Chapter 27

Dublin.

That was where Ron and Harry found themselves on their very first mission on Christmas Eve. They'd been given their destination only hours earlier, told to take with them only what they would need and nothing more. Then they'd been given the coordinates to a dainty wizarding pub in the heart of the city, where they'd be sharing a room for the next two nights.

It wasn't the fanciest of places, nor was it the cleanest, but it would do for their first time away.

"Not bad," Harry said. "Not what I expected, but —"

"Not bad at all," Ron agreed, throwing his bag onto one of the beds. It creaked in a way it shouldn't have with something so light on it. He grimaced. "Though, my own bed is looking very tempting at the moment."

"Ha! Yeah." Harry sat on the second bed, which also creaked, sinking so low it almost touched the ground.

Ron laughed. "I s'pose we have to get used to things like this."

Harry stood up again, eyeing the bed reproachfully, then looked up at Ron. "When do you think we'll hear the next instructions?"

Ron shrugged. "I guess when everyone has arrived. Do you think we're all staying here or around the city? Or… do you think we were all partnered up and sent to different locations?" The allocation of places and partners had been very secretive. Ron felt lucky that he'd been put with Harry, but he had barely had time to wish the others luck before they were all separated and told to Apparate away immediately.

"No idea," Harry said. "But I doubt we'd find out where the others are, even if they are here." Noticing Ron's quizzical look, he added, "Well, if this were a real mission, and we ran in to Dark wizards, they wouldn't hesitate to torture us to reveal the things we know. So the less we know, the better, right?"

"Yeah, makes sense." Ron took in the small room. There were many cracks and leaks in the ceiling, which could be fixed by a simple spell, but the owners seemed to think it was not worth their time. "You think we really are chasing people or it's something else?"

"Possibly," Harry said. "I mean, the dates were planned, but not the location. But it's all part of the training, either way."

"I just want to get out there and do the thing," Ron said. "Get on the field. I mean for real. Not just training, not these 'fake' missions. It's all been great, but it will be better when we're fully qualified Aurors and none of this is planned."

"Restless?" Harry asked, smirking.

"A little," Ron confessed. "I mean, we're doing a pretty prestigious job, but it's been eighteen months, and we're still just trainees."

"Which we knew when we accepted Kingsley's offer," Harry reasoned. "Surely you've worked out by now that there's a lot we don't know and need to learn?"

"Yeah, I know that." Ron sunk onto his bed. It wasn't as bad as Harry's, but it still dipped fairly low. "I understand it. And it's fine. I mean, it was fine, but… look at Hermione."

"What about her?" Harry asked, frowning. "She's doing alright in the Magical Creatures department, isn't she?"

"Yeah, and that's what I mean," Ron said, and he averted his eyes to the ground. He'd not spoken of this to anyone — not even Hermione — but it had bothered him ever since Hermione had said it. Just a trainee. Her words had stuck more than he cared to admit. "She's been there for a few months and is already writing laws, trying to change the way wizards view magical creatures and all that. Which is great!" he added hastily at Harry's expression. "She's doing amazing work, and I'm really proud of her…"

"But?" Harry asked.

"But, well, we've been Aurors a lot longer, haven't we? But we're just trainees."

"Just trainees?" Harry said. "We're not —"

"It's what Hermione said," Ron mumbled.

"What? Hermione said that?" The information seemed to surprise Harry. He even sounded slightly angry.

"Well, we were in the middle of a fight," Ron said. "And she did apologise, but… is she right?"

"No," Harry said, and he definitely sounded angry now. "Hermione's wrong. What we're doing is one of the most important jobs in our world. You told me that yourself, more than once. It's like the Muggle version of police. Really important in maintaining law and order in society." He paused, and Ron felt Harry's eyes on him. "Her job is no more important than what we're doing. There's a reason ours requires training and hers doesn't."

"Yeah," Ron said. "I just… I don't think she meant it as it sounded, but it just made me feel a little pathetic, you know? Maybe a bit like I wasn't living up to her expectations or something. Like… I'd disappointed her something."

Harry said nothing for a moment, then, shifting from where he was once again sitting on the bed, said, "You two okay? I thought you'd sorted things out. Mostly, at least."

"We're alright," Ron said with a sigh. "I mean, it's not like it once was, but I think that's just the nature of a relationship, right? Living together, becoming more comfortable with one another, learning things about them... but Hermione's home a lot more now, and — it's not really us, but me just dwelling on what she said, I guess. It's just me wondering if all this training is worth it. Whether she thinks it's worth it. You know, what if she gets sick of me always training, never having a 'job' as such?"

"I don't think that's going to bother her, mate," Harry said, and he was now laughing. "Besides, even if she did have an issue — which she doesn't — why does it matter? You enjoy it, don't you?"

"I love it," Ron said. "I just don't want her to be disappointed in me, or anything."

"I don't think there's anything to be disappointed about in going out with an Auror — trainee or otherwise." Harry stood up and walked across the room to clap Ron on the back. "I think you're thinking too much into it, to be honest. But you probably should tell her it's bothering you, so she can tell you you're being an idiot and you can move on from it. She'd probably be happy if it made you happy to be cleaning up after all the elite Ministry workers."

Ron snorted, smiling. "Not likely. But, I'd probably be a teacher at Hogwarts before I took on something like that, so she has nothing to worry about there." His smile widened, and Harry returned it.

"You fret too much, you know? About what Hermione thinks about you. She loves you, and she's just as proud of what you're doing, as you are of her — even if her hours frustrate you sometimes. Even if things aren't perfect at the moment."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ron said. He shrugged. He looked at Harry and smiled. "Anyway, how are we supposed to find out about the next steps? Will it even be today, or do you think the orders will come tomorrow?"

"I think I heard something about them being delivered by Patronus," Harry said. "That is the most common way for Aurors to communicate, isn't it? Can't be intercepted as easily."

"Well, while we wait, why don't we explore?" Ron suggested. "I've never actually been to Dublin before."

Harry agreed, and they dressed in warmer clothes and left the small inn.

Their location was situated somewhere in the north of Dublin, hidden from Muggles by the standard Muggle-repelling spells that all places like this were. Muggles simply walked past, their eyes going from the building Harry and Ron were staying in to the left, and then to the right, as if it didn't exist.

Being Christmas Eve, the streets were busy. People were dashing in all sorts of directions, determined to get their last minute shopping done before everything shut up for the holidays.

Ron watched as a family of Muggles hurried past them, carting bags of toys and food.

"They look like enough gifts for ten kids, not two," Ron said to Harry.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe they have extended family?"

"I hope Hermione likes what I got her this year," Ron then said as they continued walking. "She's really hard to shop for, unless you want to get her a book or something. But a book's really impersonal. And to think I have many more years of ideas to come up with, not to mention her birthdays as well."

Harry smirked. "What did you get her?"

Ron hesitated, his face going red. "A book," he murmured. "But a good one!" he added quickly. "A nice one. She'll like it."

"You can't go wrong with a book for Hermione, I'm sure," Harry said.

"Well, I hope not. Do you have the same trouble with Ginny?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "I resorted to asking her what she'd like."

"And?" Ron asked.

"She said she wanted something to take with her whenever she was away with all this Quidditch stuff, to remember what she was leaving behind."

"What, so you doubled yourself?" Ron asked, sniggering.

"No, I got her a photo of me."

Ron stopped walking, Harry almost colliding with his back.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Over there." Ron pointed down a dark alley where a silver light reflected against the wall. He thought he'd seen the corporeal form of a lynx disappear.

"That looks like a —"

"Patronus, yeah." Ron indicated for Harry to follow him, and they snuck down the alley. Any Muggles who walked past seemed none the wiser to a silver, glowing, transparent lynx sitting in a dumpster alley.

When Ron and Harry approached it, the lynx looked at them and then walked away, rounding a corner so they were out of sight from any curious passersby.

Immediately, the lynx spoke in Kingsley's deep voice, "Newbridge Avenue. Your goal is to identify and deal with the issue taking place there."

The lynx vanished, and Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"Is that it?" Ron asked, unable to contain the disappointment he felt. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but a quick message like that wasn't it.

"Well, we know where we have to go," Harry said. "Newbridge Avenue."

"Where's that?" Ron asked.

"I dunno," Harry said, "but let's Apparate there and get started on what we have to do. I hope it's obvious."

Ron nodded, and turned on the spot, thinking of his destination.

Newbridge Avenue was primarily residential, running along a river where a sports stadium sat opposite. Ron looked around, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing immediately caught his eye. In fact, being Christmas Eve, all seemed quieter than usual. People were either out doing their last minute shopping or holed up at home, out of the cold.

"What should we do?" Ron asked Harry.

"Maybe we're supposed to keep an eye out for anything unusual?" Harry said, and the words had barely left his mouth when a scream echoed down the street.

Ron and Harry immediately drew their wands.

"It came from that house over there," Harry said, pointing to a single-story cottage down the road from where they stood.

The scream came again, this time sounding more terrified than it had before. Ron and Harry ran towards it, their wands out.

On the third scream, they rounded the house to where a young woman was standing and pointing at something Ron and Harry couldn't see. Her hand shook as she spotted Ron and Harry, paying no mind to their wands.

"Th-there!" she said. "Inside my house."

Lowering his wand slightly, Ron said, "Er, what's in there?"

The woman, eyes wide and terrified, said, "A burglar!"

"What?" Ron asked. Surely this wasn't why they had been sent to this street — to deal with a plain old Muggle burglar. That was something for those Muggle Auror people to deal with.

Ron looked to Harry, who shrugged. Well, they couldn't just abandon her when someone was in her house, but they wouldn't be able to use their wands.

They crept forward, stowing them away. There was a rattle of the back door, and Ron had to resist the instinct of digging his hand into his pocket. There were two of them after all, and only one burglar. They could certainly take him without magic.

The door handle turned, and Ron readied himself to lunge, but when it flew open, he was caught completely off guard. There wasn't some big, burly thief like he had expected. It was… well, it was Hermione, and she was hurt.

"What the —" He went to go to Hermione, his heart constricting at the sight of her. She was bleeding heavily, she seemed to be in so much pain, clutching at all the gashes on her body.

"No," Harry said, sticking an arm out in front of him.

"Harry, what are you —"

Harry turned to the woman, who was still standing behind them. "Is this who entered your house?"

"N-no," the woman said. "I-I don't know what she was doing in there. I-I don't know who that is. Is she okay?"

Ron couldn't take his eyes off Hermione, who was now gasping in pain. Her life was draining from her by the second, and for some reason, Harry wouldn't let him go to her.

"Hermione!" he cried, and he broke past Harry's arm. He made it to her, just as she collapsed into his arms; but she didn't feel like Hermione. She was cold, icy — she barely felt human. And then… she vanished.

The woman gave a startled gasp. The blood that had spattered the ground was gone, too. There was no sign at all that just a moment ago, Hermione had been there, dying.

"What?" Ron looked at Harry, who seemed to know more than he did.

"It was a Boggart," Harry said. "I think, at least."

"A… but, my… it's a spider. Not…" Ron stared at the spot where the Boggart-Hermione had just been. "Did you use the spell?"

"No," Harry said. "No, but, well, I think you got rid of it by facing your fear."

"What?" Ron said.

"You thought it was Hermione, and you ran towards her — it — and you're not supposed to face your fear. It's gone, I think. Without magic."

Ron once again looked at the spot where he thought Hermione had been dying, almost feeling stupid for not seeing it before. There was absolutely no reason why Hermione, who was back in London, spending Christmas with her family, would be here in this Muggle person's house.

"I guess you have greater fears than spiders now," Harry said, and he smiled. "It was kind of disappointing, to be honest. Having gotten rid of it so quickly."

The woman, looking both terrified and confused, stepped up to stand between Ron and Harry. "W-what was that?"

They looked at her.

"Er, it's basically your greatest fear coming to life," Ron explained. "But it's gone now. You won't need to worry about it anymore."

"But the burglar —"

"Is gone," Harry said.

The woman looked unconvinced, eyeing her house sceptically.

"We can have a look for you anyway?" Ron suggested. "Just in case, I mean."

"Yes please," the woman said. "I came home from work and there was a fair bit of snow in my garden, so I was shovelling it away when I just…" she shook her head. "It's so silly, me being afraid of someone breaking into my house. I am a police officer, I deal with this every day, but —"

"We all have our fears," Ron assured her, thinking of the great big spiders that still haunted his nightmares occasionally. "Nothing's silly about being afraid."

She nodded, looking between them. "Thanks," she said. "But I think I'll be alright. You sure he's — I mean, it's, she's — gone?"

"Positive," Harry said.

She nodded again. "Alright. Well, I'm just glad you two were around to take him — her, it, whatever — on."

"It's our job," Ron said. "That's why we're here."

The woman nodded for a third time.

"And I am really sorry about this," Harry said, and before the woman could respond he performed a simple memory-wiping charm on her. They were already gone, walking back down the street before she came to again.

"So that was it?" Ron asked when he was sure they couldn't be overheard. "A Boggart in a Muggle house?"

"Perhaps it's the first of a series of tests," Harry said, though he also sounded disappointed. A Boggart was something they'd dealt with successfully in their third year. It wasn't exactly dangerous Dark magic.

Not that Ron was hoping for anything seriously Dark. He'd had enough of that to last a lifetime, but something more challenging than a Boggart would have excited him a little more.

What did interest him, though, was the fact that his Boggart seemed to have changed. It wasn't anything he consciously thought about — after all, he hadn't even realised it was a Boggart — but it made sense, he supposed. He still didn't like spiders, but he'd faced far greater things in his life than them, and he'd seen death. He'd lost a brother, whom he still missed a lot, and one thing he feared more than anything else was losing someone else he loved. And he loved Hermione the most out of anyone, and her screams in Malfoy Manor still haunted him. He never, ever, ever wanted to see her in pain again. He never wanted to lose her.

"You alright, mate?"

Ron looked up. He'd stopped in the middle of the footpath without even realising it.

"Yeah," Ron said. "I guess I was just hoping for something more than that."

Harry smiled. "I'm sure our time will come. We don't want to go in too deep straight up. Besides, they did warn us they were looking for 'real' things to let us deal with. Maybe that was all they could find here."

"Hm, yeah," Ron agreed. He looked up at the fading sky. It was nearing dusk and all they'd done was get rid of a Boggart, and without any magic at that. "Fancy another look around Dublin?" he asked Harry.

Harry grinned. "I was just about to suggest that myself."

I sincerely apologise to anyone who lives or is familiar with Dublin. I got my information solely from Google Maps and Google images.

Also, I haven't changed my posting days. This is a once off (twice off? As I know of one other time in the next month). I will be travelling over this weekend and I'll be travelling to an area where I cannot guarantee internet, so rather than risking it I thought I'd most early. Next week will return to a Saturday schedule.