Author Note:- do I need to repeat the disclaimer? Meh, go see chapter 1 if you want it. Thankies go to Jedi, LegalAlien and Sweet for being my betas. Chapter 3 incoming.
Harry was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, his body covered in a cold sweat after he had woken from another nightmare. They were less frequent but still present, and he never expected them to leave. After seeing such horrors throughout his life he could hardly be expected to forget. Especially since every week he was presented with a new horror to open the old scars.
Beside him Ginny stirred gently and reached out her hand to grab his arm, shuffling over to him and a content smile spreading on her face. This brought a short lived smile to Harry's face, she was a deep sleeper. She had once slept through a quarter of the Order of the Phoenix bursting into the room to get Harry for a big operation in the early hours of the morning a few years back. He glanced over at the clock and it said.
"Seven Thirty Two Aey Emm, you should be up already!"
Harry shook his head, still not used to the talking clock Hermione had bought him last Christmas. He leaned over and kissed Ginny softly.
"Love, it's time to get up and go to work and I need feeling in my arm to do that" he whispered softly.
"Nooo, more sleep, day off, sick, cough, definitely sick, you should take the day off too, I probably infected you, cough" she mumbled, her face in the pillow.
"Nice try" Harry chuckled, "Kingsley will come and fetch me if I try to take today off after last night. But you can, hasn't been any big bits of trouble for a while, I'm sure St Mungo's is empty again."
Ginny was a healer in the emergency wing of St Mungo's now. She decided to take the healing career during Hogwarts considering the amount of time Harry and her brothers spent in the hospital wing. She wanted to help in the fight and with the training she receiving in DADA, Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix she could hold her own easily. But she also held a natural talent for healing, so she figured that if Harry was going to be dumb and go off alone for all the missions she might as well be able to fix him when he stumbled home.
"No, wanted to spend the day in bed with you, if you won't be here I'd just be playing with myself all day … although that does sound deliciously naughty … no, work!" She sighed and let go of Harry's arm reluctantly.
He rubbed his forearm as the pins and needles started to fade as blood returned to the crushed limb. He pulled back the sheets and slid out, shivering slightly as the cool air brushed over his naked flesh, he peered back over at the bed and caught a brief glimpse of Ginny's naked side before she shivered and pulled the quilt back over her.
He walked into the ensuite of the room and turned on the shower, reaching his hand in until it turned warm. He heard the door open and went to turn as Ginny grabbed him from behind.
"Well, if you aren't going to play hooky with me, I might as well take advantage of having you home" she breathed heavily, reaching around his hip and grabbing him. He chuckled and they stepped into the falling warm water.
Harry arrived in the Auror's office at quarter to nine with a grin on his face. He headed for his office and walking around a corner he hit someone hard. Harry fell to the floor and looked up to see Ron.
"Hey mate," Harry felt his jaw and grinned up at him, "Yeesh, still like walking into a brick wall."
Ron chuckled and offered his hand, dragging Harry to his feet. Standing at about seven foot and wide in the shoulders Ron was quite similar to a brick wall. He didn't stop growing until he towered over all of his brothers. To add to this effect his appetite never faded and with all the Auror training he was putting on a lot of muscle rather than fat.
"What are you so late for? Well, not late, you don't start till nine, but you're usually here at five" Ron looked him up and down "What's with the grin?"
"Ginny wouldn't let me leave this morning" he shrugged
"Oh? … oh … eww" Ron winced holding his head "Thanks for the mental image mate"
"Not my fault you've got such a dirty mind, we could have just been having breakfast together for the first time in a month"
"Yeah yeah, shut up," Ron complained, "Shacklebolt wants to see you in his office later, he says you've got a report to write first tho, you get into more trouble last night?"
"No more than usual" Harry grinned
"Not saying much considering it's you," Ron grumbled "Worse than the twins for trouble, they may cause more, but they never have the chance of getting killed in the process. Why didn't you call me for backup?"
"Didn't have much chance, was short notice. Besides, the job required stealth and that's the exact opposite of what you are."
"Hey!"
"No offence mate, but you're as bad as Tonks and twice the size. If I need a battering ram, crowbar or wall to hide behind I'll drag you along. But I needed to follow someone through knockturn alley."
"Suppose that makes sense, still not happy about it though." Ron sighed.
"They'll be a next time Ron, don't worry about that. Got to go, need to write a report." Harry chuckled and walked down the corridor headed for his office, but turned a few yards later, turning and calling to Ron, "I got Causwell last night, life sentence guaranteed."
"Alright!" Ron yelled happily, then added in a disappointed tone "Damn! I missed it!"
"Next time!" Harry called before entering his office.
He slumped down to his desk and looked around at the piles of paperwork. Hermione would come into the office periodically and complain at him about it, then after a while he gave her his puppy dog eyes until she groaned and helped him clear a pile or two.
He thought back over last night and drew out his wand and grabbed a vial from a drawer. Pulling out the fresh memory and slipping it into the vial and marking it "Causwell Arrest".
He pushed his chair over to the filing cabinet and pulled out an arrest form and his quill, quickly scribbling through the details. Grabbing the finished parchment and casting a quick drying spell on the ink he headed up for Shacklebolt's office. A glance at the clock told him it was ten past nine as he nodded to Christine, Kingsley's personal assistant.
"He's expecting me Christine" Harry smiled as he strolled past the desk and entered the office.
"You're an hour late Potter" Kingsley's deep voice commented as Harry entered and sat down.
"A whole hour? I'm not due to start until nine Sir," Harry grinned
"That I know, but I work eight till six and you arrive before me and leave after, much to my annoyance. If I ask for a report it's usually waiting for me as I enter, imagine my concern when you weren't waiting for me to ruin my morning."
"Was kidnapped before work Sir," Potter replied and Kingsley raised an eyebrow, "Daughter of the minister held me against my will preventing me from getting to work early."
"Glad to hear it, you have the report?" Shacklebolt held out his hand and took the parchment from Harry, "I've got three lawyers complaining downstairs that their clients are being held unjustly. They were more enraged when I told them they couldn't start fighting the charges until I knew what they were."
Harry smirked and pulled out the vial and the bag with Causwell's wand within and dropped them on the desk.
"What did Huntly have after all?" Harry inquired.
"Just some Class C plants, with the slip and memory we'll get him on handling and dealing, a few years. Plus dealing with Pure Ministry will guarantee maximum on the crimes." Kingsley dropped the memory into his pensieve and watched as Harry hexed the wizards.
"I have an assignment for you Potter," Kingsley commented as the memory ended, "We have heard rumours of something big happening soon, though we don't know what. Proper Death Eater activity has been practically non existent for a few months, we think the Lestranges are up to something."
When the Death Eaters split in Voldemort's downfall Bellatrix and her husband Rudolphus hadn't believed him gone, merely awaiting his time. They had continued the old ways, torturing and killing muggles, following to Riddle's most extreme methods. They took with them the most vicious and cruel of his ranks, the ones that truly delighted in the pain and suffering they caused.
"Knowing them, whatever they are up to, it won't be anything good." Harry commented.
"Indeed," Shacklebolt replied "We have identified a possible member, but we haven't had any conclusive proof yet. We plan to drop a couple of Aurors on trailing him, and by we I mean me, and by a couple of Aurors I mean you and Hermione."
"Hermione? Undercover?" Harry inquired, raising an eyebrow "She's an excellent Auror sir, one of my best friends as you well know, but she's too proper to handle undercover, she'll be noticed."
"She got top marks in stealth and disguise." Kingsley added, looking at a folder on his desk, "She's also the only Auror I have on staff who you won't ditch in a heartbeat to work alone and who might be able to keep you under control."
"What is the goal of the assignment, sir?" Harry enquired, "If we need to arrest Bellatrix and Rudolphus then this could be months or years, and I've never managed more than a week undercover, the scar gives me away eventually. Plus Hermione will never last on a long term assignment."
"Really?" came a feminine voice from the doorway, Harry winced as Hermione entered, "You sent for me sir?"
"Hey Hermione, I meant no offence, I was just stating my low opinion of our ability to go undercover long term." He quickly explained.
"And here I was, requesting a tougher assignment to prove how I could handle myself," Hermione smiled at Harry and turned to Shacklebolt. Harry groaned, he recognised that look in her eyes, he was going to get a lecture later.
"I was just telling Potter here about your assignment, I need you two to tail Antony Yaxley, a death eater suspect of old, but we never had anything to arrest him except the word of Snape." Kingsley informed them.
"What's Snape's status" Harry inquires, interrupting the flow.
"We're still having trouble getting him out of Azkaban, he may have killed Dumbledore under his own orders, but he used an unforgivable. We're trying to get him out under our watch, put him to work in the Ministry, but we can't get all the votes we need. Too many distrust him, with good reason really." Shacklebolt added before resuming his briefing.
"We've discovered that Yaxley is staying in London temporarily, and he is suspected of joining with the Lestranges. Your mission is such, primary objective, tail him, find out who he's working with. Secondary objectives are if he is working with the Lestranges, discover what they are planning and inform the Aurors or prevent it." Shacklebolt paused a moment, staring at Harry before continuing "Third objective is to arrest any Death Eater, priority to Bellatrix and Ruldolphus. Also remember that any of the True Death Eater faction have already been assigned death sentences, unforgivables and killing is permitted, but remember the objective order. Do not compromise yourself for revenge Potter."
Kingsley hoped Harry would obey that order, thought he would find himself hard pressed to charge him should he get a shot at Bellatrix. The witch had fought and killed her cousin and Harry's godfather Sirius Black nine years ago. There were others who he would be tempted to get, but none he would break orders for if obeying resulted in a shot at Bellatrix. Kingsley hoped that if given the opportunity that Granger could keep the temperamental wizard under control.
"You'll be given new identities, Polyjuice potions, disillusion potions, emergency portkeys and we'll be authorizing Hermione to take an invisibility cloak, Potter I assume you still have yours?" Harry nodded the affirmative, "Very well, in dire need you can switch from the polyjuice potion to your metamorphus form Harry, Hermione as you lack this ability try to keep better track of your potion. Our current potions master has increased the duration to two to two and a half hours, of course there is still a chance it will fail after one so try to top up every fifty five minutes as standard."
"Snape's version is more reliable and he claims it lasts six hours," Harry commented, "Said so on my last visit, perhaps that might swing a vote or two, mention how we lost two aurors to failed potions and have had dozens requiring medical attention."
"I'll be sure to mention it" Kingsley replied.
Severus Snape was currently in Azkaban on a ten year session. During Harry's sixth year he had used the Avada Kedavra on Albus Dumbledore. There was no doubt on this, he confessed and there were eye witnesses. However he had done so unwillingly. Before the school year started Dumbledore had been fatally injured while recovering the Gaunt ring, one of Voldemort's seven horcruxes. He had made it to Spinner's End and Snape had saved the headmaster's life. However he was only able to put a stopper in death.
Dumbledore would die, this wasn't questioned, all wizards do eventually. But Dumbledore was vested with only a year's extension through daily potions. He was also made aware on his visit of the unbreakable vow Snape had to take and constructed a plan. In the event that Draco failed his mission, Snape was ordered to kill Dumbledore to save himself.
Snape, despite logic telling him that Albus would die without him anyways, refused the order. This caused several arguments throughout the sixth year until the fateful night. Severus realising what was happening when Filius came into his chamber swiftly stunned the charms teacher to ensure someone would survive the night to look after the children. Distracting Hermione and the other students nearby to keep them from the battle he set off for the Tower. He arrived to see Draco's wand wavering from Dumbledore, two broomsticks on the tower, four death eaters and Dumbledore's momentary glance to a cloaked Harry.
Rage filled the potions master, knowing what must be done and hating Dumbledore for letting him get into this position. With the utmost loathing required for the spell he spoke the fateful words and killed his mentor, the man who gave him a second chance when none others would sixteen years before.
He fled the tower with Draco, forcing the other Death Eaters away from Harry and calling the retreat. He made way with Draco, cursing the situation he found himself in only to hear Harry's voice chasing after him, casting curses. He blocked all the spells and kept moving to leave Hogwart's grounds. He focused his Legilimency to block Harry's emotion filled hexes, even blocking a few non-verbals. When Harry was hit by a crucio spell by Amacus he ordered the retreat, ending the spell. It wasn't until Harry called him a coward he responded.
A coward? How dare he! He didn't have a clue what Snape just had to do to save Harry's own life! Snape turned on Harry and yelled at him, venting his rage and frustration before vanishing into the night. That night he took Narcissa and Draco into hiding, to be safe until Voldemort's downfall.
He continued acting as a spy, passing information anonymously whenever he could manage. His position secured in the Death Eaters by his actions, likewise condemned him in the Order. He tried to explain what happened but never found a chance, until he was caught by Harry. He was caught searching for rare potion supplies by the Boy-who-Lived, his anger a glaring signal to the ever watchful Snape. There was a battle, a very close one, Harry's skills having improved vastly in his seventh year was a match for the ex-Hogwart's teacher until his emotions got the better of him.
Snape disarmed him and rather than finishing Harry off he captured him. It took several days to convince him of what really happened. After showing him pensieve memories, explaining Dumbledore's actions and revealing his helping hand in the downfall of Tom Riddle with his anonymous tips Snape awaited Harry's decision. On the fifth day after his capture, having said nothing on the whole of the fourth Harry asked to be released.
Snape removed Harry's bindings and handed over his wand to the Auror in training. Harry walked outside and apparated to Hogsmeade. He ignored everyone as he started for Hogwarts. Ignoring the calls of the shop owners, the posters of him under the words MISSING, and the gleeful shouts of Hogwart's students on a visit he just walked until he reached Hogwarts. The doors groaned and smashed open despite the locks as Harry walked through. His anger barely controlled as objects shattered around him.
His wand never left his pocket from the moment he left Snape's home until he was alone in the Headmaster's office. McGonagall having left upon seeing Harry destroy her office door and walk to Dumbledore's portrait. Harry stared at the image of Dumbledore for many minutes before speaking just one short sentence.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Snape was brought in and was sentenced immediately to walk through the veil for the crime of using an unforgivable. This decision was overturned when Harry burst into the Department of Mysteries and threatened to hex anyone who tried to kill Severus. Using the evidence provided and the fact he was Harry Potter, a useful tool he tried not to abuse, the sentence was dropped to life imprisonment, then to twenty years, then to ten in a lower risk prison. He had served four years already and was using the time in prison to bill the ministry for his potions research as Harry had gotten him access to supplies.
Shacklebolt was currently trying to get him transferred to the Ministry research division to serve the rest of his sentence. For a complete git, he was a very intelligent and gifted potions master.
(This is of course straying from the story, suppose I'll have to make it relevant later. Though do note Harry's use of wandless magic, there may be a quiz later)
"So, we find Yaxley and follow him around for a while, see who he meets, create a good rap sheet to bring him in. If he meets any of our known Death Eaters then we try to overhear what's going on, find out who he's with these days. If he's with them we let you know immediately and switch to finding out what they are up to these days. Catch whiff of anything important, we let you know what, then try to cripple their plans. We get into any trouble or our cover is blown, we scarper as safely as possible and try and bring down as many as possible on the way out, sound right boss?" Harry summed up.
"Indeed, we don't know where Yaxley is now, except that he's in London, we have our informants keeping their ears open but we have nothing but a rumoured meeting on Thursday in the Pickled Troll, 7pm. Until then you are on orange alert, get your kit ready, review your cover stories, get someone to feed the pets for a while, you know the routine."
Both Auror's nodded and left the office, folders in arms. Code Orange wasn't quite Red, but meant they had to be ready to move at five minutes notice at all moments until Thursday, two days away. Orange also meant that they could tell close relatives some sketchy outlines. Ginny wouldn't be pleased he was going to be away for an indefinite amount of time again. He would have to face her wrath tonight, after Hermione's which would probably start the moment they stepped into his office and Silencio'ed it. He opened his door and stepped inside, walking to the desk as Hermione shut and spelled the door.
"Harry James Potter!" Hermione turned on him, obviously furious.
"Uhoh, middle name used, Mione wrath level three detected, Danger Harry Potter, Danger!" Harry commented dryly as he sat down, watching the muggle reference hit home as he conjured up a cup of coffee to sip from.
"Only level three?" she growled through clenched teeth.
"Yup, middle name, no raised voice, level two, or disappointed hurt tone, level one," Harry commented, reading from the folder, "Which is why I'm only giving you 95% of my attention because I know that after this argument you are going to memorize this folder in about ten minutes and quiz me on it in twenty, so thought I'd get a head start."
"Why did you tell Kingsley I won't last on a long duration undercover operation?" she was calming already, Harry had that effect on her, after seven years he knew exactly how to press the right buttons and complete lack of concern to her anger meant he had a good reason which she was about to hear. Of course the fact that he knew how to do this was going to result in some very badly damaged targets later in training.
"Because I know for damn sure that if you ordered the Auror division from best at undercover tracking to worst, me and you would be in the bottom ten," Harry looked up over the folder at her "The worst two are Tonks and Ron, and I can tell by that smirk you are trying to hide that you know I'm right. Ron's the worst because though him and Tonks match for low stealth scores and clumsiness, Tonks can hide who she is, Ron on the other hand sticks out like a Weasley."
"Next, I'm fairly certain I'm in the bottom five, if you don't count my rather obvious scar giving me away, my tendency to go berserk and chase after major criminal while stalking a suspect doesn't help either." Harry caught Hermione's eyes for the next part, "Lastly you, you're in the bottom ten not for any errors you may make, because as your scores show, you're perfect as usual, but for the errors you won't make."
"You can't pretend to be a criminal because you baulk at the first sign of a broken law. Yes, you broke dozens of rules with me and Ron back in Hogwarts, but you've never done anything illegal. Closest you got was the Polyjuice potion and that was for a good cause. Strangely not illegal tho."
"If we are to successfully blend into today's underworld you have to be prepared to ignore and partake in things we see. We see a card game where someone puts down their house elf on a bet you can't launch into a S.P.E.W. lecture. We get offered some class c substances you accept and do it knowing you swallowed an immunity potion that morning. We get into a fight with Aurors you try your best to look like you want to kill them short of throwing an illegal and do your best to signal them to your identity without blowing your cover."
"You know I'd take you and Ron as my first choices in a raid, but this sort of mission gets me nervous. Hell I don't want to be on them, don't know when you appeared at that doorway but half a breath before criticizing you I was just finishing telling Kingsley I can't handle undercover to save my life. Have I explained well enough to avoid the wrath of Mione?"
"I suppose," Hermione conceded, "But I'm still not happy about it, there has to be a reason why Kingsley thinks I'm ready for this. I don't want to be stuck behind a desk for my entire career, I used to think that would be perfect, but after everything we did in Hogwarts I find myself wanting more."
"I don't want medals, I don't want praise and I'm not after glory. I just want to make a difference to make the world a bit safer so the next generation doesn't have to know fear like we knew." Hermione stared out of the window as she spoke, imagining the view of Hogwarts she saw was real, not just the illusion Harry had requested.
"I know Mione," Harry stood up again and walked over to give her a hug, "You're making a difference out there. I know it, you've helped bring in some of the worst criminals on the streets."
"Yeah, helped you bring them in" Hermione pouted for a moment before giggling.
"Hey, I'm in it for the same reason you are. Plus, if you ever want some more medals I have plenty sitting in my drawers back home. Now come on, we've got an assignment to gear up for and then I've got to go home and explain to Ginny that I'm going to be missing for a while. She won't like it, but she'll understand code orange at least."
"Just use the Potter charm on her, it works perfectly well to take the wind from my sails." Hermione teased.
"Heh, works on all females, I am too damn irresistible for my own good if I do say so myself."
"Careful mister, if you carry on too long we'll fail the assignment because your head will be seen from a mile away." She retorted
"Bah!" Harry grinned "Got to take this one careful, she's starting to grow immune, hate to admit it, we're still the best of friends, but the little spark is starting to fade. I think she's started to notice it too. I think I'm gonna request a holiday after this assignment, take Ginny somewhere nice, perhaps that Honeymoon I've been promising her since 6th year."
"Oh great, now I've got to make sure you make it through the assignment alive or Ginny will kill me," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You mean you weren't going to do it anyways? Where's the loyalty? This partnership is never going to work!" he teased until he got swatted by Hermione's backhand on his arm, "Okay okay, I give. You going to write to Viktor? Let him know about the assignment? He's off in Spain for the world cup at the moment isn't he?"
"Yeah, I'll have to send him an owl quickly, he'll be disappointed, he got us all tickets for the final." She sighed.
"Final? That's a bit eager isn't it? They're only down to the last sixteen at the moment and England is still in it. They'll be playing in the semis" Harry grinned.
"Ah yes, but Viktor told me that since they don't have Harry Potter as Seeker he isn't frightened one bit." Hermione grinned back and winked at him.
Harry grinned and they set off to requisition the gear they needed.