For those patiently awaiting another chapter.

Life took a turn for the crazy. I'm hoping you're all still intrigued...

Thanks for the great reviews and words of encouragement!

CHICAGO

Years earlier, just before his first job and just after he'd gotten married, he'd gone into London and had taken the tube around the city. For some reason, he'd loved every minute of it. The movement, the grating sound, the bustle of people – all of it was fascinating to him.

Currently, he's standing on the L train in Chicago, headed downtown, and he's watching Colin Creevy read a book while hanging onto one of the upper rails. Colin's head is down and his Chicago Cubs ball cap is making it hard to read his face but Harry knows what he's thinking. He's biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment, and when the train lurches to the right, Colin's right hand slips into the front pocket of a businessman's trench coat and pulls out the wallet that's hidden there. The businessman doesn't feel it and when Colin apologizes for bumping into him, the guy waves it off and smiles.

Harry's been told stories about this kid and he's impressed.

The train stops and Colin gets off, followed by the businessman and Harry. In the throng of people headed to the exit, Harry bumps into Colin and pockets the wallet.

What he leaves behind is his business card: HARRY POTTER embossed in black lettering. On the back, he's written the address of a pub he's familiar with and when Colin arrives, Harry's waiting for him with a beer and the wallet Colin pocketed from the businessman.

'Hi, Colin. Sit down,' Harry says and motions at the stool across from him.

'Who are you?' he asks with an apprehension that's almost palpable.

Harry smiles. 'I'm a friend of Hugh Mitchell's. Sit down.'

Colin balks a little but eventually sits down across from Harry.

'Hugh told me about you. Said you were the best set of hands he'd ever seen.' Colin doesn't say anything but Harry knows he's listening. He takes an envelope from the pocket of his coat and sets it down on the table between them, next to the wallet. 'You're either in or you're out, right now.'

'What is it?'

'A set of directions. A job offer.'

Colin smiles slightly. 'You're pretty trusting pretty fast.'

Harry shrugs. 'Hugh has every faith in you.'

'Yeah, well, fathers are like that.'

This throws Harry off just a little. Colin senses it immediately, smirks.

'He didn't tell you?' Harry shakes his head. 'He doesn't like me trading on his name.'

'You do this job, he'll be trading on yours.'

'What if I say no?'

Harry eyes him without expression. He isn't going to say no, Harry can see it in his face, but he wants Harry to think that's he's considering it.

'Then we'll find someone else and you can go back to feeling up stockbrokers.' He turns for the check and when he turns back, the envelope is in Colin's hands and the wallet is still sitting there. Harry smiles. 'That's the best lift I've seen you make yet.'

'Vegas, huh?' Colin says with a small smile.

Harry wants to roll his eyes, but he controls the inclination. 'America's playground.'