Pain

''Drink this, Potter.''

- ''What's that?''

- ''A calming draught.''

- ''I'd prefer something stronger.''

- ''We're on dury, Potter.''

Harry shrugged and took a sip of the yellowish drink. He shuddered, it almost tasted like Polyjuice Potion. They were sitting in Proudfoot's office while every single auror of the ministry was shouting and working feverishly outside.

''Is this really necessary?'', Harry asked, though he was already starting to feel how the horror and the pain about Williamson's death - death! - were fading.

''Shacklebolt will be here any minute and I want you to be presentable then.''

Harry bit his lip to stop himself from making a comment on how he wasn't close to a breakdown. Williamson's death was a shock to him, but he was still in the stage of fury, where he simply wanted to find and hex a Death Eater. The grief would come later - or sooner, if he had to stay as passive as he was now. Suddenly, Proudfoot straightened his back and Harry knew what that meant: Kinglsey was outside. A moment later, the door opened and the Minister entered the office.

''What exactly happended?'', he asked with his deep, calm voice.

''Potter, tell the Minister what you told me.''

- ''When I arrived, it was already over'', Harry said bitterly. ''Everything was ablaze, and nobody answered my calls. But when I used Homenum Reverlio, I felt something, so I went inside. That's how I found Zeas, and then the others turned up - how is she? Will she make it?''

- ''The healers are doing their best'', Kingsley said seriously. ''But Sectumsempra is...she's lost a lot of blood.'' He turned to Proudfoot. ''What do we know?''

- ''We're still trying to identify the two dead Death Eaters'', Proudfoot said. ''We've managed to stabilize the builiding and are raiding it right now. From what we've seen, they fought them very hard, but were outnumbered. Jameson's found the signatures of six different wands, Williamson's among them- he found no evidence that Zeas used hers.''

- ''They must have hit her at the beginning, and then Williamson was on his own'', Kingsley said bitterly.

''Which explains why he didn't call for reinforcements; he didn't get the chance'', Proudfoot said quietly.

''The other five signatures'', Kingsley asked. ''Two of them belonged to those two Death Eaters?''

- ''Most likely'', Proudfoot said. ''But we didn't find their wands, so we can only guess. Be that as it may, we definitely have at least three unknown attackers-''

- ''Selwyn, Nott, and Jugson'', Harry said quietly.

Proudfoot nodded. ''That's what I think. Williamson and Zeas found who they looked for..,but they found all of them at once and not on their own.''

- ''So Selwyn brought them together'', Kingsley concluded. ''Merlin save us.''

- ''I should have gone with them'', Harry erupted. ''Instead of bringing Mundungus to Azkaban-''

- ''Rubbish'', Proudfoot said sharply. ''You've done nothing wrong, Potter - quite the opposite, actually. Without you, Zeas would be dead, too. Who knows, if you'd been there, you might've been dead now, too. Don't blame yourself for anything of this.''

- ''He's right, Harry'', Kingsley said seriously. ''You've done more than you had to as it is. If you hadn't looked for them...'' He sighed and looked at Proudfoot. ''Who will take care of this mess?''

- ''Myself'', Proudfoot said darkly.

Kingsley nodded. ''Good. Find them, Piers. Before we lose more of our own. Harry, can I have a word?''

Harry nodded weakly in Proudfoot's direction and followed Kingsley out of the office.

''What did you want to talk about?'', he asked while they went over to his and Ron's desk.

''Don't do anything rash'', Kingsley said urgently. ''You saw what they did to two senior aurors - no solo attempts, okay?''

Harry nodded silently.

''And about your return to Hogwarts, don't let this stop you from it.''

- ''What?'', he asked confusedly. ''But-''

- ''No'', Kingsley said sharply.

They found Ron and Savage in Williamson and Savage's cubicle. Harry unwillingly had to think of his and Ron's first day and how nervous they'd been when they came here. Savage had played with a paper plane. Now, there was nothing playful about him, sitting in his chair and staring at the wall. Ron stood against the wall, unnaturally pale.

''My condolences, Savage'', Kingsley said shortly and shook his hand.

''Thanks, Shacklebolt'', Savage said hoarsely. ''How's Paula?''

- ''She's in good hands.''

Savage nodded tiredly. ''Are we off the case?''

Kingley nodded. ''I don't want to see you or Jameson in the vicinity of this case. You know that it's better this way. And do me a favor and don't start any solo attempts - these guys are not looking twice at who they curse'', he ended bitterly.

Savage tore at his hair. ''Who's taking the case?''

- ''Proudfoot'', Kingsley said. ''Regarding you three, go home. I don't want to see you here next week, and then we'll see.''

He patted Ron's shoulder and left.

''We're off the case?'', Ron asked disbelievingly.

''It's better this way'', Savage said and stood up. He looked as if he was ten years older. ''When you're - involved - you should stay away. Believe me, boys, Kingsley knows what he's talking about.''

- ''What do you mean?', Harry asked.

''He's already lost two partners'', Savage said grimly. ''Come on, let's go.''

They took their stuff and went over to the lifts. On the way there, many of the other aurors padded their shoulders or gave them a grim nod.

''Savage.''

- ''Sir'', Savage said hoarsely as Proudfoot stopped them to shake their hands. ''All the stuff we got on Jugson-''

- ''Jameson can take care of that'', Proudfoot said curtly. ''We'll get those bastards, Savage. I promise.''

Savage merely nodded. ''What about Billy's parents?''

- ''I just wanted to go there.''

- ''It's alright, sir'', Savage said. ''I should tell them. He's - he was my partner.''

Proudfoot nodded slowly. ''Of course.''

He turned around and went back to his office, while they entered the lift.

Back at Grimmauld Place, Harry hid in his bedroom, layed down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Where were Selwyn and the others now? Had they maybe already committed more murders, without their knowledge? What about the muggles who had worked at the nursery? He balled his fists, as he remembered Paula Zeas's face, full of blood. She was lucky you were there, Jameson had told him when they brought her to St. Mungo's, but that had been complete rubbish. Harry hadn't been there. He had let Williamson and her step into the lift and had brought Mundungus to Azkaban instead of protecting his partners' backs, and now Williamson was dead, and Zeas might very vell die too. Harry hit his bed furiously. He could have stopped it, he was sure. If only I had been there- somebody tapped against the door.

''Not now, Kreacher!'', he said.

''Can I come in?''

It was Ginny. Harry sighed and sat up. ''Yes.''

Ginny entered, spotted him on the bed and came over.

''Ron told me what happened'', she said tentatively and sat down next to him. ''Are you...okay?''

Harry shook his head. ''I should've been there, Ginny'', he said quietly. ''If I'd gone with them...''

- ''Then maybe you'd be dead now'', she said.

''Or Williamson still alive'', Harry said-

''Harry, nothing of this is your fault'', she said insistently. ''You can't be everywhere. You're not responsible for all the bad things that happen in the world!''

- ''He was my partner, Ginny'', he said. ''I was responsible for him.''

- ''You shouldn't even have been at the ministry, Harry. You had your free weekend, and you stopped it to bring a thief to Azkaban. And then you followed them there, though you didn't have to.''

Harry nodded. She was right. Still...

''It's still...maybe I could've done something. I dunno...changed things.''

- ''Could've...'', she said wearily. ''If they'd taken more aurors with them, they could've arrested all those Death Eaters.''

They didn't say anything for a while, and Ginny leaned against his shoulder.

''Thanks for coming'', Harry finally said softly.

''Any time'', she said. ''Harry?''

- ''Yes?''

- ''Promise me you'll take care, okay?''

- ''Always.''

He looked at her and to his surprise, there were tears in her eyes.

''You know, when Ron got this emergency call and disapparated immediately, I thought...you know.''

Harry gave her a gentle kiss on her hair and pressed her tightly against him, and so they remained there until Kreacher asked them to come to dinner.