Harry heard a beeping and looked at the alarm clock at the side of the bed. 9:30. Bloody hell, he thought, Gibson is going to have my head. He climbed out of bed, mindful not to wake Ginny, quickly dressed and rand down stairs. He didn't have enough time to eat breakfast, so he just ran for the fireplace instead. Grabbing a cup of coffee, which he didn't realize was empty, threw some floo powder in, and stepped in, yelling "Ministry of Magic."

"Potter, you're late. Where've you been?"

"Sorry, Gibson, but my alarm clock decided to take a lie-in today," Harry said smoothly, walking across the meet room to get a cup of coffee.

"Well, do it again and I deduct you're pay, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am," Harry said dutifully while taking his seat and sipping coffee. He turned to the person sitting next to him, his friend and team-mate, Thad Hunter, and said, "Who pissed in her cheerios this morning?" Hunter just smirked and quietly chuckled, but didn't say anything.

"As I was saying before I was very rudely interrupted by Mr. Potter over there, we need to set up probation and patrolling schedules for Azkaban and to interview the other Death Eaters sentenced to patrol. Mr. Potter took care of the patrol for Umbridge and Skeeter last month, so you're on Azkaban duty this month—"

"Yay…" Harry muttered while he twirled his finger quietly in mock celebration. Many of the Aurors chuckled softly. Hunter kicked him playfully under the table and mouthed at him to shut up.

"Then we have to send someone to check the Dementors holding cell while they're there… we don't want Potter passing out again…"

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Harry whispered.

"Nope," Hunter whispered back smirking.

"Damn."

"It's okay… at least you didn't pass out when your wife told you she was pregnant."

"That was funny… I never knew Penelope could yell that loud. I haven't heard a howler that loud since Mrs. Weasley sent one to me and Ron for driving the Ford to Hogwarts."

"I never found out why it made her angry enough to send a howler in the first place."

"Probably angry you decided to knock her up right when she officially became a neurosurgeon."

"I honestly don't understand why she would want to cut into some poor muggles brain, it's barbaric—"

"Potter! Hunter! Something you would like to share with the rest of us?" Gibson asked pointedly.

"No ma'am," Hunter said smoothly, taking a sip of his coffee, his face blank once more, "nothing whatsoever."

"Then kindly keep quiet. As I was saying…."

"I wish I could lie like you. Course I didn't take an illegal class on Legilimency," Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No, you just got an illegal crash course on Occlumency."

"Yeah, emphasis on the crash," Harry murmured, taking a sip of coffee. However, as he put the cup to his mouth, nothing came from it. With a confused expression he looked inside the cup, and instead of finding the bitter, black coffee he normally drank, there was a piece of parchment crumbled up into a ball.

He reached into the cup and took out the parchment, looking around his fellow Aurors to see if this was some practical joke, but they were all either listening to Gibson talk or whispering and murmuring words to each other behind her back. Now feeling extremely confused, he opened the parchment and read the words inside.

Report to your office at exactly 09:00 tomorrow morning, and try not to forget. Hopefully your alarm clock doesn't take another lie-in. We refuse to be kept waiting.

-DC, HDC
-JM, DI

"Hopefully your… what..?"

Feeling very confused and a little tense, he looked around the room once more. Still no one, not even Hunter, was paying him the slightest attention. He picked up the cup and turned it upside down, looking for anymore writing or something on the bottom. Piping hot, black coffee poured from the cup into his lap, causing him to shout out in pain and jump up. Everyone stopped and watched as Hunter and Michaels got up and helped Harry clean up.

"Mr. Potter, are you quite alright? You're awfully jumpy today."

Harry looked up at Gibson, a look of pure confusion etched upon his face. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Sorry I… forgot it was… still in my hand."

Once everyone had turned back to Gibson, Hunter turned to Harry looking slightly concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah… hey, did you not just see what happened?"

"Yes, you spilt your coffee all over yourself. I was trying to talk to you before that but you weren't paying attention, so I started talking to Michaels."

"No, I mean… you didn't—you didn't see what happened before that?"

Hunter looked slightly alarmed now. Giving Harry a once over he said, "No I told you… you were just staring at the wall…. Harry, are you sure you're alright? You look a little pale…."

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," Harry replied absently, using scourgify to clean the coffee from his pants and shirt. When he noticed Hunter still looking at him a little suspiciously, he smiled, although his eyes still looked a little confused. "Really, I'm fine, just—just a little tired is all."

Hunter still looked a little confused, but chose not to say anything, finally going back to paying attention to Gibson.

Harry, however, was not fine. He couldn't stop thinking about how weird that had been, what he had seen, and what Hunter said had happened. He looked down at hand and saw that the piece of parchment was no longer there. Looking around on the floor and the table he couldn't find it and just started listening to Gibson. I have to check this out, he thought, looking around the room once more, not noticing the shadow on the other side of the room move.

"Now that Mr. Potter has been kind enough to stop talking, I would like to say that this meeting is adjourned, and all personal except for Commander Potter and his squadron are allowed to leave. Mr. Potter... If I could ask you to please put up all the privacy wards, I need to debrief your team on your next mission."

Harry walked around the room putting up the wards as many of the others walked out back to their offices and back to work. Most of them nodded at him and a few said friendly greetings. Jason Adele stopped to talk to him on his way out.

"I'll talk to you later Potter. Try not to make her too much madder at you, eh? I don't wanna hear anymore stories about people trying to kill you now, you hear?" he winked and smiled playfully.

"With a job like this? Please," Harry laughed turning away from the wards. "Besides, I don't need to try to get her mad at me." Jason turned to leave but Harry grabbed his arm to pull him back.

"Hey, you walk by Weasley's office on the way to yours right?" Jason nodded. "Tell him to get his fat arse down here," Harry lowered his voice, "he had a little too much fun last night at that party if you know what I mean, Hermione took pity on him and told him to go in late, but he should be here by now and I really don't feel like covering his arse for him to the Wicked Witch of the West over there." Jason looked puzzled at the reference, but nodded and waved himself out.

Harry finished with the wards five minutes later and turned back to the table where his team was sitting with the head of operations. His team was made up of the people he knew to be the best that he had met through his and their own training over the past six years.

Haliee Dupree, specialist in disguise, she was the only person since Nymphadora Tonks to be able to fully disguise herself and ten others then lead them through a scenario situation gone wrong, able to trick fifteen rouge death eaters and ministry sensors. And she wasn't even a meatamorphagus.

Thad Hunter, information specialist, able to hack any system, muggle or magic, also an ex-con, the only person known to successfully be able to break into the Department of Mysteries single handedly all without leaving the comfort of his bed; even if he did get caught an hour into his mission. Or his astral projection did at any rate. He also knew the deets on most of the dark witches and wizards alive today, able to give at least some information on anyone they needed to know about: a very powerful and genius wizard.

Ben Fuller, he was older than Harry and more experienced in fighting dark wizards, he fought in both the first and second wars and was Harry's trainer at the Auror academy. He knew many curses, jinxes, and hexes, many light as well as dark. He had helped Harry when the last mass breakout of Azkaban had happened and had over 25 of Voldemort's most powerful and dedicated followers alive after him. They would've succeeded too if it wasn't for Ben. Fuller was about to go into retirement when Harry asked him to join his team. He then stated that the only person he would work for nowadays was Harry and was going into retirement as soon as Harry was promoted to Head Auror. He was 59 years old.

Of course Harry also had his best friend and partner in crime since he was eleven years old, Ronald Weasley on his team. While Ron wasn't as good a dueler as Harry or Ben, he was the best strategist. There was only one plan in six years he had come up with that had failed, and even then it was only partial failure. Of course he had come up with the plan half unconscious, so that was to be expected.

Anna Markens, the best healer Harry had met in his life since Madam Pomfrey and she was only two years out of Hogwarts. She was a natural healer. She was also a decent dueler and she always knew how to make everyone laugh. She was always the optimist and was always the one bringing everyone up when they were down. She was also one very independent, very pretty blonde with a spitfire attitude who reminded Harry of his wife Ginny sometimes. They got along so well it was frightening.

And last but not least on Harry's team was Danny Folly, a very secretive guy who really didn't say much. Danny was an extremely good dueler, knew a bit of healing, and was also their weapons specialist: dark detectors and traps and wards and things of the like. He also knew a lot about muggle technology and was working hard with the MLE to combine Magic and Muggle means to come up with some great weapons and gadgets to help them.

Not many people in Harry's team really knew what he had done to gain Harry's trust so quickly, but it must have been something impressive. Danny was usually the one Harry would go to with a problem when Ron wasn't available, or when he felt that it was a problem that needed a little bit of a more... unorthodox solution. But that rarely happened.

And while no one really knew much about Danny, they did know he had spent 3 years in Azkaban, there was a warrant out for his arrest in Canada, Japan, and India, had a glass eye and a magically prosthetic arm, and had a Dark Mark on his left forearm. At thirty three years of age it was obvious that this man had been trough some real messes in his life, and whiles the team, except for Ben, was sometimes weary of him, Harry trusted him with his life, and that was good enough for them.

"So everyone knows lately that the—"

Gibson was quickly interrupted by the door banging open and a man in disheveled clothes and hair burst in the door, scrolls of parchment and quills falling everywhere, ink spilling on to the floor. Harry was reminded vaguely of Percy.

"Shite," the man said quietly bending down to pick everything up. Harry waved his hand and the ink disappeared with a small pop!

"Carrington you are late… again. This is the third time this week. And it's only Wednesday! Do you have any explanation for yourself?"

"Not one I can give right now miss, but I can explain in your—"

"I don't have time—later. Now hurry up and set up your things for notes. If you miss anything I will have you demoted. I'm not taking any of this from you any longer. Now as I was saying…"

Harry sat trying to listen to Gibson talk without falling asleep. The note was still on his mind and he was very curious. How had they been able to quote something he had said just moments earlier? Was someone watching him? Had he been bugged like Rita Skeeter had back in his fourth year? He was startled again out of his thoughts by a voice beside him.

"Hey Harry… what did I miss?" The voice of Ron Weasley whispered beside him.

"What took you so long? Honestly mate I'm surprised she didn't go off on me earlier for you not being here. And how did you get in here without her noticing?!"

"I'm a strategist, remember? I figured out the best way to get in without her visual. But I'm sorry mate… I would've been here earlier but I was late getting here because Hermione was having a fit at home… and then when I did get to work I was in my office trying to find my files for the meeting but on every single paper I had had written on it 'Some chances are just worth taking. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. All you have to do is try again and keep going. Good advice. Be in your office at 09:00 tomorrow, Floo to Destination 526983. We aren't the patient type.' Which I got to tell you mate it freaked me out quite a bit. That was exactly what I said to Hermione this morning when she was upset about the whole pregnant thing again."

"Uh Ron," Harry snapped his fingers in his face. "Hello? I asked you, what took you so long getting here?"

"Did you not hear a thing I just said?"

"Said? You didn't say anything! You were staring at the wall like a—"

"POTTER!"

"What?!" Harry snapped back, turning his head, realizing too late who exactly he was yelling at. "I mean… yes ma'am, what can I do for you?"

"I would've thought this information would be of importance to you but if you don't want to listen then go out and get killed then don't expect me to feel sorry for you!"

"Okay, okay… I'm sorry, won't happen again."

"Good. Now as you all know this is my last year as Head and then I am retiring." She glared at everyone like she was daring them to say anything. "And word around the Ministry is that the person to replace me the Minister has chosen from this team. And as much as I don't like any of you I honestly agree. You people are nowhere near up to par to where I am but you guys are a lot smarter than those other people we have. Hunter and Folly, I'm sorry but because you haven't been out of prison for more than 10 years and there is still a warrant, or many in Folly's case, out for your arrest you are not qualified for the position."

"To the matter at hand, everyone here is aware of the disappearance of muggleborns as of late correct?" There were nods around the table. "Well last night Dean Thomas of the Department of International Magic Cooperation was reported having been missing for over 32 hours. Now I know this is not the first disappearance in the entire Ministry but it is the first one to concern this department and people of this team directly. Now since Potter and Weasley know Dean so personally it is my own decision to not have you investigate his disappearance."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, displeased with the news, but knowing there was nothing they could do about it without breaking the rules.

"You are going to investigate the murders of Nick Stevens and Cornel Revariez, both squibs, both murdered with no identifiable cause, and both found in the same place, not two miles from where Dean was last seen. It's not the most important case we've done but we need to get there as soon as possible. These are not the only registered squibs we have found in that general area so we think this is a person who isn't just after revenge. Since no Half-bloods nor Pure-bloods bodies have been found we are claiming that it's just some rebellious rouge Death Eaters at it again.

"You are the only team trained to deal with Death Eaters, powerful magical beings, and serial killers so you will be working on this case. I'm sending you to the crime scene now with this portkey; it will go off in about 10 minutes. Someone from the morgue will be meeting you there to take the bodies for magical and muggle autopsy. If you find any evidence to the contrary of it being just another Death Eater case, report it immediately. We really don't need another Dark Lord with a vengeance for muggles and muggleborns so let's try and stop this thing early before it gets too serious. You are dismissed."

No one moved from their seats until Gibson was out of the room and down the hall. Everyone quickly got up and started talking to one another about the case. No one noticed as Carrington jumped up and practically run out of the room. He ran to the lifts as fast as possible making sure no one else was in it before stepping in it.

"Erick Malik, TD, Tracking," he said quietly.

"Welcome back Mr. Malik; proceeding to level 13, The Department."

As the lift went down, the word 'tourniquet' was whispered. Followed by a bright white light.

When the doors opened again a tall man with thick blond hair stepped out, and walked quickly down the empty, black hallway to the single door at the end.

"Password, name, and department please," A woman's cool, smooth voice said.

"Protectors. Erick Malik. Tracking Department, The Department."

"Welcome back to the Department Mr. Malik. The director is in his office expecting you."

"I know he is," Erik whispered as the door swung open and he strode purposefully inside. He was met with another hallway, though this one seem so long it looked endless. There were many black doors on the walls you wouldn't even realize were doors if it hadn't been for the doorknobs. The only sources of light were the small golden light fixtures hanging down from the ceiling every few meters.

Erick walked quickly down the empty hallway, the sound of his dragon hide boots clicking on the shiny stone floor. In what seemed like no time at all he reached the door at the very end of the hall. He raised his hand to knock before it opened. He stepped in and it shut quickly.

"Sir I've just come from Potter's squadron meeting. You were right. They're beginning to investigate into the muggleborns disappearances just like we wanted."

"And they got they're notes."

"I believe so sir. Potter spilled coffee on himself and Weasley almost missed the debriefing but they did sir. Sir, if I may, as paranoid as Potter and Weasley can be was it really a good idea to use quotes of what they had said not moments before on the notes?"

"Well we could have been really mean and used quotes of their loved ones in it. But I had trouble incorporating my favorites. I don't see how "Alas… Earwax." And "The Constipation Sensation that's Gripping the Nation" could work." The man in the chair chuckled. "Do not worry Malik, I did it that way because I knew it would grip their attention, especially Potter. I've been watching them since they were a year old… I'm rather certain I know what I'm doing."

"Of course sir. I should be going sir. I have yet to get to Longbottom and that other boy yet."

"Yes, yes get on with it then. It looks like The Department will be having some new recruits soon… and some very strong ones at that."

"So how are things with Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Well… she's not pregnant. Poor woman thinks it's impossible for her to have children. Her mother tried to tell her that when she was trying to get pregnant with Hermione it didn't happen for a couple years. But Hermione is just so uptight; you know how she can get…."

"I'm sorry to hear that mate. Is that why you were late today?"

Ron looked curiously at Harry, remembering already answering that question earlier. "Yes…."

"Ah well… you know Hermione. Give her a book or something, she'll relax. It just takes time. Maybe when all these muggleborns stop disappearing she'll relax. It must really get to her. I heard there's already a woman in the MLE who was taken a while back. No one's seen her since."

"Yeah well… it'll happen eventually. Hopefully before I—"

"It's lighting up people, let's move!" Danny called as the coffee cup began to glow blue. Everyone put a finger on the cup and with a strong jerk behind their navel, they were gone.

Everyone landed with a crash, all managing to stay on their feet, Harry only because Ben grabbed his arm to keep him from falling.

"Now what was it you were saying Ron?" Harry asked as everyone pulled out equipment and started to go into the building. "Hopefully before you what?"

"Oh yeah," he said as he pushed the door open, "hopefully Hermione will be able to get pregnant before I—"

"Harry? Ron?"

They both looked up at the sound of a familiar voice calling their names. They were both shocked to see Dean Thomas, heavily beaten, bloody, completely naked, and his head shaved straight down the middle with blotchy red and purple marks covering it, like someone punctured him with needles. Harry and Ron just stood staring in shock at their half conscious friend.

"Help," was all he said before his eyes rolled into his head and his body went limp.

A/N: Yay mini-cliffy :) My favorite. Aaaand so the main plot begins… sorta. Half of it, at any rate.

Quick little note: Cookies for anyone who can tell me from whom and from where I got "Danny Folly's" name from ;)

If any of you are reading my Avengers fic 'Beyond Love,' expect that to be updated on Sunday.