Life and Love After Voldemort

Harry peered down Knockturn Alley, trying to look inconspicuous in a non-descript ensemble featuring a wide-brimmed hat which hid most of Harry's face, especially his scar and spectacles. If his information was correct, his quarry would be emerging from Borgin and Burkes at any moment. Harry situated himself at a spot that kept him obscured from anyone in the alleyway but still enabled him to view the front of the shop via the window of the building directly across the alley.

Twenty minutes later, Harry spotted a shadowy blond figure with a small package clutched in one hand emerging from the narrow passageway on the far side of the shop. Harry slipped his wand into one hand and reached into his robes with his other hand for his identification.

"Hold it, Malfoy! I'm from the Auror's Off--"

Draco Malfoy pulled out his wand and started to cast a spell, but Harry had the jump on him.

"Expelliarmus!" The wand flew from Malfoy's hand, and Draco quickly muttered something.

Instantly, Harry shouted "Stupefy! Accio wand," then cast Incarerous to bind Malfoy with rope. After clearing away curious onlookers and transporting Malfoy safely to an official place of incarceration, Draco smiled.

"I think that will do, Potter." Malfoy clapped his hands above his head, and the holding cell that contained Draco and Harry began to change and dissolve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The transformation was soon complete and Kingsley's office returned to normal, as did Kingsley. "Very good, Potter. Have a seat. I was pleased that you again swept for detection traps in the area and had the Apparition Block in place without any reminder, as those are some of the most common areas for trainee missteps. Your tracking instincts and standard apprehension techniques were quite satisfactory, though there are some aspects of your approach that need improvement. I know I'm throwing you into this without as close an eye to procedure as you'd receive in conventional Auror training, but be aware that you must present identification if you draw your wand, and there are more efficient ways to do that than fishing through your robes for it at the moment of confrontation."

After studying manuals on apprehending persons of interest to his department, Harry had been tested by having to submit a list of Auror-provided items he would need on such an assignment. Harry's strategy had focused on minimizing the charms involved in his choice of plainclothes to avoid exposure by those using magic detection devices of the Mad-Eye Moody variety, specifically those designed to reveal the elevated presence of charms and/or magical concealments on a person.

"You should have found in your training materials that there are now badges issued by the department more suited for undercover work than the standard issue model. The new badges remain concealed until your command. Those and the Metamorphic Sweaters which can also display official I.D. give off no more of a magical signature than the average Self-Sustaining Baldness Prevention charms."

Why aren't all their sodding badges made like that, then? Harry wondered to himself. He assured Kingsley that he would made the necessary adjustments.

"In that vein, Potter, lead with the audible notification of 'Auror's office, etc.' to inform the suspect and anyone in the immediate area who you are and why your wand is drawn. Until you can produce that alert non-verbally and leave yourself uninhibited from issuing speech-driven spells for your wand even five seconds sooner than otherwise, obtain the department's Sonorus-enhanced Alerter and use it for that purpose."

Harry's head was spinning with all of these details, which Kingsley sensed. He modified his official-sounding tone in order to make a point. "Harry, each of these regulations and precautions have been implemented to give law enforcement officials every advantage and defense possible in order to protect themselves and the public while apprehending suspects, especially practitioners of the Dark Arts who can combat us in many unexpected ways. That's why you might have heard an old slogan associated with the Auror Office: 'Shaving Seconds Saves Souls.' It's more alliterative than poetic, but it gets the point across."

"Well, I heard 'a stitch in time saves nine' in the Muggle world," Harry replied, "which I guess means the same thing."

"What was that, a Snitch in time saves... oh, a stitch! I see..." said Kingsley, though Harry wasn't sure that he did.

"Before I forget," the Minister continued, "I also would have thrown in Petrificus Totalus for good measure before binding the suspect. It's an extra layer of protection for when we need to examine them, which can be tough to do thoroughly if they're bound in rope. We're dealing with Dark Magic, and the more precautions we can integrate into our routine, the better."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kingsley rose from his chair, and Harry did the same. "Harry, don't let my criticisms discourage you. You're by far the most advanced trainee I've ever worked with, but even our most capable Aurors need to hone their techniques and customize their skills to our regulations, which can happen only with time, practice, and experience."

Harry realized that the Minister had perceived his trainee's pre-occupation with what went wrong rather than what went right. "It's just... I wonder every time I finish one of these training exercises if I should ditch my other outside concerns and keep training here until I'm not a potential liability in the field. You said I could be called into service at any time, and I need to be at my very best so no innocent lives are put at risk."

"If you hadn't proven to me that you continue to hold that attitude at your very core, I would not be spending the time and resources on you that I have," said Kingsley emphatically.

"I need to you rely on my judgment that the mode of training I've crafted and adapted for you is what you need to become the best Auror possible. Your N.E.W.T. education is going to prove invaluable to you, and completing that is more critical to your overall training than replacing it with a hundred more field exercises. Even the happy accident of your anticipated professional Quidditch odyssey is going to benefit your future full-time career. It will further develop your outstanding broomstick pursuit work as well as show the value and importance of working with others as a team for a common goal. So Harry, you're doing exactly what you need to do as far as the Ministry is concerned. Can I count on you to remember that?"

"Yes, Minister. Thank you, Minister." The two shook hands.

"Excellent, Harry. Now let's find a pub and relax; I always need a strong firewhiskey or two after impersonating a Malfoy."

"I'm thinking the Three Broomsticks, Kingsley!" Harry didn't mention that Kingsley was still sporting two blond sideburns. Should be a great conversation starter for him with Madam Rosmerta, Harry thought.