Twenty-One

A/N: I'm SO sorry for leaving such a gap between updates. I've been having a massive case of writer's block for this story. By the way, I will never abandon any of my stories, so if there is a gap between updates, it usually means I have writer's block. I try to update my stories every couple days, so clearly I've failed in that aspect. However, I hope this chapter will make up for my absence. And once again, I would just like to thank all of you who have supported this story so far. You guys are wicked awesome. WARNING: Mild language and violence in this chapter. Time to see Harry's Auror duty in action. XD

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I write for fun, not for profit.

-:-

July 31,2001

Harry curses under his breath as he loses sight of the man he has been trailing for the last five hours. He discreetly slips a hand into his jumper pocket to clutch his wand. Instantly a wave of calm spreads over him, as if he's just gulped down a cauldron of Calming Draught.

His green eyes scan the crowded London street, searching for any sign of the man wearing a green hat that vaguely reminds him of Cornelius Fudge's lime green bowler hat. The man, who Harry doesn't know the name of at the moment, is a suspect in a murder trial that has been concerning the Auror Department for the last three months. Harry had finally caught sight of him this morning for the first time since following the lead.

He carefully maneuvers his way through the crowd of muggles, as he begins wondering if he should just head back to the office and try again tomorrow. He's tired, hungry, and honestly just wants to go home for a nice dinner with his beautiful wife on his birthday.

Is that seriously too much to ask?

For him, yes.

Harry frowns slightly as he sees a quick flash of green turn into a filthy alley between two old brick buildings. He increases his pace, dodging bystanders and muggles walking dogs. Casting a wary look behind him (Malfoy is supposed to arrive on scene soon, but he's late and Harry's worried he's being followed) he silently slips into the alley.

He swallows down the bile that rises in his throat as the scent of spoiled meat and other foul garbage filters through his nose. Stepping over garbage that has fallen out of an upturned garbage bin, he hears the faint scuffling of rats crawling in the dumpster.

'Of course I would have to chase down a possible murderer in a dark, nasty alley on my birthday. I'm Harry Potter, and fate really loves to screw with me.'

He tenses when he hears footsteps behind him, and he pulls his wand out and whirls around. His heart begins to race as adrenalin floods through his veins like fire. He tilts his head to the side in confusion when he sees that there's no one there.

'So either I'm being unbelievably paranoid, or someone's messing with me. Let's go with option number two. I seriously don't want to be the next Mad-Eye Moody who lives and breathes paranoia. Although, to be far, the old man did have a lot of enemies. Not as many as me though. Aren't I a lucky bloke?'

He hears the soft whoosh of air being displaced before he feels the hair on the back of his neck raise. Acting on instinct, he drops to one knee as a Stunner meant for him slams into the brick wall in front of him, showering him with little bits of dust and rocks.

Coughing slightly, he turns, twisting to his feet, and fires a Disarming Charm at the shadowy figure standing in the farthest corner of the alley. As he expects, the man dodges it easily.

For a few tense seconds, the two of them are surrounded by heavy silence, the hustle and bustle of the crowds in the streets fading away. Before Harry can make another move, the mysterious man lets out a dark laugh, one that makes goosepimples stand out on Harry's arms.

"Ah, Mister Potter. The infamous Chosen One. I admit to being rather disappointed. You took a very long time to catch up to me. Legend indeed." The man speaks with a slight German accent as he twirls his wand between his fingers.

Harry growls softly. "I'm afraid that you're going to have to be disappointed from inside a cell in Azkaban. You are under arrest for the murder of an innocent girl."

The man chuckles. "Oh Harry, it's very cute that you think that I'm just going to cooperate. You haven't even asked why I killed the girl."

Harry blinks. Against his will, he's actually morbidly curious. No one has been able to trace the girl in any way to any one that would want her dead. Harry feels dread fill his stomach. Whatever the reason, this man obviously thinks that Harry needs to know.

The man steps out of the shadows, giving Harry his first view of the murderer's face. He is tan, with short black hair and cruel black eyes. A long scar stretches across his left cheek, connecting his jaw bone and the corner of his nose. The man smiles a smile full of malicious intent, causing the scar to stretch in an unnatural and slightly unnerving way. He's around the same height and age as Harry, but skinnier. He looks unkempt, as if he hasn't showered in days, and there are bags under his eyes. Clearly, he hasn't rested since he found he was being followed.

"Ah, you are curious. I can see it in your eyes. The reason, Mister Potter, that I killed that girl, was to get to you. Of course, it was a win-win, since her father had…..displeased me, but I knew that innocents were your soft spot. How else was I supposed to draw the interest of Britain's Top Auror?"

With every word out of the man's mouth, Harry feels his rage boil, until his sight is tinged with red. How dare this man justify his killing an innocent girl to talk to him? He speaks slowly, his words carefully chosen so as to not seem provocative. He has a feeling this man was a great dueler, so he has to take him by surprise if he wants to win in a one-on-one. Where the hell is Malfoy when you need him?

"And why, exactly, do you want to talk to me?"

The man tilts his head to the side, adopting a look of mock-surprise. "You don't recognize me? We haven't met in person, of course, but I do look a considerable amount like my father. You have met him."

Harry racks his brain, but draws a complete blank. What is this man talking about? He opens his mouth to say….something to make himself not look like a thickhead, but he never gets a chance.

Moving faster than Harry can follow, the other man grabs him by the arm and twists, knocking Harry's wand from his grasp, before slamming him into the wall hard enough for Harry to see stars. His vision dims for a moment, and he feels a trickle of warmth down the back of his neck and he knows without checking that his head is bleeding. And, judging by the roiling nausea in his stomach, a fairly bad concussion as well.

The man has his arm across Harry's chest, pushing him into the hard stone wall. His face is less than two inches from Harry's, and Harry's honestly just trying not to focus on the nasty scar.

"Of course you don't remember. Shall I enlighten you? My name is Romulus Ridley. My father served the Dark Lord, and it was your fault he died. For many years I have been following you, waiting to find time to strike. And I have finally got my opportunity. You see, I don't wish to only kill you, I want you to suffer."

His head starts to clear somewhat, allowing Harry to focus on the conversation with half of his mind, the rest of him concentrating on slowly sliding one leg up the wall. He doesn't remember this man, Romulus's father, but he figures he must have been one of the many Death Eater casualties in the Final Battle.

Harry feels his blood run cold at the next words out of Ridley's mouth. "You're married, aren't you? To the Weasley girl? What's her name? Ah, yes, Ginevra, that's it. Do you love her Harry? How would you feel if you lost her?" The man sneers heartlessly.

In that moment, Harry moves. Using his rage to lend strength to his movement, he kicks out with his leg by pushing it off of the wall, which also provides him the needed boost to rip free from Ridley's grasp and roll away. Shoving away the urge to be sick, he grabs his fallen wand and twists. By now, Ridley has managed to gain his composure and has fired several spells at Harry.

Harry expertly block them all with a Shield Charm, before countering with a few other spells, "Stupefy!" He growls.

On and on the two battle, neither backing down nor gaining head-way. Finally Ridley catches him by surprise with a spell he hasn't heard since he was seventeen. "Sectumsempra." The spell catches Harry's left side, and searing pain forces him to his knees. Another spell, this time a form of the Banishing Charm, knocks him back onto his back as blood starts to seep from the jagged cut in his side.

Ridley stood above him, their two wands grasped in his hand. "My father was an old acquaintance of Severus Snape, as you probably guessed. I'm afraid you won't be around to save your wife. Goodbye Mister Potter." Ridley opens his mouth to cast the spell that will end Harry's life, when a jet of blue light hits him squarely in the chest, throwing him backwards.

Just before Harry loses consciousness, he hears an aggravated voice growl, "For Merlin's sake Potter, I show up five bloody minutes late and you're already almost dead."

Then everything goes black.

-:-

~A Few Days Later in St. Mungos Hospital~

The first thing Harry becomes aware of when he wakes up is a warm weight on his right arm. He opens his eyes slowly and glances around. He instantly recognizes the white walls and plain room as belonging to St. Mungo's. He looks down at his arm and sees a head of bright red hair. He brings his free arm up and, ignoring the dull ache that throbs from somewhere on his left side, brushes his fingers across Ginny's face.

Stirring instantly, she raises her head. When she catches sight of him, her eyes widen and fill with tears. "Harry! You're alright thank Merlin!" She gasps.

Brushing her tears away, Harry pulls her gently to his uninjured side and holds her as she trembls slightly in his arms. After a few moments she sits up and gives him a watery glare. "What were you thinking?! You nearly died Harry! If Malfoy hadn't gotten there in time, you wouldn't have made it!" Her voice shakes with anger and fear.

He rubs his hand over his face, letting out a weary sigh. "I'm so sorry Gin. I hadn't planned on confronting him. I…..I don't know. He caught me unprepared. I'm sorry I scared you Love." He says softly.

Her eyes soften and she strokes his cheek with her hand. "I'm not mad Darling. I was just so afraid I was going to lose you." She pauses before her eyes blaze. "But don't you ever do that to me again Harry James Potter!"

He laughs weakly, his heart warming at his wife's concern. "Promise Gin. I'm sorry I missed our dinner date. And it was my birthday too. Unless I didn't. How long have I been out?" He asks curiously.

"Three days. After Malfoy took out Ridley he brought you straight here, then Flooed me. Guess he's not a worthless ferret after all, eh?"

He nods. "Don't let Ron hear you say that. I imagine his pride is already injured enough as it is."

Ginny cracks a small grin, and Harry knows she's going to be alright. "Definitely. He's out there you know. All of the family is. We've been so worried about you."

"You should bring them in here."

She shakes her head gently, leaning in and kissing him softly on the lips. "You need more rest Love. They can see you later. I'll tell them you woke up though." She murmures.

Unable to protest as his eyes begin to droop, Harry pulls Ginny to his side and wraps an arm around him. "Stay here?"

"Of course." She whispers.

Later, when Molly and Arthur walk in, they will find the young couple curled around each other in Harry's small hospital bed.

-:-

A/N: So does this make up for my absence? Tell me what you think!-HF A/N#2: Now edited for grammar mistakes. (3/29/13)