stay above the action and circle the pitch to try to maintain an equal watch over the field. She wasn't half bad and had already managed to managed to catch the snitch a couple of times.
Off to the side Harry noticed a cloaked figure coming out of the tunnels and tensed only to relax when he saw the security badge. The man pulled out his wand, and Harry became confused. Was he checking the wards? But why would he do it during practice? He lifted his wand and instead of directing it out towards the edge of the stadium he aimed it towards the players. At Ginny.
"Ginny!" Harry shouted. She turned just soon enough to miss the shot of green light heading directly toward her. Harry pulled his wand out directing it to the man who was turning towards him now.
"Stupefy!"
The man fell to the ground. The team landed on the field as Harry ran out, wand raised, towards the man.
"What do we need to do?" Gwenog asked pulling out her wand.
"Secure yourselves in your locker room, I already sent word, aurors should be here any minute."
As he said it a flood of aurors came through the same tunnel that the cloaked figure had come through.
"Potter?" An older gentleman walked up to him wand drawn.
"We need to secure the field and make sure he's alone, can you escort the players back to the locker room?"
He nodded, and Harry turned his attention to the other aurors that had arrived. "We need to secure the field and then move him." Harry moved towards the cloaked man. "Houghton!" He called to one of the aurors. "Mind keeping a wand on him. I want to know who this guy is."
"Why would he target a quidditch practice?" Burke, an older auror, asked.
"I'm afraid to know the answer, but I think I know it anyway." Harry muttered. Leaning over he pushed the hood back and heard gasps all around him.
"Rockwood."