Harry's Future, Part 6
Harry sat at the kitchen table finishing up the last bits of his birthday breakfast. It was the Sunday before his twentieth birthday but since he was still in Auror training the celebration was to be early since the only day off you got from the Aurors was for a funeral, your own. Training had begun just after Harry's nineteenth birthday and as promised it was tough and no special consideration was given, which suited him just fine.
The first six months had been primarily given over to grueling physical training to increase stamina and toughness. Harry had never been a particularly robust physical specimen but he had developed a toughness of mind and will that kept him going even when his body was screaming for him to stop. There was also some classroom work to break up the workout sessions and consisted of memorization of the laws of the wizard world, laws of the muggle world that might impact on magical folk and the role of Aurors in enforcing those laws. There were four other candidates in Harry's training section as it was called. One was a Ravenclaw girl, or young lady, that Harry remembered from his seventh year classes. Two were young men who graduated from the tumultuous Dark Days seventh year. They were part of the students that the Ministry had scavenged through looking for replacements for the turncoats that had been flushed out of the Ministry just after Voldemort had fallen. Their grades had not quite merited acceptance for Auror training but they were given a year to 'prep' and were being given a chance to qualify. The last was an older man in his mid twenties who apparently had the grades but chose not to apply at a time when the Ministry was not held in very high regard.
The months that followed the end of the physical training period added studies in techniques for surveillance, tracking, and disguises. Much of this was conducted by using case studies of investigations both large and small that had been pursued over the years. Special emphasis was given to cases were things had gone wrong and Aurors had been injured or killed. In the last two months, Harry, singled out despite all previous comments to the contrary, had begun to see some activity outside the classroom. While he barely managed to hold his own in the physical training he clearly outshined his section mates when it came to anything connected with the use of magic or understanding and retaining information connected with the case studies or laws. His ability to use imagery served him very well when it came to disguises. Unlike Tonks, who as a metamorphmagus could alter her features at will, Harry used the Adfectio spell to change his features to match the image he formed in his mind. This, coupled with his Invisibility Cloak, made him a natural for surveillance and sting missions. In one instance he was used, in disguise, to buy stolen magical items plundered from the confiscated home of a Death Eater from a fence in Knockturn Alley. This led to the arrest of the fence and three burglars plus the confiscation of a number of artifacts.
So as he finished off his breakfast, Harry was feeling pretty good about how his career choice was shaping up. As he sat back in his chair he felt a light brush across his shoulders and the back of his neck. He looked up to his right into the face that never failed to make his heart skip and his lips turn up in a smile.
"Good morning, birthday boy," Ginny Weasley said with a wide smile.
She kept a hand on his shoulder as she bent down to place a light warm kiss on his lips.
"Good morning, love. Sleep well?" Harry replied.
"Yes, I did," she replied as she took a seat at the table next to him. "Yesterday's match was pretty grueling. If it hadn't been so close by I don't think I would have been able to get here by last night. It was nice to sleep in my own bed again."
Ginny was a rookie chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, an all women Quidditch team that was making a name for itself playing against the usual mixed teams in the UK Premier Quidditch League. Ginny was proving to be a pivotal player on the team. Her lightness of build and natural agility made her very fast and almost supernaturally quick in the air and her long sessions of training with Kreacher the house elf had taken her technique for quaffle handling to a singular level. She was getting a great deal of attention in the Wizarding press and Harry delighted in teasing her about being the 'famous Ginny Weasley'.
"I'm sorry I was only able to make it to the last few minutes of the match, love. These Saturday morning sessions have been getting more and more frequent lately."
"No need to apologize, Harry. The fact that you've been able to get to any of my matches at all is pretty amazing," Ginny said as she took his hand and pressed it to her cheek, a gesture that Harry had come to find particularly pleasing.
"Isn't it kind of soon for you to be out in the field though, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"You'd think so, wouldn't you? But maybe they figure with my past experience that I'm somewhat more advanced then the others. Then again it hasn't been anything too big," he said with a shrug.
Their conversation was interrupted by several more members of the Weasley clan entering the kitchen. Bill and Fleur came in though the back door, having just arrived from their home in Cornwall.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Bill called from the doorway.
"Thanks, Professor," Harry said with a smile and laugh.
Fleur swept up to Harry as he rose from his chair and gave him her traditional greeting of a firm hug and kisses on each cheek. She then held him at arms length.
"'appy birthday, mon fere. 'ow are you? We 'aven't seen you een weeks."
"I'm doing fine, Fleur," he said still smiling. "They're working me hard but nothing I can't handle."
Harry, at first taken aback at the intensity of Fleur's concern for his well being, had come to accept her fierce mothering instincts and always did his best to assure her that he was doing well. He suspected that she still had not come to terms with his becoming an Auror. She merely nodded as she looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes. They were interrupted when Ron came stumbling down the stairs, still half asleep as he had arrived late the night before. George and Angelina Johnson had announced their engagement and Ron had stayed up late celebrating at the Leaky Cauldron. He pulled up short at the foot of the stairs as he saw his sister-in-law standing with Harry. He always found himself tongue tied when he was around the silver haired beauty.
"Good morneeng, Ron," she said, turning her most dazzling smile on her befuddled brother-in-law. Harry was sure she did it on purpose.
"Oh, uh, yeah…hi, Fleur, Bill," Ron stammered.
"My God, Ron, you look terrible. What were you doing last night?" Bill asked while trying to suppress laughing.
"Well, with George proposing to Angelina right there in the middle of the ice cream shop, the word spread pretty quick and they're both pretty popular along Diagon Alley these days so we all ended up at the Cauldron and it turned into quite a party. I think it was after two in the morning by the time I got home. But don't worry; they both said they'd be here for Harry's party."
Everyone was delighted with the idea of the two former schoolmates and Quidditch team members getting married. It helped cement hope that their world was returning to a state of normality after the years of tragedy. Harry and Ginny had yet to make their intentions formal but everyone knew where they were headed. Ron and Hermione were more of a question. Ron was working long hours with the stores and the resurgent owl mail business for Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.
Both stores now boasted two full time clerks and a small warehouse had been acquired to handle merchandise storage and shipping for the owl mail orders. Hermione was likewise working almost non stop since joining the office of Regulation of Magical Creatures. She worked normal business hours tending to the regular tasks assigned to her and the rest of the time she was researching the previous and current status of the so called 'lesser magical races' for a report she wanted to present to the department head. This left the two of them with limited time to be together but they seemed happy and willing to let nature take its course. Everyone took seats at the kitchen table to talk and a few moments later Mrs. Weasley came in through the back door.
"Good morning everyone. I was bringing some tea out to your father in his shop. He's up to something in there, mark my words. Would only open the door wide enough to fit the cup through. Harry, dear. I know you did it with the best of intentions but I'm beginning to think that shop wasn't such a good idea."
Harry could only shrug and smile.
"Oh, come on, Mum. Dad has been putting in a lot of time since he was made head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. He needs to do something to unwind," Bill said.
"I understand that, Bill. But I just have visions of another one of those flying Anglias."
"I wouldn't worry about that, Mum. He can fit a much larger car in that new shop than an Anglia," Bill replied with a straight face.
Mrs. Weasley only response was to set her fists on her hips and glare at her eldest son. Everyone else was doing their best not to laugh. It was early in the afternoon when George and Angelina arrived and the party was able to begin. Harry may have been turning twenty but the concept of a happy birthday was still relatively new to him. The first ten years were nothing short of dismal thanks to the aggressively antagonistic way that the Dursley's acknowledged that Harry had managed to survive another year. The turning point came on his eleventh birthday when he met Hagrid in the little shack on the wave and wind swept island where he finally learned of his true heritage and the duplicity of his aunt and uncle. In the years that followed, while still spent at the Dursleys home, his birthday announced his release from that unhappy place and the haven of the Burrow. So today marked only the third time he marked the passing of another year with joy, love and the expectation of a relatively happy year to come.
He was also more then happy to share the day with George and Angelina. The announcement of their engagement the day before had caused quite a stir. According to the most reliable sources George selected the busiest part of the day to invade Angelina's Ice Cream Haven with some of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes loudest noise makers and once he had her attention wrote 'Will you marry me?' in glowing letters over the heads of her stunned customers. She immediately replied a very enthusiastic yes and then threw a scoop of Rocky Road at him. It was a match made in heaven.
When the happy couple arrived at the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley made a great fuss over her soon to be daughter-in-law. Ginny, Fleur and Hermione added to the attention and for the first hour of Harry's party the ladies formed a small knot of chatting, giggling sisterhood that included any number of glances at the men which only seemed to increase the level of laughter. Mrs. Weasley finally called a halt with a reminder that this was Harry's party and pressed the girls into service to move the food and tableware outside. The use of some deft wand work made the task go quickly and soon everyone was seated at the table and tucking into a variety of Molly Weasley's finest work.
The conversation around the table varied. The Weasley parents were talking with George and his bride to be about plans for the wedding which were practically nonexistent as George repeatedly had to remind his mother that only twenty four hours had passed since he proposed. Bill was talking to Harry about how his first years had been doing in Bill's second year class. Harry was very gratified to know that they had all done very well and that the Headmistress had repeatedly expressed her dismay that Harry had decided to pursue law enforcement as opposed to education.
Harry could only smile and remind Bill that he had come back three times during the past school year to conduct seminars with the older students. This was done at some professional risk as the senior Aurors did not take it well that Harry was being taken out of training nor did they approve of him being afforded any special status. However, the requests were endorsed by the Minister of Magic so they could not make their objections too loudly but Harry could feel the pressure. But it was a pressure he could deal with as it kept him in contact with the school and its students. A rapping on the table brought the conversations to a halt.
"Well, my dears, what do you say we get to the real reason we've all gathered here today?" Molly Weasley asked of her family, both by blood and by love.
With a flick of her wand and the murmured words 'Accio cake' a towering creation of baked wonder drifted through the open door of the kitchen to come to rest on the middle of the table directly in front of Harry. It was evident that Mrs. Weasley had truly outdone herself with this one. The base layer was at least two feet in diameter with four additional layers rising to a height of three feet. Each layer had a different frosting on it including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and what looked a lot like pumpkin.
"Wow, this is amazing, Mum, but how do you expect us to eat all of this? There's enough here to feed an army," Harry said in amazement.
"Funny you should say that, Harry, because that's just what it's intended to do."
"What do you mean, Mum?"
"Just wait about another ten seconds, dear and you'll find out. Let me see now, five, four, three, two, one, now."
And with that a rapid series of popping came from all parts of the yard as wizards and witches began Apparating all around them. In very short order all the surviving members of Dumbledore's Army were standing around the table and shouting birthday greetings. Harry struggled to get to his feet and when he finally did he received many hugs and kisses from the young women and handshakes and back slaps from the guys. When the uproar died down he looked over to his 'parents' with a question plain on his face.
"Well, Harry," Mr. Weasley began, "a certain young lady whom you might be familiar with," and he looked at his daughter, "came up with the idea after you came home from your second visit to Hogwarts and you were commenting on how you missed being there and missing all your friends. Your mood was certainly melancholy for a few days afterwards. So we started sending owls around and here we are."
"All I can say is it's a brilliant idea," Harry answered and then looked down at Ginny and smiled, his eyes bright. "Thank you, love, this is the best birthday present I could ever hope to get."
He bent down and gave Ginny a kiss and a hug. Then he took the knife that was offered and cut the first piece of cake and put it down in front her. In fairly short order the great work was reduced to a fraction of its original size and everyone was enjoying the treat and each others company.
Angelina and George were receiving a great deal of attention as the word of their engagement spread through the new arrivals. Harry was having a discussion with Neville who was splitting his time between field work for a research project he was assisting Professor Sprout with and dating Hannah Abbott. Harry had seen them together on more then one occasion at the Leaky Cauldron as he passed through on his way to Diagon Alley either on personal business or during the investigation into the fencing of the stolen magical items. He was happy for his friend. A lot of catching up was being done as some of the DA members hadn't seen each other since graduating over two years ago.
The sun was approaching the horizon when a very frazzled looking George came over to sit next to Harry who was enjoying a quiet moment.
"Mate, take my advice. When the time comes for you and Ginny just run off somewhere and get married before anyone has the chance to tell you how to do it."
Harry could only laugh.
"You must be kidding, George. If I deprived your mother of the opportunity to plan her only daughter's wedding I'd never find a cave deep enough to hide in."
"You're probably right. There's something else I wanted to talk to you about though," George said turning serious. "There's been some rumors floating around Diagon Alley that someone has been trying to get control of all the action in Knockturn Alley. It seems to have started just after those arrests for all the stolen stuff from that Death Eater's place. You didn't have anything to do with that did you, Harry?"
"Sorry, George, can't tell you anything about that," Harry replied.
"Which tells me a whole lot. Anyway, I thought you should know. Some of the shop keepers are worried that if they get a hold of Knockturn, Diagon will be next."
"Okay, George. I'll mention it when I go in tomorrow. I don't know if they will pay any attention. I'm just a trainee and they seem to be concentrating everything on finding the last of the Death Eaters and other Voldemort followers. It's almost as if they are obsessed with it. The only reason I think they went after all the stolen stuff is they thought it would help lead them to any of the others still out there."
"Whatever you can do, mate. We'll let you know if we hear anything more."
Harry just nodded. The party began to wind down as the sun was setting and after hugs and handshakes and promises to keep in touch popping sounds announced that the guests were slowly heading for their homes. The last to leave were Neville and Hannah. Neville and Harry were talking about Hogwarts, with Neville asking for some tips since Professor Sprout had been pushing her research assistant to start giving lectures to her more senior students on his collection trips and field research.
Despite his performance during the Battle of Hogwarts he was still fundamentally a quiet, shy young man and he wasn't comfortable with the idea of being up in front of a group of students. Harry was doing his best to convince his friend that it wasn't that big a deal and with all he had been through this would be a walk in the park. He even offered to help him lay out what he wanted to say and rehearse it. Ginny and Hannah chimed in with offers to be test subjects as well and the young herbologist seemed to be more at ease about the idea as he and Hannah took their leave and Disapparated.
As Harry had predicted when he arrived at the Ministry the following morning, his superiors were decidedly uninterested in what he had to tell them.
"We have bigger issues to deal with at the moment, Potter. We're stretched thin enough with tracking down the last of Voldemort's followers and attending to those we've already caught."
While Harry wasn't surprised with what he heard, he still wasn't happy about it. It bothered him that while the Aurors continued their relentless pursuit of what was left of the Death Eaters and lesser followers of Voldemort they tended to ignore situations that would be of more importance to the average witch or wizard. In addition, the repeated assertions that the ranks of the Aurors were so thin flew in the face of the fact that they were doing so little to recruit new members. Harry was one of only five recruits and they were drawn from two graduating classes and one wizard in his early twenties. And as best as Harry could determine, not a single Auror came from a family that had any muggle parentage. This elitism, as Harry saw it, seemed to permeate the entire philosophy of the Aurors and was hampering its ability to effectively protect the wizarding community. However, he figured a trainee would have little hope of changing how things operated, at least for now.
Several more weeks of training had passed when Harry once more found himself in the office of the Director of the Office of Magical Law Enforcement. This time it was just Harry and the Director. As before, the Director took his time before he began to speak.
"Well, Potter, despite our original misgivings, it appears that you've found a true calling here. I'm not saying this to pat you on the back, but to prepare you for what's coming. With the scarcity of Aurors we can't afford to keep someone in training when they're obviously ready for assignment. You're to report to Maxwell as soon as we're finished here. You'll be working with him on this case. Any questions?"
"No, sir."
The Director nodded and said, "On your way then."
Harry stood up and left the Director's office and made his way to the cluster of little offices that the senior Aurors called home when they weren't out chasing down dark wizards or witches. He found the one that had the name 'Maxwell' on a plate above it. He knocked firmly and was told to come in. He opened the door and stepped in. The room was little more then a large closet with just enough room for the desk, two chairs, one on each side of the desk and a row of four drawer file cabinets along the rear wall. The man behind the desk was the same that had led the group of six Aurors that had come to arrest the three would-be burglars shortly before Christmas of Harry's last year at school. With everything he had been exposed to this last year he was surprised they were able to spare that many.
"Sit down and close the door, Potter."
Ordinarily that would be said the other way around but the room being so small, the visitor had to be sitting in order to give the door room to swing shut. Maxwell leaned back in his chair as much as the file cabinets allowed and looked at Harry. His lips tipped upward in a small smile, the first Harry had seen on one of the usually dour faces since his training started.
"It's seem we need your peculiar talents, Potter. Your performance this past year has given the Director the, well, I won't say confidence, but at least he didn't reject it outright, the suggestion that we use you for a tricky mission."
Harry merely nodded to acknowledge that he was about to be tested again. Maxwell continued,
"We've been on the trail of a tricky little wizard that managed to make quite a bit of money dealing with the Death Eaters over the last twenty years or so. We've had him cornered twice since you finished off Voldemort but he's managed to give us the slip. We think that he's using some sort of cloaking spell and possibly a broom to make his get away. We believe we have him located again. We want you to fly high cover and do whatever it is you do to chase things you can't see. Don't look so surprised, Potter. We read the sports pages, too. Your performance during that blizzard attracted a lot of attention," Maxwell said the last with a laugh.
"Do you have a picture or description of him, it might help me 'find' him," Harry replied.
"No photograph, but here's his description and an artist's sketch," Maxwell said handing Harry a piece of paper.
The wizard described would not have been difficult to recognize on the street if he went about without a disguise. He was supposedly only five feet tall, thin, balding with popped eyes and very bad teeth. He favored the archaic robes of the medieval period. Apparently he had made a rather sizable fortune dealing with the Death Eaters providing contraband magical items, information and helping them maintain contacts particularly in the interim years between Harry's first encounter with the darkest of wizards and his ultimate demise. His real name was unknown, he was simply known as "the source".
"It's still early, Potter and it's likely to be a long night. I suggest you go somewhere and get some sleep. Wear something warm too. We've tracked him to a small island in the Hebrides and even at this time of year it's likely to be a bit chilly in the air. Meet me here at six this evening. And don't forget your broom."
"Yes, sir."
Since the start of training, Harry had been making use of the Black house. It was still spelled so that it wasn't visible to the muggle neighbors and a few days of work had it comfortable if not as homey as the Burrow. Kreacher had resumed his residence there and kept it habitable for Harry. One major modification had to do with the portrait of Sirius' mother that had the unfortunate habit of screaming all kinds of nastiness whenever it was disturbed. The portrait was magically affixed to the wall and since it couldn't be removed Harry solved the problem by covering it up. He had his get well scroll framed and hung over the portrait. All in all the townhouse proved quite livable considering he mostly used it as a place to sleep.
So it was that just before noon he Apparated on to the magically shielded front stoop of his London home and was met at the door by Kreacher.
"Master Harry is home early."
"Yes, Kreacher. It seems I have an assignment for tonight and it was suggested I try and get some sleep. I doubt I will but at least I can relax. Would you please make me some lunch?"
"Kreacher would be pleased to do so."
"Thanks."
Harry made his way to the small room that he had turned into his study. It contained a well upholstered chair where he would sit when he had the chance to read or just wanted to relax. There was also a small desk and book shelf where he put a small but growing collection of books on magic. On the eve of departing the school as a student for the last time he had paid a visit to the Head's office to say good bye, for the time being at least, to his mentor, Professor Dumbledore. The former Headmaster, now dead and speaking from his portrait, had dictated to Harry a list of suggested reading that he was finding to be very beneficial. A few of the volumes were pretty rare and he had to rely on his contacts at Flourish and Blotts as well as Gringotts to find them. They were still searching for two more.
In short order Kreacher arrived with Harry's lunch and a sealed note. It was from Ginny. They hadn't seen each other in a week and Harry quickly opened the wax seal and unfolded the parchment.
Dearest Harry,
It's been such a long time since I've seen those stunning green eyes of yours. I miss you terribly. The season continues to go well. I don't know if you've had time to read the sports page but we've won our last three matches and our winning streak is now at ten. There has been some talk of an invitation to a tournament in France after the regular season is done. It would be so much fun and it would be even better if we could go together but I know you are being pressed very hard but it looks like I should be able to get to London to see you this weekend. Please let me know if you think you'll be free. I have to go now, my love. We are getting ready to practice so I'll close now and send my owl to you. I'm so happy that you thought to get me an owl so that we could stay in touch this way. I'm such a lucky girl.
All my love,
Your Ginny.
Harry couldn't help but smile as he read and reread the words. He closed his eyes and he easily called to mind that beautiful smiling face framed in flaming red hair. He sat back in his desk chair, his lunch waiting for him on a tray on the desk. After all that time they had spent together, first during his recuperation at the Burrow, then at Hogwarts while they completed their education, these long periods of separation were proving difficult for Harry. He had spent so much time alone as a child growing up at the Dursley's that he thought he'd be used to it but having found friends and family and the love of his life, the time spent apart was painful. He opened his eyes with a sigh and began to eat his lunch. He disposed of the meal quickly, eating for necessity as opposed to enjoyment and when he was finished he retired to the well cushioned chair to relax.
At half past five, Kreacher entered after knocking respectfully. He picked up the tray from the desk and spoke,
"It is nearly time for Master Harry to leave for the Ministry. Kreacher has placed Master Harry's broom and heavy flying cloak by the front door."
"Thanks, Kreacher. I'm not sure when I'll be getting back tonight so there's no need to wait up for me."
"Kreacher will be here to greet Master Harry as Kreacher should."
"Ok, Kreacher, thanks, see you later," Harry said with a smile.
It was almost two years since Kreacher had agreed to accept his freedom and begin to work for Harry and collect wages. Harry had only been able to get Kreacher to accept the modest sum of six sickles a week but Harry was sure that over time he could get him to take something more equitable. Kreacher had become much more agreeable to the idea of wearing clothes and Harry had presented him with a well made selection of outfits made by a tailor in Diagon Alley. Hermione was particularly pleased with how the situation was taking shape and was using it as a forceful argument for better treatment of the elves.
Harry collected his broom and cloak and went outside to Apparate to the Ministry. Like Hogwarts, the Black house had been spelled to protect it from direct Apparation inside. Over the centuries the Blacks had accumulated some pretty dangerous enemies and even more dangerous friends. The house was heavily warded against magical attack.
At the appointed hour Harry knocked on the door of Maxwell's office. Instead of being invited in, Maxwell came out and waved Harry to follow him. They proceeded down a long hallway to a larger common room. It contained several couches, half a dozen chairs around a battered old table and a counter that held a small two burner electric hot plate, two kettles and a number of mismatched tea mugs. Several Aurors were sitting around the table drinking tea and eating rolls. They turned their heads when Maxwell and Harry entered the room.
"This is Potter," Maxwell offered by way of introduction. He then turned to Harry and pointed at the two wizards and one witch. "Anderson, Truncheon and Muntab." Each nodded in turn. Harry did likewise.
"Here's the situation," Maxwell continued. "We have 'the source' under surveillance at his latest hideout. We are going to Apparate to the outskirts of Hogsmeade, then fly under cover of darkness to a spot near where he's holed up. Potter will stay flying high cover while we go after him. If he bolts like he has in the past we expect you, Potter, to either cut him off or chase him down. We'll provide what support we can once we get airborne but it will fall to you to keep him in sight, understood?"
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.
The other Aurors likewise nodded then stood. They made their way to the main lobby and formed up. They were to arrive at the entrance to the memorial park that used to be the site of the Shrieking Shack. Brooms in hand they disappeared from the lobby and in the next instant were standing on the dirt road that led into the park. Harry felt a momentary pang of sadness but he didn't have a chance to dwell on it as they mounted up and took to the sky. The late summer evening was still warm but as they gained altitude Harry was glad for the warm cloak. They flew in formation for over two hours before they arrived at their destination, a shallow depression in the ground that provided cover from casual observation. They were met by another Auror who had been huddled near the top of the rise that faced the tiny stone hut that supposedly contained their quarry.
"He's still in there. You can smell the coal smoke and I've seen him move past the window several times. There's only the one door and a window on either side. With five on the ground we should have him boxed in," said the watcher, Whitby.
"Yes, that's what we thought the last time and the time before. Hopefully, Potter will put the lid on the box. Okay, here's the way we'll do it. Potter, get up in the air. Make sure you're high enough to see all sides of the hut. I'll take the front door with Anderson for back up, Truncheon the north side window, Muntab the south side, Whitby you have the back side, just in case. Okay, let's move. Potter, get up there."
With a nod, Harry mounted his broom and climbed into the air. He went up to about one hundred feet and came to a slow orbit over the hut. He watched as the five Aurors crept towards the hut. They left their brooms about a dozen paces from the south side of the little stone building. They then finished getting into position. Harry began to count and when he got to twelve he heard more than saw that the front door was blown in by Maxwell. An instant latter a sizeable hole was blown through the slate roof at the same time both side windows shattered outward. Harry looked for any sign of a fleeing wizard on a broom but there was nothing to see. He did see the other Aurors quickly close on the house.
Something didn't seem right to Harry so he closed his eyes and pictured the sketch of the wanted wizard. The picture in his minds eye was hunched over and moving to the north as if crouched in a small space. Harry allowed his broom to drift in that direction still with his eyes closed. In a moment the figure stood up and appeared to mount a broom. Harry opened his eyes and looked down. In the darkness he could see nothing so he closed his eyes. The image was just getting airborne so Harry began to dive on the 'target'. It moved quickly but Harry was able to lock on just as he had on the snitch that fateful day in the blizzard. Something must have alerted the little wizard because the image began to accelerate. Harry did likewise and soon he was in hot pursuit. Harry opened his eyes to make sure he wasn't missing anything and he couldn't make out any visible flyer. Whatever spell 'the source' was using, it was certainly effective. So he closed his eyes again and urged his broom flat out.
His quarry must have sensed him somehow and began a series of evasive maneuvers trying to first hug the ground then rocket upward looking for cloud cover. It was to no avail. Harry's mind's eye was every bit as good as the most sophisticated muggle radar technology. Slowly Harry was closing on the fleeing wizard when a thought occurred to him. What was he going to do when he caught him up? This wasn't a Quidditch match and he wasn't chasing a snitch. He couldn't just reach out and grab him. He ran through several ideas until he settled on one. He was sure that the Aurors wanted him alive so he couldn't just blow him out of the sky but he also knew this wizard had derived a great deal of wealth out of the suffering of many innocent wizards, witches and not a few muggles so he wasn't inclined to go too soft with him. Harry could feel he was closing to within easy spell casting range so he withdrew his wand and took aim. He muttered 'Incendio' at the rear of the fleeing broom and saw the bristles promptly take flame. As the bristles burned he was able to open his eyes and see the fleeing fireball and the outline of the little wizard as the broom began to falter in the air. Quite suddenly the entire broom seemed to flare and the figure of the wanted wizard began to plummet to the ground. Harry dove after him and again with wand aimed muttered "Arresto Momentum" and then "Petrificus Totalus".
Harry followed the slowly, but not too slowly, tumbling rigid form as it approached then hit the ground with a satisfying thump. He came in for a landing and walked over to the figure laying in the tangle of his robes on the hard ground. His frozen facial features were locked in a grimace of fear since he had already been tumbling to the ground when Harry spelled him. He fit the description Harry had read pretty closely. The bulging eyes and bad teeth were clearly evident. His tangled robes hid most of the rest but it was pretty clear this was their man.
The other Aurors came in for a landing moments later and Anderson and Truncheon moved to take control of their prisoner while Maxwell approached Harry with an odd look on his face.
"Well done, Potter. I have to say you looked pretty odd up there darting around apparently all by yourself. We were starting to get a little concerned until we saw his broom catch fire. How were you able to keep on his tail like that?" the senior Auror asked.
Harry wasn't sure that he wanted to reveal too much about his ability so he simply said,
"I guess it's instinctive after all those years of chasing a snitch," he replied, his face carefully neutral.
Maxwell merely nodded his head but his face clearly showed he didn't fully accept the answer. Harry could hear a low snort from one of the other Aurors but chose to ignore it.
"Ok, well, we're done here. Since we know where we are going we'll Disapparate back. It's been a long night so take it in steps. I don't want anyone getting splinched. Potter, you're done for the night. See you in the morning."
Harry nodded and watched as the other Aurors popped out of sight along with their prisoner. He figured it was somewhere around ten o'clock so he felt it would be safe to use Hogsmeade as his first transit point and he Apparated onto the road that lead up to the school. After pausing for a moment he popped into the field across from the Burrow. Finally he was on the front stoop of the Black house and before he could reach for the handle the door opened and Kreacher bowed Harry inside.
In the weeks that followed Harry was paired with Maxwell on several more assignments involving investigations into reports of sightings of this or that Voldemort supporter but nothing had panned out. It was beginning to appear to Harry that the Magical Law Enforcement office was chasing shadows. In the meantime George Weasley had sent him several messages dealing with the rumored infiltration of Knockturn Alley by a person or persons unknown intent on taking over. Harry was getting frustrated to say the least. In was late in September when Harry was notified of an assignment that was much more concrete in its purpose. He, in the company of Maxwell, Anderson and Truncheon were to travel to Azkaban Prison to escort a prisoner to trial. When they arrived Harry was somewhat taken aback when he discovered the prisoner was none other then Fenrir Greyback, the notorious werewolf and Death Eater.
It was evident that captivity had not been kind to Greyback, one of the most vicious and dangerous of Voldemort's minions. He was gaunt and unkempt, his prison uniform hung on his body in loose folds. But his eyes still held the same mad menace that Harry remembered from the two times they had come in close contact. His wrists and ankles were shackled with heavy iron cuffs joined by lengths of heavy chain. His wrists chains were linked through a heavy leather belt that was locked around his waist. He wore a heavy leather muzzle as his teeth were his most dangerous weapon. Harry was curious as to why he wasn't simply spelled into paralysis but now wasn't the time to ask.
As Harry was examining the restraints he made eye contact with the werewolf. The werewolf's eyes tightened and he began to growl low in his throat. Harry calmly maintained eye contact with the same expression he reserved for unruly students and the growl subsided to a faint whine. Maxwell had finished signing the papers for transfer of custody and was watching the exchange between the two former nemeses. After a moment he shook his head and said,
"Alright, let's get this one back to the Ministry."
"Yes, sir," replied Anderson and Truncheon in unison.
They each took an arm and half pushed, half carried the prisoner outside to the waiting boat that would take them from the island prison to the mainland. It was a miserable trip in the early autumn chill. On several occasions Harry's vigilant observation of the prisoner created eye contact and on these occasions the werewolf visibly cringed like a dog expecting to be disciplined by its master. Maxwell observed these exchanges without comment.
After several hours of rough sea passage they approached a secluded cove with what appeared to the casual observer to be a rickety, half-collapsed dock. Like the Hogwarts castle, the dock was enchanted to look like it was unsafe, but in fact was solidly constructed. A Ministry van was waiting to complete the transport of the prisoner. The ride was uneventful. Greyback was oddly subdued. As the journey neared its conclusion the werewolf seemed to shrink in on himself. The van pulled into the rear courtyard of the Ministry building and Greyback was hustled in through a barred steel door.
"Potter, meet me in my office in twenty minutes," Maxwell said as he went through the door behind the prisoner.
Harry didn't have a chance to respond so he shrugged and made his way to the Auror common room to get a quick cup of hot tea to ward off the chill of the boat passage. As he sipped the warming drink a familiar figure stood in the doorway.
"Hello, Harry, how have you been getting on?" Minister Shacklebolt asked in his deep voice.
"Hello, sir. I've been doing well, thanks," Harry replied.
"Yes, so I've been hearing. In fact I'd like to talk to you about that. Can you come up to my office at four o'clock?"
"Of course, sir."
"And Harry, don't speak of this to anyone, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
The Minister nodded and walked down the hall. Harry didn't have time to consider the exchange as he had to get down to Maxwell's office. When he arrived he found the door was partly open and he stuck his head in. Maxwell looked up and waved him in.
"Sit down, Potter, and close the door."
"Yes, sir."
Maxwell leaned back in his chair and looked at Harry for several moments. Harry calmly returned his gaze.
"You know, Potter, I'm having a tough time figuring you out. Does anything get to you? And what was all that business with Greyback? You had him whining like a whipped puppy."
"About Greyback, I don't know what was going on. At first I figured he was trying to mess us about and I wasn't going to let him. Maybe I just reminded him of what happened with his lord and master," Harry finished with a shrug.
"And the rest of it?"
"What do you want me to tell you? I've lived through a lot of pretty bad stuff in my life and come out of it in pretty good shape. So what's there to get wound up about? Would it make you feel any better if I got all emotional and excited and screwed things up?" he responded matter-of-factly.
"You know, Potter, coming from someone else I'd say you were trying to be a clever dick, but not you, no. I'll lay it out for you this way. You make people around here nervous. You're an unknown and it's hard to trust an unknown. It's been decided that for the time being you're going to be on your own. You've been making a lot of noise about this business in Knockturn Alley so it's all yours. Go find out what's going on," Maxwell said, the last of it coming while he leaned forward across his desk. "Off you go, then. Report back when you have something worthwhile."
"Yes, sir," was all Harry offered in response.
He opened the door, then stood up and walked out of the little office. He stood in the hallway for a few moments to gather his thoughts. On the one hand he was glad he was going to be able to look into what was causing a lot of concern in Diagon Alley. On the other he was disturbed by the idea that no one was willing to trust him even after he had acquitted himself so well so far. Just because he was someone they couldn't figure out, someone different. He wondered how they had felt about Tonks. Maybe she wasn't all that different.
He had another hour or so before he was due to visit Kingsley Shacklebolt. He had no idea what the Minister wanted to talk to him about but he thought it best that he have a clear head when he did. He had found a quiet corner down near the main lobby several months ago and he made his way down there now to spend a few moments to process what had happened during the day, particularly the last of it in Maxwell's office. Was it his fate to be some kind of lone wolf or were they testing him again, or perhaps simply trying to force him out of the Aurors.
This line of thinking wasn't going to get his head right so he closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift to his favorite people and place, Ginny, Ron, the rest of the Weasleys and the Burrow. These were people who knew him and trusted him and he trusted them. As long as he knew that, nothing would trouble him. And then too there was Hermione and Neville, friends who were more then friends. He allowed himself an inward smile and made his way to the elevators and up to the Minister's office. He arrived a few minutes early and took a seat in the waiting room. The elderly witch who was the Minister's secretary looked up as he did so and gave him a little nod.
When the large grandfather clock against the wall chimed four she gave Harry a wave to indicate he should go in. Harry took a breath and went to the door. He knew he shouldn't be nervous. After all, he had known Shacklebolt ever since that night he came with the others to escort him to safety from the Durselys. He had visited Harry at the hospital and come to his eighteenth birthday party. Yet he was entering the Minister of Magic's office for unknown reasons. He allowed himself the luxury to be a bit nervous.
"Ah, there you are, Potter, Harry. Please, come in and sit down," the Minister said in his deep voice.
"Yes, sir."
"I imagine you've been curious about why I've asked you to come up and see me."
"Yes, sir, I have."
"It's a simple thing really. I'd like you to give me your impressions about the Aurors," the Minister said.
"My impressions, sir?"
"Yes, Harry. It's well known that you are an intelligent and perceptive young man. Your work in establishing Dumbledore's Army speaks well of your leadership capabilities and that lecture you gave during your seventh year revealed a very insightful mind. I would think that by now you must have formed some opinions of how the Aurors operate. I assure you anything you tell me will be held in strictest confidence. Likewise I don't expect you to name names or act as an informant."
"I understand, sir, it's just that, well, you having been an Auror…" Harry said hesitantly.
"Forget about that, Harry. I'm asking as Minister of Magic and I won't take offense at anything you may have to say."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked across the big desk at the Minister, who's normally impressive figure was enhanced by his robes of office.
"The Aurors as individuals are very effective in accomplishing missions but as a whole the office doesn't seem to be very efficient. I think they have an almost obsessive mindset about the remnants of Voldemort's followers."
"Don't you think we owe it to the wizarding community to bring all of those responsible for all the misery they've caused us to justice, Harry? I would think you would be more sensitive to that then just about anyone."
"Sir, Voldemort is dead. All his true Death Eaters are either dead or in prison. We recently captured their primary agent or source as he was called. The ones being sought are minor players yet we have all our top people trying to find them. In the meantime rumors of a criminal takeover of Knockturn Alley that could soon pose a threat to the businesses on Diagon Alley have been ignored until just this afternoon. I've been assigned the singular task of investigating these rumors. Which of these situations do you think is of more importance to the wizard or witch in the street?"
Shacklebolt nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment then said,
"How would you handle the situation then, Harry?"
"If it was up to me, I'd assign no more than half a dozen Aurors to running down the rest of the Voldemort fugitives and put more emphasis on the serious criminal activity that impacts the average member of the wizarding world. I'd have Aurors start paying more attention to what's going on in Diagon Alley, get to know the shop keepers and listening to what's being said."
"That could take a lot of manpower, Harry. Even if we back off on the whole Voldemort issue as you suggest we'd be hard pressed to maintain the staffing at Azkaban and put operatives on the street," the Minister responded.
"Yes, sir and I understand that under current conditions that's an issue but that brings up another area I see as a problem."
Harry drew another breath before he plunged into what he felt was a going to be a very sensitive topic.
"The Aurors are involved with tracking down dark witches and wizards. The Magical Law Enforcement Squad handles the more mundane law enforcement and someone else deals with misuse of this or that. It all seems so disjointed and it doesn't appear that one group talks to the other so if the Aurors are informed of something that's not their area they don't pass it on. A muggle police force has different levels of officers to deal with different levels of crime. They have the average officer on the street to deal with every day matters, detectives to do investigations, special teams to handle high risk situations, and so on. But it's all tied together. Maybe we need to consider something along those lines.
The Minister sat back in his chair and looked at Harry over his steepled fingers, his index fingers tapping together slowly. After a moment or two he leaned forward and folded his hands on his desk.
"You may have something there, Harry. If you haven't already, I'd like you to think about this some more and draw up a proposal on how we would go about implementing such a change. I'd like to see it in a week. You're to include organization, training, application standards, everything. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Harry replied, a bit of uncertainty creeping into his voice.
"Don't worry, Harry," the Minister laughed. "This isn't a Hogwarts exam. The worse that happens is I don't like it and I make you do it over again. But do understand that I am serious about this, so give me your best effort, young man."
"Yes, sir," Harry replied more confidently.
"Excellent. That will be all for today, Harry."
At the dismissal, Harry stood up and walked out of the Minister's office, nodding to the secretary in passing and made his way to the elevator that took him to the lobby. Considering the amount of work he was just handed and his desire to get started on the investigation of Knockturn Alley, Harry decided he would make his way to Diagon Alley to talk with George Weasley and then have dinner at the Leaky Cauldron to see if he could pick up anything there. The Cauldron wasn't full up when he walked in but it was doing a brisk business. Tom the proprietor hurried up.
"Stopping for an early dinner, Mr. Potter?"
"No, Tom, I'm on my way through to Diagon Alley but I'll be stopping on my way back."
"Right you are, Mr. Potter. I'll have a quiet table set aside for you, don't you worry."
"Thanks, Tom. That would be great," Harry replied as he thought that being the 'Famous Harry Potter' did have some advantages.
As he made his way back to the door that led to the magic portal he smiled and nodded at a few familiar faces and tried to ignore the whispers that followed him. With a few taps of his wand the brick wall folded back and he made his way out onto the street. In the two plus years since the fall of Voldemort things had improved in the wizarding world. Diagon Alley was getting back to normal with all the shop space occupied and a fair number of witches and wizards of all ages making their way here and there. The condition of the people looked better as well. Only a few of them looked as if they were still having a rough go of it but that had always been the case. Magical ability was no guarantee of a comfortable life. He was gratified to see that the Ice Cream Haven was doing a brisk business.
He made his way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and entered the shop. Four or five customers were browsing the aisles and one was paying for his selections at the counter, occupying the time of one of the sales clerks. The other was at the opposite end of the counter, head down, making notes on a piece of parchment. Harry walked up to the counter and said,
"I'd like to speak to Mr. Weasley if I might."
Without looking up the clerk said rather brusquely,
"I'm afraid Mr. Weasley is a very busy man and doesn't have time at the moment. Is there something I can do for you?"
"Yes, the first is to look at me when you talk to me and the second is to please go and tell George Weasley that Harry Potter would like to talk to him for a moment."
The clerk visibly started and his head came up slowly, his eyes wide and his mouth gaped open slightly. Harry took this all in with a slightly bemused smile on his face and his eyebrows raised questioningly. The clerk stammered out a few incoherent phrases and then nodded and said 'yes, sir' a couple of times as he backed away and through the doorway that led to the back of the store. A moment later George Weasley emerged from the same doorway with a wide smile.
"Harry, good to see you. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to talk to you, privately if we can."
"Sure thing, Harry. We can talk in my office, back this way," George said as he waved Harry through.
Once they were seated on very comfortable chairs in the otherwise modest office George laughed and said,
"First off, Harry, what did you say to Diggsworthy? He came back here white as a sheet."
"When I asked to see you he told me you were too busy and could he help me, all the while staring down at some piece of parchment. I just suggested he look at me when he talked to me and to tell you I was here to see you. That's all," Harry said quietly.
"In your quiet, serious voice?"
"Yes."
"And you mentioned your name?"
"I believe I did."
George laughed again.
"That explains it, very scary combination that. So, what can I do for you, Mr. Scary Potter," George quipped.
"I wanted to talk to you about the situation in Knockturn Alley. I've been assigned to investigate," Harry said, his mouth turned up in a half smile.
George got serious very quickly.
"Really? That's great, Harry. I thought they'd never get around to it before it was too late. Hope it isn't already. But just you, Harry?"
"Just me. Apparently I'm too 'unusual' to be trusted by the other Aurors so I'm getting single duty for the time being. Maybe it's another test," he said with a shrug.
"Hmm, dicey. But anyway. So far as anyone knows there is just one wizard involved. Some foreign guy it's said, heavy accent, some think east European, I overheard one guy say Mediterranean. Anyway, there has been a lot of talk about buying up shops or taking majority stakes. No direct threats but implying unpleasantness. A few shops have changed hands so far. That's not to say that there aren't others involved but the word is it's only one doing the face to face work."
"Hmm, ok. Where are you coming by this information, George?"
"Some of it I hear in the store. Other times it's from the other shopkeepers passing on what they've heard. A lot gets talked about at the Cauldron as well."
"Ok, I'm going to have dinner there tonight so maybe I'll pick up some more. I'd like to know who's next on the list for 'acquisition'. I have an idea on how to proceed but I need some more information," Harry said quietly.
"Just like the old days, huh, Harry. Investigating strange goings on."
"A bit, George, but in the old days I had Ron and Hermione to help."
"Yeah, the three amigos. I get the feeling Ron would like those days to come back around again."
"What do you mean, George?" Harry said quickly.
"I don't think Ron is all that happy these days, Harry. It was great having him help me get the business up and running but now it's just a lot of the same old thing and I think he's getting bored," George replied.
"I guess getting rich doesn't appeal to him so much anymore," Harry said thoughtfully.
"I don't think it ever did, Harry. I think he just felt he needed to help me get things going again and he didn't really want to go back to school."
"Maybe. I may have an idea that would appeal to him. Thanks for telling me, George, and thanks for the information on Knockturn alley. It's a start and a big help."
"No worries, mate. I hope you get to the bottom of it."
With that, Harry stood up and shook hands with George and walked out of the shop and back onto the street. He looked around and decided to check in at Flourish and Blotts to see if they had any luck with those last two books. The proprietor told Harry that they had a strong lead on one of them that they were pursuing and a message had arrived from Gringotts just this morning that they were very close to acquiring the second. Harry was very pleased and said so, thanking the older wizard. He decided to take a stroll along the full length of the Alley just to see what there was to see. He walked past the first of the two stores that he helped to reopen and he allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. He was snapped out of his reverie by a loud shout from a jewelry shop across the street.
"Stop! Thief! Stop!" and almost immediately after a large scruffily dressed man lumbered out of the doorway clutching a handful of gold chains in one large hand and a wand in the other. Harry's wand was out in an instant and he leveled it at the thief.
"Stupefy!" Harry called out but not too loudly.
The red beam struck the big man squarely in the chest and he went down in a heap. Harry hurried over to the man as he lay stunned in the street. The gold chains were still clutched in his large dirty hand. The shopkeeper came running out and slid to a halt on the other side of the thief.
"He smashed the glass on one of my display cases and grabbed those chains. He was pointing his wand at me the whole time," the wizard said in a rush.
The whole time he was talking he was looking down at the would-be robber. When he finished he looked up at Harry, his eyes widening as he recognized him.
"Have you ever seen him before, sir?" Harry asked calmly.
"What? Oh, no, never have. He walked in and looked around a bit. I asked if I could help him with anything and he just shook his head. A minute later he had his wand in my face and was smashing the glass."
"My name is Harry Potter, sir, and I'm with the Aurors office. I'll take this man in but I will need to hold the chains for evidence. I'll give you a receipt and you can claim them after his case is heard."
The shop owner didn't look happy but he seemed resigned to the situation.
"If you say so, Mr. Potter. Then again, if I can't trust the famous Harry Potter, who can I trust, eh?" he said with a little half smile.
Harry just smiled a little back at him. He pointed his wand at the thief and muttered 'Incarcerus' and the big man was instantly bound in rope.
"If you'd write down a description of the items taken and their value we'll both sign it and then I'll take him in."
"Certainly, Mr. Potter," the man said and he hurried back into his shop.
Harry took a moment to look around. Witches and wizards were standing about in small groups watching and whispering to one another, but no one approached. The shopkeeper returned with a receipt book and offered it to Harry with a quill and Harry signed below the shopkeeper's signature. The shopkeeper then pulled off a copy and gave it to Harry. Harry knelt down and removed the chains from the meaty hand and checked them against the receipt and then placed them in his pocket. He then pointed his wand at the man again and muttered 'Wingardium Leviosa' and the big body floated up to about waist height. With help from the shopkeeper he rotated the man until he was somewhat upright and then nodded for the store owner to step back.
"I'll be in touch, sir," Harry said and with that he Disapparated with his prisoner back to the lobby of the Ministry.
A number of witches and wizards were making their way out of elevators so they could Disapparate home. There were more then a few raised eyebrows as Harry guided the floating form of the thief into a vacated elevator for the ride down to the holding cells. Harry knew he had a couple of hours ahead of him filling out arrest report forms and he had missed his chance for dinner at the Cauldron. He was sure Kreacher would have something for him when he got home.
The week that followed was a busy one for Harry. He began his investigation of the Knockturn Alley situation with some discreet conversations with other Diagon Alley shopkeepers recommended to him by George. This provided some corroboration of what George had initially told Harry but little in the way of new information was forthcoming. He would have to proceed with the next phase of his plan with what information he had in hand. Secondly, he spent a good part of each evening working on the plan that the Minister had asked him for.
Based on his knowledge of muggle police forces, information he gleaned from visits to a muggle library and his own concepts he developed a plan that provided a layered structure for street policing, crime investigation, a special tactical team as well as rotational and permanent guard duty at Azkaban prison. Against each layer he formulated minimum requirements and training.
During the week he even managed to fit in a visit from Ginny which included some shopping on Diagon Alley and dinner at the Cauldron. He had quietly informed Ginny what he was doing at the Ministers direction, after first having sworn her to strictest secrecy, and she was bubbling with excitement at the idea.
"Oh, Harry, that's brilliant. Do you think he's really going to redo the Aurors department?"
"I don't know, Ginny. He said he was serious about me doing the plan but I don't know, maybe it's just another test."
"I doubt that, Harry. I've heard all kinds of not so good things said about the Aurors over the last year or so. Things like why hadn't they done something about Voldemort before it got so bad, why are they still chasing after people and not dealing with more everyday problems. Pretty much what you've apparently told the Minister. He has to know there are problems and he does want to improve the Ministry's image, you've said so yourself."
"I don't know, love. I just know he said if I didn't get it right he was going to have me do it over," Harry said with a little smile.
Harry had also managed to have a talk with his best mate, Ron. Having heard what George said he thought he would sound Ron out about the matter personally. They were sharing lunch at the Cauldron.
"So how's the business getting along, Ron?"
"Going great, Harry. Sales are climbing, people love our products, we may even have to expand the warehouse to deal with it all," Ron said with a smile on his face but not in his voice.
"You're enjoying it?" Harry asked with studied casualness.
"Yeah, I guess so, well, I don't know, Harry. It's all getting to be the same, you know. George is having fun coming up with new ideas and he really gets a charge out of dealing with the customers. It was fun when we were getting things moving, reopening the stores, working the long hours, the craziness. Now, we've got employees and payrolls and it's more settled down," Ron finished, his face a little clouded.
"Makes you wish for the old days at school when you didn't know what was gonna happen next, huh?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, mate. Of course the fact that we lived through it makes it seem like a lot of fun now. Then, it was pretty scary at times," Ron replied, his face coming alive at the thought.
"Speaking of that, I may need to ask you a favor with this investigation of Knockturn Alley."
"Oh, yeah, what's that?"
"I'm still working on the details but it would be great if I had some help. The Aurors office kinda left me by myself on this one."
"Sure, Harry, I'd be glad to help."
"Great, Ron, thanks."
By the end of that busy week Harry had several things in hand. He was beginning to assemble a picture of what was going on in Knockturn Alley. He had Ron to fall back on when he needed help and he was sure it was going to be soon. He also had his plan drawn up and it was now in the hands of the Minister of Magic. It had been a tiring time and he decided a visit to the Burrow was just what he needed. It was around nine on Saturday morning when he knocked on the kitchen door of the Burrow and stuck his head in.
"Anyone home?" he called out.
"Harry, dear. It's so good to see you," Mrs. Weasley called to him from the stove. "Come in, come in."
She hurried over to greet her 'adopted' son and gave him a big hug.
"Harry, since when did you ever have to knock on the door? This is your home, you know."
"I know, Mum, it's just that I'm not here much anymore so I didn't want to just barge in," Harry said with a smile.
"Barge away, dear boy. Now, have you had any breakfast yet this morning?"
"Um, no, in fact, it was a really long week and I only woke up a little bit ago. In fact, I'm starving," he said with an embarrassed smile.
"Tsk, sit yourself right down. I was just putting together something for your father and Ginny. She's home for the weekend, as if you didn't know."
"Um, I didn't, in fact."
Their conversation was cut off as a squealed "Harry!" rang through the big kitchen. A red headed blur crossed the room and threw herself into Harry's arms.
"It's so wonderful you're here, Harry. I was going to surprise you and here you went and surprised us," Ginny said excitedly from somewhere around Harry's chest.
"How were you going to surprise me, love?" Harry asked.
"After breakfast I was going to pop over to the Black house, if you weren't there I was going to have Kreacher find you for me. But you beat me to it," she said looking up at him with a smile.
"Harry, good to see you, son," Arthur Weasley said from the bottom of the stair case. "I figured you must have shown up when I heard your name all the way upstairs."
"Hiya, Dad. It's good to be home."
"All right, everyone. Sit yourselves down and let me get you fed."
"So, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, "how are things going for you? I know you've been doing field work now."
"Okay, I guess," Harry began. "I've done some investigative work and been in on an arrest. Now they have me looking into something going on in Knockturn Alley that George tipped me off to."
Mr. Weasley was looking at Harry intently.
"My boy, why is it I get the feeling your not telling us the whole story?"
"Well, I didn't want to say it but I'm having some issues, you could say. I'm on this latest assignment by myself. Apparently, none of the other Aurors are that comfortable working with me. Something about me being an unknown that no one can trust."
"What!" Ginny exclaimed. "What are those idiots thinking about? You nearly died to save all of us and you can't be trusted? I know about two dozen people who would walk into fire with you, those bloody fools."
"Calm down, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said to her red headed, and now red faced, daughter.
"Yeah, take it easy, sweetheart. It's not like anyone is trying to push me down a flight of stairs or curse me while I'm not looking," Harry said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, Harry, in a way it's not to be unexpected. The Ministry has always had a very deep streak of 'tradionalist' views. Remember how Fudge was about the whole pure blood issue. The Aurors are much the same way. Even though you come from a long line of wizards on your dad's side, they know your mum was muggle born and that bunch has a problem with that. Not to mention that you pretty much outclass every one of them in terms of ability and experience and technically you're still a trainee. There has been a lot of talk over the years about shaking up the whole Magical Law Enforcement office but there was never any real push to do it."
Harry thought for a moment but he knew these were some of the people he could trust absolutely.
"I think there is now," Harry said quietly.
"What do you mean, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Late last week, after we came back from escorting Fenrir Greyback from Azkaban to the Ministry for trial, Kingsley Shacklebolt had me come up to his office for a talk. He was asking me my impressions of the Aurors and after I told him what I had seen and what I thought about it he directed me to put together a plan on how I would reorganize the Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. Experience, training, operations, the whole thing. I turned it in yesterday morning."
"Wow, Harry, that's brilliant. I know you've told me this already but it still sounds amazing. He must really be impressed with you to have had you do that," Ginny said.
"Come now, Ginny, I think everyone is rather impressed by Harry," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Obviously not, Mum, if those knucklehead Aurors don't feel they can work with Harry. Jealous maybe, but not impressed," Ginny said, the anger still evident in her tone.
"I agree with Ginny on one point at least, Harry. That is quite a compliment with Kingsley asking you to do that. We've had some serious discussions in our staff meetings with him and he is bound and determined to get the Ministry squared away and make it more relevant to the ordinary witch and wizard. I understand he's had a few discussions with Dumbledore from his portrait at headquarters as well. Would you be willing to share some of your ideas with us?"
So in between mouthfuls of bacon, eggs and toast, Harry briefly described what he had put into his plan. Arthur Weasley nodded a bit and finally smiled when Harry was finished.
"Sounds like an excellent way to go, Harry. Your plan certainly seems to address most of the issues that have been talked about over the years. I know even Kingsley used to complain about the way the Aurors did business when he used to be one."
Ginny took hold of Harry's right arm in both her hands and looked at him with adoring eyes.
"Is there nothing you can't do, Harry?" she said almost breathlessly.
"Yeah, I can't finish my breakfast with you hanging onto my arm like that," he said with an impish grin.
Her look of adoration fell away and was replaced with mock outrage. She leaned back and smacked Harry's shoulder as she stuck her tongue out at him. Then she laughed and leaned in to kiss his cheek but allowed his arm to go free. Her hero was allowed to finish his breakfast. The breakfast set the tone for Harry's weekend. Ginny had both days off thanks to a break in the Harpies' playing schedule. They took walks along the lanes as they had when Harry was recuperating. They sat and talked while they played Gin Rummy, a game that Ginny introduced to the Harpies and was becoming quite good at. At night they sat around and talked about all kinds of things and by the time Harry went back to work on Monday morning he was feeling rested and relaxed.
He had asked Ron to keep his ears open for anything that might impact on his investigation. Ron was eager to help and since he alternated days between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade he was able to cast a fairly wide net. While apparently no such pressure was being brought to bear in Hogsmeade there was some discussion about strange individuals seen around the town and going in and out of all the shops. By the second week Harry's surveillance in Knockturn Alley was beginning to bear fruit. He was able to identify the three shops that had been bought up as well as the fourth that was under pressure to sell. He also thought he had a suspect. Based on a sketchy description he confirmed that a man who fit the bill spent a great deal of time in the three shops and was in the fourth on a daily basis if only for short periods of time.
However, Harry's work on the street was interrupted when he received a notice that he was to report to the Minister's office at nine the following morning. Harry assumed that the Minister, or more likely, one of his staff had found some time to go through his proposal and he was going to be given a lengthy list of problems he would need to address. So it was at five minutes to nine he was once more sitting in the reception room of Minister Shacklebolt's office with the older witch secretary doing her best to ignore him. Harry nervously listened to the big clock tick away the seconds and minutes until it began to chime the hour of nine and the receptionist waved him to the Minister's door.
Harry knocked and the deep voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt called him in. As Harry entered the room he noticed that the Minister was not alone. Sitting around his conference table were two other wizards and a witch. He didn't recognize any of them.
"Come in, Harry. Please, sit down."
Harry nodded and took the seat indicated by the Minister, directly across from him. He was aware of intense scrutiny from the others at the table.
"Harry, let me introduce you to several key members of the Ministry organization. The gentleman to my right is the Deputy Minister, Artemus Binsworthy. On my left is my chief of staff, Templeton Salisbury and lastly but by no means least, my administrative assistant, Amaryllis Firth. Everyone, this is Mr. Harry Potter. Now, Harry, I'd like to start out by saying that the proposal I had you prepare has been studied by everyone around this table as well as several others. Quite frankly Harry, we think it's a brilliant piece of work. It addresses what we feel are fundamental flaws and weaknesses in how we go about policing the magical community."
"Thank you, sir," Harry replied quietly.
"The task now is making it happen. We've spent a lot of time discussing all of this for the last several days, Harry. There have been a number of differing opinions on various aspects of your plan but there is one thing that we all agree on. You have to be the one to make it happen."
"Excuse me, sir?"
"It's simple, Harry. As of this moment, you are in charge of the Aurors. Well, actually, all magical law enforcement. It will be your task to reorganize, recruit and train new members and put them to work for the benefit of the magical community. Any questions?"
Harry was stunned. He had fully expected that he would play a role in any plan that was finally accepted, probably in training based on his experience with the DA and being Bill Weasley's teaching assistant but this was well beyond anything he imagined. A question did come to mind and he was too befuddled to hold it back.
"Yes, sir. Is this some kind of joke?"
The others around the table looked shocked, all except the Minister. He broke into a wide grin and laughed.
"No, Harry, it's not a joke. I fully expected you to be surprised and your response is all too understandable." Then his voice and manner turned very serious. "I'm going to be totally honest with you, Harry. The Ministry is in a great deal of trouble right now. I realize that with your falling ill after the defeat of Voldemort and then immersing yourself in school you probably weren't aware of the state of matters around here. Most of the prominent members of the wizarding community here in Great Britain were screaming for our heads, literally. The fact that Voldemort had been able to get as far as he did, the number of co-conspirators that had been inside the Ministry and in the end it takes a group of students and townspeople to bring him and his gang down all but destroyed any credibility or standing that the Ministry had. A lot of my time has been spent trying to stave off a wholesale dismantling of the organization. One of the truly bright spots in all of this was having you come to work for us."
Harry's face must have giving the Minister some idea of how he was reacting internally to all this. Despite some of the things Harry had said about himself in the past regarding having a swelled head sometimes, he was, at the core, a very self effacing young man. He never had developed his father's teenaged arrogance, largely as a result of the constant drumming that the Durselys had given him as a he grew up. Even his numerous infractions of the rules at Hogwart's were not the result of him feeling he was somehow privileged or above them but simply that he had to do it to accomplish whatever task he was about at the time.
"Harry, I know your story very well, and I've watched you grow and mature these last years, ever since we met in the kitchen of your aunt and uncle's house that summer. Understand this," the Minister said, leveling a finger at Harry from across the table. "As we sit here, at this very moment, you are the most pivotal person in this entire Ministry. Don't shake your head at me, young man. This effort as you've proposed it is the first step, if you are successful, or the last, if you fail, in attempting to bring us back to a place of relevance to the magical community. We all believe you are the only one who can make it happen. And I'll be brutally honest with you, Harry. Even if we thought you might not be able to pull it off, we'd still probably have to put you in as a figurehead to get any support from the witch or wizard in the street. But that's not what is going on here. It's your job and I'm confident you can do it. Are we clear on this?"
Harry looked around the table at the other faces regarding him intently. From the gravity of their expressions he had to accept what the Minister was saying was true. He looked down at the table in front of him and closed his eyes. In a succession of flickering images he could see the faces of the Weasleys, especially of his beloved Ginny. He saw all the members of Dumbledore's Army grouped in front of him, all those students he had taught and lastly that elderly witch who had first approached him that day in Diagon Alley. He knew that he had to do this for them and all the other witches and wizards in his 'family' that he had not yet met. He opened his eyes and raised his head to look directly at the Minister of Magic.
"Yes, sir, I understand and I'm ready to begin."