Draco's Deed
The next Monday Ron and Harry sent Pigwidgeon to Hogwarts with their letters (Harry still wasn't ready to buy a new owl) and sent a memo to Kingsley to inform him of their decision. Harry didn't feel any remorse at all. While he was sitting there, staring at Avery's picture like so often in the past weeks, hoping for an idea to catch him, he realised that this was one right way. Yes, the first weeks back at the castle would be hard; but it would improve gradually. Harry didn't want ro remember Hogwarts the way it had been in May, but as the place it had been for him for six years: his sanctuary, his home, the place which had made the person he was today. And neither was he ready with it, nor did he want to wake up one day realising that he sould have finished his education. Not because of his perspective, for that was of course excellent, and he had already enough money to never have to work again as it was- no, he wanted to go through the same education which every auror had been been through, and that was what he told Kingsley when he paid them a visit shortly before lunch.
''So you'll come back?'', the Minister asked.
''I couldn't think of what might stop me'', Harry said while Ron nodded vehemently.
''Percy will be delighted'', Kingsley said with half a smile. ''Anything new about Avery?''
They shook their heads. ''It's like the earth has opened up and swallowed him'', Savage said.
''Just like the others'', Williamson grumbled. ''The single sight we got of them was when Jugson turned up in Manchester. Nothing afterwards. Zeas is still freaking out because she didn't catch him.''
Kinsley sighed. ''Well, stay at it, lads.''
Things didn't improve within the next weeks of July. Meanwhile, the trials against collaborators and Death Eaters were ongoing, which resulted in Askaban being filled from top to bottom and the recruitment of fifty new members for the Department for Magical Law Execution. They were paid from the gold found in Voldemort's Gringott's vault, as Percy told them during one dinner at the Burrow.
''I don't think we could afford them otherwise'', he said tiredly. ''Say what you want about them, but Dementors were at least cheap.''
- ''Where have they gone, by the way?'', Harry asked.
That question had been spooking in his mind for a couple of days already: Where had all those Dementors gone which had formerly guarded Azkaban?
Percy shrugged. ''To be honest, we don't know. Some have moved to other prisons- Nurmengard, for example- but not all of them. However, we haven't received any reports of Dementor attacks, so they don't seem to pose a threat at the moment.''
At the Friday the week after that dinner, Harry left the ministry already at lunch, because it was his birthday and he had, after many discussions with Hermione and Ginny, decided to celebrate it. Molly had insisted on having the party at the Burrow and Harry had hardly resisted, for although Grimmauld Place Number Twelve was now a lot more homely, the house still lacked a garden and a party inside didn't make any sense at the end of July.
Harry changed at Grimmauld Place and enjoyed an excellent meal provided by Kreacher before he prepared to leave, but Kreacher cleared his throat in an unusually nervous manner and asked him to come to the salon. Once he arrived there, Kreacher had him wait a moment before he returned with a big tapestry which he unrolled on the floor.
''Kreacher's gift, Master'', the house elf croaked and Harry could do nothing but stare at the tapestry which showed the lineage of the whole Potter family, from Linfred of Stinchcombe directly under the family badge down to himself at the bottom. Next to some of the names, there were small pieces of information; for instance next to Hardwin Potter, Linfred's son, who had brought the family to Godric's Hallow, or Iolanthe Potter, his wife who had introduced the Invisibility Cloak to the family, or Abraham Potter who had founded the American branch of the Potters. Name after name, Harry read, until he reached those of his grandparents and parents, and then he stared at his own for a long time. He had never paid his father's pureblood family much thought, but now he realised how big the heritage was which he had and he thought that he now finally understood why Kreacher constantly denied to remove the Black family tapestry. The Dursleys, he realised, were not on it; obviously Kreacher hadn't regarded them as worthy enough to appear on the tapestry, but her mother's parents were there.
''Does Master like Kreacher's gift?'', the elf asked shyly.
Harry cleared his throat lost for words. ''It's...overwhelming. Thanks, Kreacher. Thank you so much!''
- ''Kreacher would like to hang it here, if Master agrees?''
Harry shook his head silently and observed how his elf proudly placed the tapestry next to the one of the Blacks.
When Harry apparated to the Burrow, Molly was already busy with the preparations. She waved away his protests before giving him a tight hug.
''All the best, Harry.''
- ''Thanks, Molly'', he said, a little embarrassed as usual.
''Well then'', she added rather businesslike, ''the tables and benches are already positioned, but I can't raise the tent on my own and we still need to figure out something special for Hagrid.''
Because of that, they spent the next half hour or so constructing the tent, though Harry silently doubted that anyone would eat inside due to the excellent weather, and then they used 'Engorgio' to enlarge a chair to Hagrid-size before Molly went back to the kitchen to start cooking.
Harry used the opportunity to sit down on one of the benches, closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm sun on his face. Unwillingly, he had to think of his last birthday: the tense atmosphere and Scrimgeour's visit...a bloomy smell and quiet steps on the lawn. He grinned and Ginny breathed out frustratedly.
''You heard me.''
- ''Of course'', he said and opened his eyes. ''Nothing can surprise an auror.''
She snorted. ''Then why did Ron nearly fall down the stairs when I came out of the bathroom this morning?''
She kissed him softly. ''Happy Birthday, Harry.''
- ''Thanks, Gin.''
She sat down in his lap and pressed a colourfully wrapped present into his hand.
''Your mother-''
- ''Is busy cooking, so shut up and open it'', she said calmly.
Harry accepted his fate and unceremoniously ripped the present open. Ginny's gift turned out to be as a strange construction which reminded him a bit of the protections muggle children wore on their arms when they were skating.
''A wand holster'', she said. ''I wanted to give you something useful and, well...''
- ''I didn't even know something like this exists'', Harry said and finally realised why the other aurors kept putting their wands out of their sleeves. ''Thank you.''
She helped him to put it on in the right way and to fasten his wand.
''Only you can pull it out of here'', she explained.
''WHAT?''
They both gave a start because they only now realised that Bill and Fleur were standing behind them. Fleur laughed while Bill stared at them horrified until he finally realised what they had talked about. Ginny raised from Harry's lap pointedly slowly.
''Er...yes. Happy Birthday'', Bill finally said and shook Harry's hand.
One after another, the other guests arrived: all of the Weasleys, Andromeda and Teddy, Hagrid, Luna, Hermione, Neville, Williamson and Savage. Harry was confronted with a mass of presents: Ron and George gave him several of the newest Weasley products and additionally the framed cover of Witch Weekly with his face on it, Molly and Arthur new dress robes, Andromeda a book about useful household spells which Hermione immediately started to read after giving him her own present, which turned out to be the brand-new illustrated edition of Quidditch Trough the Ages. Hagrid gave him a handmade wooden model of Hogwarts which raised admiration among everyone present, from Neville he got a new Gryffindor scarf, from Luna an annual prescription of The Quibbler and from Williamson and Savage- a wand holster. Both of them smiled a bit strained as the others started to laugh loudly, but Harry fastened the holster on his other arm without hesitation; after all, he had two wands and it might come in handy to have another one as a reserve.
It was a beautiful summer evening, everybody was in a good mood, and on the radio was the final of the Quidditch World Cup, Bulgaria against Japan who had beaten the defending champions, Ireland, at the semifinals. Most of them supported Bulgaria, apart from Ron, of course, and when Krum caught the snitch after only an hour and secured a close victory for Bulgaria, he looked as if he had a bad stomach-ache.
During the post-game discussions, Kingsley finally turned up, looking as tired as usual in the last weeks, but he smiled as he shook his Harry's hand and wished him all the best. Afterwards, he gave him a two-way mirror.
''For emergencies'', he said calmly. ''Let's not pretend that we both don't know you'll be in trouble from time after time - speaking of trouble'', he moaned.
Harry looked around and realised confusedly that Paula Zeas was climbing over the garden fence at that moment and then hurried over to them. Williamson and Savage came to them.
''I do hope this is an absolute emergency'', Kingsley said.
''Draco Malfoy's at the ministry'', the small auror said. ''He says that Avery is hiding in the back room of Borgin and Burkes.''
- ''Do you believe him?'', Ron asked who had joined them with Arthur.
''Yes. Malfoy says he wanted to sell some artefacts to Borgin - some illegal dark stuff, I'd bet - and he met Avery in the back room. Avery asked him to contact Selwyn.''
- ''Good'', Kingsley said determinedly.
''How do you want us to proceed, sir?'', Zeas asked.
''The good, old way'', Kingsley said. ''Swift and strong. Put Knockturn Alley on lockdown immediately after we arrive.''
- ''That's already been arranged, sir.''
- ''Let's go'', Ron said excitedly.
They apparated directly into Knockturn Alley. While they hurried towards the door of Borgin and Burkes, more aurors appeared around them. Savage blasted the door out of the way and Harry followed him inside.
Borgin was standing behind the counter and stared at them, white as chalk.
''He's in the back room'', he wailed. ''He threatened my life, sir-''
Williamson grabbed the moaning shop owner and pulled him out of the way.
''James Avery!'', Kingsley called. ''Throw out your wand and then come out with your hand behind your head!''
For one moment everything remained silent, and then Averys wand came flying from the back room. Savage and Zeas grabbed the Death Eater as soon as he entered the room. Avery looked terrible: haggard and thin, one of his eyes was missing.
''James Avery, you are under arrest'', Savage said contendedly.