Author's note: So to the final part of Chapter 1. I love this part, because we meet the main man himself. I hope you like my interpretation of him a few years down the line. Comments are greatly welcomed. Let me know what you like and what you don't like. Yours in all things HP, HeartHermione x

v)

Lissy was still furious when she arrived outside the Auror's office later that afternoon. After the trial, Bosman had tried to calm her down, but she did not listen to him. She was so angry. The Ministry should have no power to take a child away from his mother, and the Aurors had no right to demand it. It was so callous and unfair. What was more, it was utterly foolish. The Chief Auror of all people should have been able to recognise the stupidity of his actions.

The doors of the Auror Office were closed. When Lissy had first trained with the office, the doors had always been kept open. After her departure, and following an increase in their draconian abuse of powers, the Aurors had taken to locking the doors on a permanent basis. 'Alohamora!' Lissy said, pointing her wand at the lock. The handle rattled slightly, would not yield to her.

With a disgruntled huff, she raised her knuckles to knock on the wooden panel, but at that moment, the door swung open to reveal the tall form of Ron Weasley. He looked down at her with a bemused expression. 'Quixley,' he said, folding his arms to indicate that she was not welcome.

'I want to speak to him,' said Lissy, disposing with greetings.

'Oh, clear off, kid,' said Weasley waving a dismissive hand.

'I said – I want to speak to him. So get out of my way!' Lissy said, stamping her foot on the cold granite tiles.

'Go lick a Skrewt,' he said, and began to close the door.

'Stupefy!' shouted Lissy, thrusting her wand forward and unleashing a jet of red light. It struck Weasley in the chest, throwing him backwards into the room to collide with a desk. He slid ungracefully to the floor, unconscious.

Lissy stepped into the room, with her wand ready to ward off any other challengers. As she entered seven confused faces popped up from behind desks to see what had happened. They were alarmed for a moment when they saw Lissy standing there with her wand, but when they saw Weasley on the floor, their expressions changed to amusement.

'Oi, Quixley's back!' said Julius Flint, standing up and raising his arms in ironic celebration. Flint was a thin, unkempt wizard with greasy hair and narrow eyes that gave him an unfortunately sinister appearance. Nonetheless his smile at the sight of Lissy was sincere. The Aurors all laughed at Weasley on the floor, and gave a round of applause for Lissy, before turning back to their work.

Flint looked down at the unconscious man and shook his head. 'You and Weasley, you're always the same,' he said with a roll of his eyes. 'Well, he's not going to be happy about this.'

'I'm counting on it,' said Lissy, stowing her wand in her pocket again. She nodded her head in the direction of the Chief Auror's office. 'I need to see the Chief right now. I know he's back in the country.'

'Yes, he said you might show up,' said Flint, with a shrug of his shoulders, 'Go on through.'

'He did?' said Lissy, raising her eyebrows. 'So why did his best man try to stop me?'

'What, Weasley?' said Flint, smiling broadly. 'The Chief told him to keep you out. As a joke on him. Well he took the bait.' He grinned at Weasley. 'Daft sod.'

Lissy shook her head in bemusement, then strode past Flint in the direction of the Chief's private office. As she crossed the room images of dark wizards sneered at her from photographs pinned to notice boards. She noticed that there were several maps hanging around of southern Spain, studded with red pins, some tied with string to the various photographs. Lissy did not bother to knock on the Chief's door, and strode in confidently.

The Chief's office was a generous size, but it nevertheless felt cramped owing to the mountains of files and folders piled up around the room. Immediately on her right as she entered was a huge birdcage. Inside the cage, a flock of origami birds shuffled and competed for space on rows of perches. The paper birds were covered with ink. They were departmental memos, and the cage was the Chief's in-tray.

Dominating the centre of the room was a large stone object which clearly did not belong there. It was a man-sized obelisk. The stone was obviously very old, because its corners had been ground smooth by time. It was engraved with a myriad of runic symbols, some of which were glowing red. Lissy took a close look at it as she shuffled between it and a filing cabinet. It looked to be foreign, and very old: an artefact of arcane magic.

At the far side of the room there was a large desk, piled high with books, papers, ink bottles and quills. The chair behind the desk was vacant though. Lissy glanced around, and realised that the room was empty.

Suddenly there was a banging to Lissy's left and the door of a cabinet swung open. A tall man in a long brown cloak stumbled out of it, and staggered towards the desk. He caught his balance by falling into the table, and then began brushing down his cloak with his hands to remove a film of dust. Then he took off his cloak and flung it across the room, whereupon it landed on the birdcage and sent the flock of memos to leap into a mad flutter.

The man straightened and removed his glasses to stare at Lissy mischievously. 'Vanishing cabinet!' he said. 'Bit too small for me really, but it does the trick.' He ran a hand through his thick black hair, shaking out dust, and leaving it in an untidy mess. The man was of a slim build despite his height, as though he had a tendency to miss meals. He was just over thirty years of age, yet his lined face made him appear older, and his green eyes seemed sparkled with the life experience of a man twice his age.

'You're got a lot of nerve, Potter,' said Lissy, disposing of any pleasantries.

The man moved around to his chair, walking with a slight limp in his gait, and planted himself down firmly in his seat of authority. 'And good afternoon to you too, Quixley,' he said.

'Don't mess around,' said Lissy, 'this is serious. You can't take Miller away from his mother. You're out of your mind!'

'Tea?' asked the man, gesturing to a pot on the desk. 'Or perhaps something stronger – I think there's a bottle of Firewhiskey knocking about here somewhere...'

Lissy planted her fists on his desk and leaned towards him fiercely. 'You – can't – do – this!'

Harry Potter took out a handkerchief and let Lissy wait whilst he wiped his spectacles. He rubbed them methodically, removing all of the dust which he appeared to have accumulated within his cabinet. Then he placed them on his nose, folded his hands and looked at her seriously. 'Or else what?' he said.

Lissy stood stock still for a moment, then flexed her hands so that her knuckles clicked. He was so arrogant! He needed to be taught a lesson. With a sudden fluid motion she drew her wand and pointed it at Potter. 'Stupe-'

Potter was quicker. 'Expelliaurmus!' he said loudly, even as he whipped his wand from his sleeve. His spell struck, and Lissy's wand leapt from her hand.

'Pah!' she said, looking away angrily. 'You always use that damn spell.'

'And you're always trying to hex people,' said Potter.

'Only when they deserve it,' retorted Lissy.

'Accio wand!' incanted Potter, and Lissy's wand flew to his hand. He spun it between his fingers for a moment and then tossed back to her. 'Please try to keep your temper,' he said.

Lissy tapped the base of her wand on his desk irritably, and considered trying to hex him again. As she did that Potter relaxed in his seat, and summoned a chair for Lissy from across the room. 'Sit down,' he said, 'and let's talk'.

Shoving aside her desire to teach him a lesson, Lissy seated herself, and folded her arms tightly across her chest. After a moment's silence she spoke to break the tension. 'So what's in Spain?' she asked, disinterestedly.

'Plains, mainly,' he said, drily. 'Not much rain.'

'No, tell me,' she said, now intrigued by his aloof attitude. 'I saw the pictures in the main office.'

Potter seemed relieved that she had relinquished from making demands of him. He leaned forwards and put his elbows on the desk. 'Two weeks ago I recieved a letter from Cayetano Cazador, the lead Auror in the Ministerio de la Magia. The Spanish Aurors have discovered a cult of dark wizards.'

'What does it have to do with you?' Lissy asked.

'The cult is based in Gibraltar,' said Potter, 'which is British land according to the Muggles.' The Chief Auror shrugged. 'So for one he was worried about the politics, but I wasn't worried about that. The important thing was that it seemed like there were several British wizards involved, and that certainly was my concern.'

'So I expect you went and caught the lot and threw them in Azkaban,' said Lissy.

'What were they doing? Re-animating rabbits? You've locked people up for less.'

That was not true, but Potter understood her point, and did not appreciate it. He leaned back and looked at her down the length of his nose. 'We have not made any arrests yet.'

'So... what are these cultists doing?' Lissy said, testing to see how much information she could glean from him.

'Well, obviously I can't tell you that,' Potter said, dismissively. He made a steeple of his fingers and tapped his index fingers thoughtfully. 'You would have to be an Auror to be know that information.'

'I am an Auror,' said Lissy, tersely.

Potter shook his head wearily. 'No, you're really not,' he said. 'Not while you're working for the Office of Protection.'

Lissy and Potter exchanged a long look. 'Well I'm not coming back to work here,' she said. 'Not while you're in charge.'

'No, of course you won't,' Potter said, rising suddenly from his chair and pacing across the room. 'You're far too stubborn to change your mind. You're just like me.'

'I'm nothing like you,' said Lissy, hotly.

Harry Potter rounded on her and folded his hands behind his back. 'Lisete Quixley, you are a rule breaker, a rascal and the most stubborn person I have ever met. It's like looking in a mirror, and I admire you for it. That's why I trained you as an Auror.'

'Oh, give it up, man,' said Lissy, standing up. 'You might have the Ministry under your influence, but your charms won't work on me.'

'Well,' he said, with a shrug, 'I tried.'

There was a sudden knock on the door, and Potter looked up at it with momentary trepidation. It was as though he knew who had arrived, and he looked uneasy. 'I'll be with you in a minute!' he called, towards the door.

Still limping slightly, Potter wandered over to a cupboard, and rummaged around inside it. Lissy heard the clinking of glass and ceramics. He returned to his desk with a bottle of Firewhiskey in his left hand, and two short mismatched glasses pincered between the fingers of his right hand. He did not ask Lissy before uncorking his bottle and pouring a double measure into each glass.

Lissy frowned at the glass suspiciously. It would be rude to refuse the drink – which actually gave her more reason to decline it. Nonetheless, it would be good for Potter to loosen his tongue, and he was more likely to do so if she joined him. Almost as good as veritaserum, she thought, as she sipped at the glass. The warm liquid hit her stomach like wonderful burning fire, and it bolstered her courage.

'Right,' she said, setting the glass down. 'You've got to reverse the decision on Miller. And don't tell me it's the Wizengamot's decision. You could get it overturned quicker than you can say "Merlin's frilly pants".'

'I'm flattered,' Potter said drily, as he took a sip of his drink.

'I would have thought you of all people would recognise the stupidity of taking him away from his mother,' said Lissy. 'This is exactly what happened to You-Know-Who. He lost his mother when he was a boy, and was raised by people who didn't love him, and it made him... a monster.'

'Well I understand your point, Quixley,' said Potter, 'but this is another matter. By your accounts, it seems littler Richard Miller is potentially far more powerful than Tom Riddle. We have to take extra care.'

'It's precisely because of his power that we must make sure he's raised properly,' said Lissy, leaning forwards on the desk. 'Why don't you understand?'

Potter smiled, and finished off his drink. There was another knock at the door, and suddenly Potter looked apprehensive once again. 'In a minute!' he repeated. Then he placed the glass down on the table firmly, and reached for the bottle a second time.

'I do understand,' he said, as he poured. 'I really do. And I agree with you fully. You're right. Miller should stay with his mother.'

Lissy raised up her hands and he brow lowered in confusion. 'But- Wha-? Why did you make the application - '

'- but of course,' said Potter, pressing on, and leaning back with his second glass in hand. 'It is clear that the Office of Protection is clearly not suited to the task.'

Lissy raised her hands further as she said, 'Oh, and the Aurors are?' she asked, incredulous. 'I didn't realise the Auror daycare centre had opened for business.'

Potter laughed and drank. 'Very good,' he said. 'But it seems to me that if Miller is to return to live among Muggles, he must have regular contact with wizarding folk who can teach him to control his magic. And he should be monitored at all hours to ensure that he poses no threat to those around him. This will need an Auror, not a Protector.'

Suddenly the pieces started falling into place. He was trying to manipulate her into rejoining him. He thought that he could coax her into obeying his well. 'Well I am an Auror,' she said, repeating her earlier words. 'And I can protect Miller perfectly well from the Office of Protection.'

Potter shook his head. 'You are an Auror in name only. If you want to protect Miller, and if you want him to stay with his mother, then you must be directly accountable to me. You must belong to the Auror Office.'

His words confirmed Lissy's suspicions, and she knew at once that she was trapped. 'So you're blackmailing me,' she said, quietly. Then in a flash the full extent of Potter's scheming was revealed to her, and she raised her voice. 'You set this whole thing up, didn't you? You made Mr Jermyn ill so that that Hermione Weasley would have to stand in for him at the last minute! You wanted her to look a fool compared to her husband.'

Potter spread his hands innocently, and he took a sip of his drink. 'I have no idea what you're talking about,' he said. 'Hermione is my friend.'

'And no doubt you've been having quiet words with the Wizengamot too,' accused Lissy. 'No wonder Weasley was so calm when I started talking about Voldemort. He knew you weren't really going to go through with it all, didn't he?'

Potter took another sip of his drink and said, 'Those are some rather serious accusations.'

Lissy scowled. 'And what if I refuse to go along with your plan?' she said. 'Suppose I don't rejoin the Aurors.'

'Then the boy will be taken into Ministry care,' Potter said, nonchalantly.

'You're bluffing,' she said. 'You wouldn't risk the future of this child.'

'Then call my bluff,' Potter said, sternly.

Lissy slouched back in her chair with her arms folded. Harry Potter was the most devious, calculating man she had ever met. It would be a tremendous gamble to take the boy Miller into care. He was playing with fire. She looked into his hard, green eyes, and wondered whether this man would deprive the boy of his mother, just to spite Lissy. Potter knew what it was to live without a mother. How could he wish that on someone else?

Any yet... those resolute eyes seemed to say that he would do what was necessary to get his own way.

'You've got plenty of loyal Aurors. Why are you so keen for me to be his guardian?' asked Lissy. She was stalling for time.

'Nothing,' said Potter, 'other than that you are very talented, and in my opinion the best witch to protect this child Miller... I know that you care about him.'

'And what about when he goes to Hogwarts and he doesn't need me anymore,' said Lissy. 'What's to stop me leaving the Auror Office then?'

Potter could see that he was winning this battle of wits, and he held himself in a triumphant poise. 'Nothing at all,' he said, 'but as I see it, that gives me eight years to change your mind.'

Lissy reached forwards and drained her glass of Firewhiskey, which had still been mostly full. The liquid scorched her throat, but she didn't wince. 'You're a real piece of work, Potter,' she said.

Silence fell between them. Lissy had not formally accepted his offer, but she knew that eventually she would have to go along with his scheme. She told herself it was not so bad. At least she would be doing the job she loved doing, even if Potter was to be her boss. Miller was special, and protecting him was of the upmost importance.

Lissy reached for the bottle of Firewhiskey and poured herself another drink. As she sipped, Potter relaxed, assured of his own victory.

'This is a time of change in the magical community, Quixley,' he said at length. 'I believe that the dark wizards in Spain are part of a larger movement, which has branches all around Europe, and perhaps even further afield. You're going to be learning about them, and we're going to work to stop them.'

Lissy snorted.

'I know you don't like my methods,' he said, 'but soon you'll come to understand what it is we are fighting... and why I am coming down hard on all forms of the dark arts.'

'Whatever,' said Lissy, 'I'll just stick to keeping Miller safe.'

Potter smiled. It was a kind smile though, she supposed. That was the first time Lissy had confirmed her acceptance of his offer, and he seemed genuinely thankful and relieved.

There was a third knock. 'Give me a moment,' Potter called. On instinct, he reached for the bottle, but then paused, apparently thinking better of it. He looked to Lissy, aware that she had taken note of his quick drinking. The Chief Auror was nervous about the person who had come to see him.

'Anyway,' he went on, 'as I said, it's a time of change. Kingsley's reaching the end of his second seven-year term as Minister. It's rumoured that he won't be seeking re-election.'

'Rumoured?' said Lissy, with flat scepticism. 'Did he tell you that he's quitting, then? Or rather – did you tell him to quit?'

Potter stood up and folded his hands neatly behind his back. He did not answer her question. 'There will be a new Minister in the next year,' he said.

A new Minister of Magic. That was a strange concept for Lissy. Kingsley Shacklebolt seemed to have been in power forever. He had become Minister a few weeks before she started at Hogwarts, just after the fall of the Dark Lord. Now he was going to leave. She could not say she was sad though. The Minister had become little more than a puppet for Potter in recent years.

'So,' she said to Potter. 'I suppose you're going to put yourself forward for election?'

Potter gave a genuine laugh and wandered back towards his desk. 'Don't be silly,' he said. 'This is the only job I want.'

'Well who then,' she said. 'I know you. You've got someone in mind.'

Potter shook his head. 'Ever the cynic,' he said.

'Tell me,' said Lissy.

Potter walked around the desk, past Lissy and shuffled across his office to the door through which Lissy had entered. 'I'm about to have a meeting with him,' he said, 'Come along.'

So, this was who had been knocking at his door, Lissy realised. Who would evoke such a mood of apprehension from Potter? Potter was clearly not afraid as such, for it often seemed nothing frightened the Chief Auror. He was definitely nervous though.

Potter opened the door to allow Lissy to exit. The visitor was standing in the doorway. Lissy looked up at the newcomer, who seemed to have the same look of suspicion and trepidation as Potter. Behind him, Lissy could see the Aurors watching with bated breath as Harry greeted the new arrival.

'Potter,' said the wizard at the door. The man was slightly taller than Potter and held a straight poise, with a tight-fitting black coat fastened up under his chin, and a green velvet cape draped around his shoulders. His receding blonde hair was slicked back across his head.

'Lisete Quixley,' said Potter, 'may I introduce you to Draco Malfoy – the next Minister of Magic.'

End of Chapter One