A/N: I really can go a year without updating, and I could spend the next year apologising. But, onwards to the story!
Potter has the gall to storm right in to Shacklebolt's office, and by virtue of my arm still firmly in his grasp, I am also part of the storming.
"Please don't say you'd ever make me Head Auror, Kingsley." Potter blurts out to Shacklebolt, who was in the middle of signing something, and is currently holding his quill right above the parchment on his desk, and letting the ink drip out in surprise.
"I wasn't planning on it any time soon…" Shacklebolt says, calmly. But then his blank expression twitches into one of recognition. "Oh! I take it you've seen Vanessa? I did make a fake memo about it and distributed it through your Department, on a hunch that it'd find its way to the paper."
Potter's face registers annoyance. "You spread it? Well, you should have told me - I don't need rumours like that going around."
Shacklebolt puts down his quill and spreads his hands in a soothing gesture. "It had to leak blindly - if anyone knew it was false, it would jeopardise the whole mission."
"Then you should have chosen a different rumour." Potter replies snappishly, and I can tell his anger is building. Thankfully it's not directed towards me, and I can step aside as he releases his grip and focuses on Shacklebolt.
At least the other man has the sense to apologise. "I am sorry, Harry. I didn't think, with all the other rumours, that you'd even notice one more-"
"Right." Potter snaps. "Because I don't deserve a normal life, right? What's one more horrible rumour that makes everyone think I've got a screw loose? I must be used to it by now."
"I understand your reaction, Harry, but let's not take it that far." Says Shacklebolt, with more of an authoritative voice now. "Being an Auror means putting your reputation aside, you know that."
Potter suddenly goes silent.
"I needed a rumour that would be believable to the suspects, but still stand out as notable. And you will be Head Auror, one day. You're one of my most loyal, capable Aurors." Shacklebolt says, laying it on a bit thick, in my opinion.
But hearing it, Potter perks up a bit. "You really think so?" He says, a glint of his future in his eye.
Shacklebolt cracks a smile. "Give it a few years, yet."
"Not to interrupt." I interrupt, trying not to roll my eyes with impatience. "But can I go? Is the Potter-flattering session over yet?"
"You were dispatched to spy on Vanessa?" Shacklebolt clarifies, turning his attention to me, and I nod. "What were your findings?"
"Well, that she is reporting to Mulligan, and that Muggles can actually make a decent bottle of Merlot." I say, feeling quite proud of myself.
"Anything else?" Shacklebolt adds, giving me an odd look. "Did she mention why she joined the Aurors? Did she admit why she was leaking information? Was anything said about where she lives, or anything about her family?"
I shake my head while he's speaking. "Er, no. I got out of there quite quickly actually." I admit.
"You left the scene? Malfoy, that's not standard procedure. As an Auror, you have to see your mission through until the end." Shacklebolt says, he and Potter both looking surprised by my information.
"It's not my fault!" I say, automatically defensive. "I thought I had heard enough…"
"Enough to sack her, and open a casefile on her, yeah. But think of all the information we could have missed!" Potter puts in. "You didn't tell me you'd ditched out of there early."
"Well, there wasn't much time to tell you anything, was there?" I snap, and Potter silences, his face reddening slightly.
"And that doesn't solve the problem of her accomplice." Shacklebolt says with a sigh. "He or she is still amongst our ranks."
Oh yeah. I had forgotten about that.
"I expect we can figure that out easily enough." Potter says. "Malfoy said something about checking her marks, and seeing if there's a pattern. Plus, someone using that much Polyjuice Potion must be carrying it. I can conduct a search of the trainees this afternoon."
"Alright then, it's settled. Malfoy, head downstairs and round up all the trainees into the Training Room. Potter, find Vanessa as soon as she comes back from her lunch, if she's not back yet. Send her to me, then conduct your search. Don't tell anyone what this is about, and let everyone go home early afterwards."
I nod, happy to take orders if it means I get to boss around the other trainees. I leave the room, and Potter hangs back to speak to Shacklebolt for a second.
Back downstairs, I don't waste any time with my announcement. "Attention everyone - all Auror trainees to the Training Room, please. Right through there, you know where it is. Finnegan, don't dawdle…"
"On whose authority?" Pipes up an Auror, her name is Pan, and she only weighs about five stone. She will break your spine if you point it out, though.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt's, actually." I say. "You know, the new Minister for Magic? Not that I voted for him, of course…"
She rolls her eyes, but starts to usher everyone down the corridor. I feel a smug sense of satisfaction, and I'm starting to think that a couple of glasses of wine at lunchtime might actually make me a better Auror. More confident, more authoritative.
I follow everyone into the Training Room, and a bunch of people have turned to me for an explanation.
"What's this about, Malfoy?" Says Finnegan.
"Yeah, why would Shacklebolt want us all here?" Says a boy with long, dark hair who I believe was in our year, but in Ravenclaw, judging by his know-it-all tone.
"You'll find out, keep your hair on." I say, but then sneer at the boy. "Well, except you - you need a haircut."
When Potter does step in, I can't help a rush of embarrassment going through me. It was all well and good when he just fancied me, but now he's gone and acted on it, and made everything all weird.
"Vanessa's not back." Potter whispers to me as he walks by. "I think she's been tipped off."
Shit. Skeeter probably told her everything. I nod, but don't say anything, and Potter turns to the rest of the group.
"Right, first things first." He says to the crowd. Then he points his wand to the door and locks it. "We'll be doing a thorough search of all of you. We have reason to suspect that someone has been betraying the Auror department. So everyone, form a line."
There are gasps and mumbles at the revelation of betrayal, and everyone seems keen on getting in line to prove themselves innocent. No one particularly stands out as looking or acting guilty - but then, neither did Vanessa.
Potter looks at me as I survey the crowd with my arms crossed. "You too, Malfoy." He says.
"Excuse me?" I exclaim. "We both know I'm innocent."
"I'm not about to show favouritism." Potter says quietly. "And this will help people trust you. Go on."
I huff, but comply, and get to the back of the line.
The waiting in line part is torture. It'd be okay if there was coffee, or refreshments of some kind, but this room full of people is stuffy, and my head is starting to pound. There's still about fifteen of us trainees left, and Potter seems to be taking his time searching all of them. Thankfully he's set up a Privacy Charm a few feet around himself, so he's surrounded by a bubble that makes everything look like a blur.
Then, when enough people have 'passed' the search, instead of letting them leave, he tells them to practice duelling. So the heat of the room intensifies, and so does my headache.
About an hour later, the duelling has become some sort of tournament, with each 'winner' duelling the next person who has been searched, and so on. Seeing the crowd all riled up and enjoying themselves is shredding my patience to bits, and I just want to Hex them all, then have a two hour nap.
When I'm finally next in line, I step into the bubble surrounding Potter, and find him looking as hot and annoyed as I feel. His brow is soaked, but when he looks up, he looks glad to see me.
"Oh, good. You're the last one." He says, rubbing his damp hair off his forehead and exposing his scar. "This was a waste of time, nothing's come up. Except one person's nicking all the sugar packets, and three people have tried to profess their undying love to me."
"Funny. You've never struck me as a ladies' man." I say, trying to sound spiteful, but instead I think it comes out just sounding petty. And slightly jealous. Which I'm not.
"Oh, they weren't all ladies." Potter says, smugly, but then snaps back to business. "Now, come on, let's get this over with."
"Get what over with?" I say in alarm. "You're not really going to frisk me, are you?"
"Well, we used to just use spells. But there are too many countermeasures." He says, all innocence. Despite the fact that he just molested me about two hours ago.
I roll my eyes, and adopt the spread-eagled stance. Potter runs his wand all over me, and I turn my head and try to picture something else.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about… before." Potter breaks the silence as he's rummaging through my robe pockets. "It was unprofessional."
"Damn right it was." I say shortly. "I could sue."
From the corner of my eye, I see Potter smile and shake his head. "There's also the option of saying "no, thank you"."
"Victim blaming." I say, expelling a blast of air in what is meant to be a dismissive noise, but comes out more like a juvenile fart sound. Potter's smile gets even bigger, and even more infuriating.
So I don't even dignify him with further conversation. I just ignore him while he finishes up with a few revealing charms, and hurry up out of there. The other trainees are really excited for me to join in their silly little game, but I just glare at them and leave the office. I hear groans of disappointment behind me, and them reluctantly naming Michael Corner the winner.