The moment Harold entered the room again about an hour had passed and contact had been made with the muggles. Tom and Zanal - Harry had left twenty minutes ago - rose from the seats they had taken. Both of the superiors stared at the new arrival with the same question burning in their eyes.
"You were right," Harold directed his eyes at the Minister, "an energy source is necessary." The Minister grimaced with the realization that a traitor was in their midst and stepped towards the door.
"I'm in need of your assistant, Harold," he stated and the Auror frowned at him. "The Head Scientist has some explaining to do." The frown deepened as understanding dawned on the Potter.
"Gladly, sir."
"Cornelius, you can stay in my office. Ms Grelyon is aware of the situation," the Dark Lord decided and the alleged deceased Head Auror pulled out a small vial from his pocket. Taking a big gulp from it, Zanal's face started immediately contracting until he took on the appearance of Martin Doyle.
"Please keep me posted," he asked and the other two nodded before Harold opened the door. All three walked to the lift and entered it. Tom and Harold stepped of at the Department of Science while Zanal continued to the main hall. He would have to make Doyle leave again, before he could go hide in the Minister's office. It would look odd if Martin was suddenly all the time present. With a steady stride the Dark Lord moved to the Head Scientist's office and coldly smiled when he met the man's eyes.
"It has come to my attention that we'll be needing an energy source," his voice clearly gave the scientist the chills and the look in the man's eyes told him he knew he was caught.
"I can explain-!"
"Of course you can, I'm certain that you've got a magical energy source lying around here somewhere," the politician interrupted him as Harold took an intimidating stance beside him. Fellow scientists were starting to gather preferring the spectacle over their work. Alistair shot Tom a smirk as the Minister signalled the Auror to reveal the schematics of the device. The equations came as last into view and the Head Scientist's eyes automatically zoomed in on them.
"You do, don't you?" the Dark Lord asked again and Stromay took a step closer.
"The sources we have aren't strong enough." The Head Scientist glared at him, obviously knowing who had betrayed him.
"Are there other energy sources?" the Minister played along and Alistair glanced at him before turning his eyes back on his Head.
"A wizard would work. We would need a volunteer." An evil smile pulled at the Dark Lord's lips – one that promised a lot of torture if the receiver didn't go along with his plan – and he eyed the Head Scientist, who was glaring at his subordinates. None responded to the glare and an air of defeat settled over the scientist.
"I-I'll do it," he stated and Tom's smile only grew.
"Perfect, Harold," the politician turned to his school rival, who was looking at him with disapproval. "Could you get this in writing? Our volunteer will be getting an appropriate thank you gift afterwards," the Minister simply charmingly smiled at the Auror, who gave him a short nod. They both knew that Harold couldn't do anything as the Head Scientist had offered his services himself.
"Are there any other volunteers?" the Auror asked instead, but nobody responded and with a sigh he produced a small piece of paper and quill. Enlarging the gadgets he penned down the agreement and got the Minister, the Head Scientist and two witnesses, Alistair and himself to sign. By the time the Minister and the Auror left, their volunteer was already hooked to all the devices, which came alive with their new source.
"Doyle should be present during the operation," Tom stated and glanced at his boy's grandfather while the lift door opened.
"I'm sure a message can be send," Harold retorted, ignoring the underlying order and stepped forwards.
"It would be bad if someone noted… a difference," the Dark Lord continued being vague while pressing the button to his office, but the other understood him perfectly.
"I'll inform him myself," the Auror bit back as the lift started moving and the politician gave him his charming smile.
"I'll meet the two of you back at the Headquarters," Tom stated and waited patiently until the door of the lift opened again before exiting.
-THTH-
"The devices are being distributed," the witch stationed behind one of the borrowed desks announced and Harry glanced at her before aiming his attention back to the board floating in front of him. A street map of London had been drawn on it while different colours presented the different kind of transportation. Departure and arrival times floated at the spots of a bus stop, metro or train station. Taxis had been banned from the area, just like any air traffic. Medium large white circles represented their Aurors while smaller red dots where the devices being handled by muggle forces. Everything looked good but the youngster knew this probably couldn't end without victims. One of the red dots suddenly started blinking and everyone seemed to get in motion at the same time. Harry stepped to the glass orb, stopping beside Tom to get a view of the suspected dangerous area and noted a bus being directed to the side.
Harold patted his grandson's shoulder as sign that their assignment was about to start. Green eyes glanced at the Minister, whose lips grimaced while his brown eyes looked back. Their moment was quickly gone as the Auror moved away from the Dark Lord, after his teammate. They were joined by the other Aurors as they moved to a room at the back, which had been made permeable for the Aurors' magic. The two Aurors guarding the room gave them a look over before letting them enter. Everyone had been briefed that nobody was to return to the room from the outside unless they were forced by the enemy. It was a smart trap Doyle had come up with. Harold had been given the leadership of the mission and swiftly gave out orders before Apparating the four of them to the crime scene.
-THTH-
Reaching the bus, Harold signalled Harry to enter with him while the two others secured the outside of the vehicle. A cop stood in the door opening with his device blinking rhythmically. The Auror assigned to the muggle stood in the middle of the bus, doing his best to calm down the passengers.
"I'm Inspector Potter," Harold announced his alias. "Please work with us to end this quickly." The professional tone seemed to calm down a couple of the passengers. Harry motioned the muggle cop to come closer and continue his search. The device cleared the people sitting in the front of the bus and the youngster used his wand hidden in his sleeve as last check for traces of magic before handing the passengers over to his two colleagues. In the middle, opposite the second pair of doors a man suddenly jumped up and pulled out with looked like a pen. Harry immediately raised his arm and a Petrificus Totalus shot out of his sleeve before his grandfather even had a chance to react to the threat. The passengers panicked as Harold quickly draped his coat over the stiffened wizard and yelps of "the man got shot!" rose around them.
"Continue!" the youngster ordered the muggle police officer and the man quickly pushed the device from one person to the next. Harry's priority went to double checking the passengers as his grandfather kept guard at the alleged corpse. It seemed to take hours but only a couple of minutes later the two Potters where the only one left in the bus with their captive. Keeping any curious eyes from the bus with a repelling spell they revealed their enemy once more. Wands moved over the stiffened body, ending at the pen clenched in a hand.
"The safety box," the youngster mumbled as he pulled out a small box from his pocket. After enlarging it, Harold carefully levitated the pen into it.
"Take it to the Decoding squad." The youngster gave a nod in understanding and took hold of the box. Stepping out of the bus, he nodded to his colleagues and the muggle cop before disappearing from sight.
-THTH-
Carrying the box against his chest like it contained the national treasure, Harry walked to a tent carrying the police sign stationed in front of the Liverpool Street Train Station that every muggle ignored. Inside he found a man hovering around a woman sitting at a small folding table with a folding screen behind her.
'The Decode squad,' the Auror recognized them and stepped towards them.
"Yesterday was rainy, wasn't it?" the youngster said the code as the man took him in from head to toe.
"Just the same as always," the woman answered with a professional smile.
"Bad weather to fly." The extra sentence validated him as one of them and the wizard signalled him to talk to his colleague while he started patrolling at the entrance. Harry noted him casting a couple of spells from the corner of his eyes.
"We're free to talk now," the witch stated as she glanced from her partner to him. The Auror simply nodded before handing over the safety box.
"We've got one of the weapons." The woman's eyes widened as she accepted the box.
"Thanks for the hard work," she said while getting up. "I'll be transporting this immediately!" The youngster nodded. He knew the procedure and turned back to the man.
"Keep up the good work," the wizard encouraged him and let him pass. Harry immediately made his way back to his team.
"Just in time," his grandfather greeted his return. "The others are still checking the passengers, so we'll be transporting the prisoner back." His grandson's eyes watched the two paramedics behind the other Auror laying their prisoner on a stretcher before raising it manually.
"You'll be joining us?" The wizard at the feet side asked and the two Potters nodded. They followed the wizards to a nearby ambulance and watched them raise the stretcher inside before joining one of them with their prisoner in the back. The other quickly moved to the front and got behind the wheel. As they turned the corner they disappeared from the muggles' view with a yank at their navel. In a flash they stood inside a secret garage of the Ministry where their identities immediately got validated. The paramedics were quick to unload their charge and hand him back to the Aurors.
"Good luck," one of them said before they stepped back into their transportation and disappeared with a blur from their view. The two Potters watched them leave before Harold raised the stretcher with a flick of his wand and moved deeper inside the Ministry. Without saying a word, Harry followed him in the direction of the Department of Interrogation.
-THTH-
Having delivered their prisoner to the interrogators, the two Potters were making their way to the Aurors' Headquarters in silence. As they entered, their feet automatically carried them to the floating board where they stopped at both sides of Doyle.
"Two stations got hit," Martin said just above a whisper and Harry grimaced.
'We can't be everywhere at the same time!' he assured himself, but he still felt guilty.
"Any casualties?" his grandfather asked.
"Five deaths and ten wounded from being crushed by the other passengers," their team leader summarized.
'What will the muggles say happened?' Harry wondered. 'They can't say people just vaporized.'
"There will be a briefing in half an hour for the next shift," Doyle added as he eyed them one at a time. "Afterwards you can go home to sleep," Martin turned his full attention on Harry, "and please take our Minister with you." The youngster frowned.
"He didn't get any sleep today, did he?" 'Even though he promised!' His team leader simply shook his head. "I'll take him home," Harry sighed. It was going to take some convincing power to make Tom listen, but he would manage. The briefing didn't take long and the youngster was more than glad to walk out of the Aurors' Headquarters when it was over. He said goodbye to his grandfather in the lift before stepping out at the level that held the Minister's office. Abraxas was sitting at Miss Grelyon's desk and look up at his presence.
"Is Tom in?" The blond grimaced at his question.
"Take him home before he kills someone," the voice had a pleading tone.
"Is he alone?" The Auror remembered his still pretty alive boss had been hiding in the Dark Lord's office at the start of the attack. Abraxas simply shook his head and Harry gave a nod of understanding. His feet carried him to the door standing between Tom and him and knocked. It took a while but eventually the Minister opened with an annoyed look on his face, which disappeared when he recognized the youngster.
"I've come to take you home," Harry simply stated and the other raised his eyebrows at him while Abraxas snickered behind him. "You haven't slept for over twenty-four hours. You need sleep!" the Auror defended his statement, but still the Dark Lord seemed ready to protest.
"You need a clear head for what's to come next," came a quiet voice from behind the door and Tom glared at Zanal. Harry was just glad he got back up.
"I'm certain that we can keep things in check," Abraxas suddenly said from directly behind his cousin. Brown eyes turned their glare on the blond, but softened as they met green eyes. A sigh was the sign of defeat.
"You win," Tom reluctantly said and the youngster smiled relieved. The Minister really didn't look good. "Give me a moment," he retreated back into his office and closed the door.
"You did well," Abraxas congratulated him with a pat on the back.
"He gave in quickly," Harry mumbled back and the blond shrugged.
"He's tired and against every bone in his body he knows he's only human." Malfoy's words made the other shiver.
'Thank Merlin, he's only human.' His fingers moved to his engagement ring. 'Otherwise I wouldn't have this, but instead...' he didn't want to finish that thought. He did have Tom.
"This won't break him," his cousin misunderstood his actions and he stupidly blinked at him, before giving a smile.
"Of course not." The door opened again and their subject walked towards them with files in his hands. He handed to papers to his right hand man before coming to stand in front of the Auror.
"Let's go home." Harry smiled at his words and linked their hands before pulling the other towards the lift.
-THTH-
As Tom entered the living room, he could hear Harry ask Dopper if he could prepare a light meal. The house-elf was more than glad too and was gone in a flash. "Shower?" the Minister suggested and his boy nodded with a tired smile. Holding out his hand, Tom waited for the other to grab it before walking in the direction of the bathroom. Inside they slowly took off their clothes and after checking the temperature, stepped under the stream of water. The Dark Lord watched his boy enjoy the warm water and couldn't stop his hand from touching Harry's spin in the middle of his back. Green eyes glanced backwards and Tom took it as an invitation to touch more. His hand slid down as the other settled on the youngster's hip. Rubbing circles on the hip, lips descended to the skin of a shoulder and a shiver ran through the delicious body. Warm water ran over his black hair, removing any sign of the style the Minister usually wore and his lips seemed to drown in water and skin. The sound of a moan reached his ears and his boy's buttocks pressed inviting against his hardening penis.
"To-om." The buttocks started wiggling against him and unashamed he released a moan in the youngster's ear. Harry swiftly reacted and turned his head before a little unhandy claiming his lips. Knowing he wouldn't last long, the Dark Lord's hand moved from his boy's back to between his buttocks, circling the waiting twitching hole. Retreating just enough to grab his wand, he let one finger enter. His boy's voice hitched in surprise at the unprepared intrusion and he pulled it out again. Pointing his wand at the lower body before him, he started whispering the preparation's spells almost seductively in Harry's ear. Once casted, his boy leaned more forward to give him better access and he took a moment to test the readiness with his fingers before slowly penetrating him with his length. Harry moaned in appreciation and started bucking against him, taking him in entirely. Tom groaned at the sudden quick sheath and got only more aroused as green lustful eyes watched him.
He started a steady pace that the youngster met thrust by thrust. The temperature rose around them making the water only feel lukewarm. Fog clouded around them until they seemed to be lost in the clouds. The feeling of completion drew near and the Dark Lord's hand moved to the youngster's throbbing penis. A couple of strokes in time with the thrusts was all Harry needed to spill his seed and Tom joined him immediately as the walls around him tightened. Panting they leaned against the tiles until his boy indicated he wanted to turn around. Listening the other pushed his body upright and the youngster moved his body until they faced each other. Draping his arms around Tom, Harry pulled him close again and pressed their lips together.
"Now I'm really tired," he chuckled and the Dark Lord couldn't stop himself from taking those lips again. A couple more kisses were shared before their cleaned themselves and got out of the shower. While drying themselves innocent touches kept being shared and with only a towel on they moved to their bedroom. Putting on their nightwear Harry called for Dopper and asked him if they could get their dinner in bed. The house-elf was more than glad to comply and after their light meal – during which the youngster had to force the other to stay awake – the two wizards snuggled against each other under the sheets. With his cheek resting against his boy's chest, Tom finally drifted off into the darkness he had been denying himself for hours.
-THTH-
Waking up to his alarm, Tom simply tightened his arms around the body that was laying half on top of him and took a deep breath of the other's scent. Harry moved against him and a hand patted the politician's head when the restrictions didn't disappear. A protesting moan was all the youngster got for his efforts and he tried again by pressing a kiss to the black mob of hair resting against his chest. The Dark Lord raised his head and sleepy reached for the retreating lips. His boy simply chuckled at his behaviour as he stayed just out of reach.
"This is nice," the lips sighed instead before they finally let themselves be claimed. Satisfied with his conquest Tom lessened his grip and let the other escape. "Come on." A hand patted his leg. "It's time to return to the war zone, Minister," Harry said with reluctance in his voice and in a flash the politician was awake. Duty called. Slowly his tired body rose from the matrass and he could feel green eyes taking in every inch of naked skin that got revealed by the falling sheets. When he slipped from the bed, the other already stood by the door giving him a worried look. After putting on some sleeping pants Tom made his way over to him. Together they got prepared for the new day, without any romantic gestures to slow them down. It wasn't long before they stood in front of the fireplace. The Minister was the first one to enter the flames and move further to the Ministry. Arriving with only seconds between them, they made their way to the Headquarters of the Aurors to get an update on the situation. Dern still hadn't contacted them, but luckily no new attacks had been made.
"Good work everyone," Tom encouraged his employees and with a last glance in his boy's direction, turned back to the lift. Harry didn't notice him leave as he was conducting a heavy discussion with his teammates. Making his way to his office, the Dark Lord got joined in the lift by a freshly cleaned Alistair.
"Morning," came the sleepy greeting from Stromay. The politician simply nodded.
"How's your supervisor?" he questioned and the scientist had to smirk.
"He's recharging at the infirmary."
"Good, he'll be needed again," Tom nodded his approval as the lift stopped and Alistair stepped out.
"Something else, your request of testing the weapon on a wide range has failed with the current machinery, but theoretically it should be possible with the new enhanced spells of Lemauris." The Dark Lord's face darkened at that.
"I'll have Lemauris brought over." The Stromay nodded before turning around and walking to his work place. Continuing his way, Tom arrived at his office to see Abraxas talking to Miss Grelyon.
"Ah, morning my Lord," the blond called out.
"Miss Grelyon, could you find out where a Mr Lemauris is staying? And have him brought in."
"Of course," the elder woman nodded while sitting down behind her desk. Malfoy gave the woman a last look before looking back to the Dark Lord, who simply walked passed him to his office. Knowing the other was following Tom left the door open and heard it close behind him. Only with the door closed did Zanal seemingly appear out of nowhere.
"There's been no progress with the range of the weapon," Cornelius said and the Minister nodded.
"I've been informed. Mr Lemauris' being recovered as we speak."
"Good," the supposed to be dead Head Auror said.
"How went things with the muggles?" the Dark Lord continued and Abraxas took a step forward.
"Working with them has been a positive experience on both sides. We do mourn the losses," it came out very professional. The Minister nodded at this good news.
'A next time's possible.' "Has the interrogation team got anything new?"
"Not yet, but they are putting pieces of memories of different prisoners together and are confident they'll find something," Zanal answered not with a shred of doubt in his voice.
'I'll need to visit them to hurry things up,' the Dark Lord planned ahead. 'We can't let this short moment pass by.' He turned away from the others. "The two of you should go home to rest," he said before stepping away from them. "I'll take it from here."
-THTH-
An hour after their shift had started, Harry found his grandfather at the infirmary. "There you are!" he called out and the other looked up in surprise.
"Did something happen?" he questioned as he stopped in front of the older Potter.
"Just checking in on the wounded."
"There weren't any seriously injured, were there?" Harold quickly shook his head.
"The one who's worst off is the Head Scientist-"
"The Head Scientist?" Harry interrupted surprised and got a calculating look from the other.
"Yes, he's the one who volunteered as magical source for the devices."
"Volunteered?!" the youngster knew better.
"Yes," Harold simply answered the spoken and unspoken question.
'Tom,' Harry sighed. "He didn't deserve to be milked," he mumbled and the other made an agreeable sound.
"In the past he would have done worst." It wasn't a question who Harold meant by he.
'He did!' The youngster all too well knew the man he loved. 'But not as worse as what he would have done.' "We should start a petition for other candidates," the younger Potter decided and the other was quick to agree.
"We'll need them."
R&R