Godplayer

Year: 2005

"Granger! Get your skinny little ass down here!"

Hermione opened her eyes blearily. Why was he screaming for her now? Hadn't she just completed her assignment after sixty five hours of non-stop work?

"GRANGER!"

Hermione sat up with a massive effort and stared with half open eyes at her boss's head in the fireplace.

"Yeah?" she asked groggily.

"You have another assignment. So get ready and come to the office immediately!"

Hermione groaned.

"But sir, I'm..."

"No excuses! You've had two hours of sleep. More than enough for an Auror. Now, I want to see you in my office in five minutes. Move!"

Hermione nodded sullenly at him and the head disappeared. She dragged herself out of bed, took a quick shower, put on clothes by a flick of her wand and Apparated to the Ministry.

Taurus Turnbull was drumming his fingers impatiently on the table when Hermione arrived.

"Four and a half minutes, sir," she said sourly.

"Twenty seven seconds, Granger!"

"Whatever. What did you call me here for?"

"This," he grunted and threw a file at her. She caught it neatly and opened it. Her brow furrowed into a frown as she read the report.

"Is this reliable?" she asked.

"Pretty much."

"Who reported it?"

"Finnegan."

Hermione nodded. Sean had neither the imagination nor the temperament to make up false reports. Incredible as it was, it had to be true.

"I'm on," she said.

Turnbull gave her a half smile.

"You're one of the rare decent ones we have around here," he said grudgingly, "and I don't want anyone to bungle up this time. One rogue wizard can do a lot of damage, especially if he's powerful and is following the footsteps of You-Know-Who."

"Any suspects?"

Turnbull shook his head.

"It's too early and we know too little to guess. I'd like to have the guy identified by the end of the week, though. You'll have assistance if you want."

"I'd like Draco. Send him over to my place. I'll fill him in."

"Malfoy? What do you want Malfoy for? That arrogant, prissy, self-centred bastard is no good to anyone! For all we know, he might be the one we're trying to find!"

Hermione shrugged. Turnbull smiled.

"Subterfuge, eh?"

Hermione shrugged again.

"Is he on duty now?" she asked.

"Sent off the idiot on a wild goose chase to Africa. I don't know when he'll be back."

"Call him back. I want him as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I'm going to take a much-needed rest," said Hermione coldly and strode out of the room before her boss could say anything. She wondered what had possessed Percy to make him Chief of the Auror Department. Probably he'd licked Percy's shoes to ribbons.

Hermione was not destined for a peaceful slumber, though. She'd barely slept another hour when Draco appeared, burst and bleeding. As she healed him with expert flicks of her wand, he explained that he'd been chased by a herd of bloodthirsty Manticores who were resistant to magic.

"Turnbull sent me on a wild goose chase," he said jokingly, but his smile faltered at her grim expression.

"You mean it's true? I know the bugger hates me, but this...and...and he had a report," Draco said incredulously.

"From?"

"Smith..." Draco smacked his forehead. "I'm the biggest fool on earth...I ought to have seen right through it! Damn!"

"Relax, Draco. You're working with me on this one."

"Thank Merlin for that!"

Hermione smiled and handed him the file. His eyes widened when he read it through.

"It's...it's real?"

"Looks like it. Finnegan's report. There aren't too many chances of him imagining things."

"Too right."

They sat silently for some time.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like some lunch?"

"Sure...if it isn't too much trouble."

"Of course not. I'll just order."

"Your Muggle shop?"

"Yes."

"Chinese?" he asked hopefully.

Hermione laughed.

"All right. Chinese it is!"

"You're an angel, Hermione."

"I know."

After lunch, Hermione suggested rest, and Draco agreed heartily.

"It's a mercy you have a spare room always ready to use, Hermione," he remarked.

Hermione laughed and retired to her room, while Draco dragged himself to the spare room.

When they woke up, it was around nine PM.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we should consult...er...Potter?"

"Whatever for?"

"Well...he's the expert on these things...if there's been something like this happening, he'd know it for sure."

Hermione frowned.

"You're right," she said, "I think it'd do Harry some to good to have visitors, too. He's been shut up alone in that castle of his for quite some time."

"You have not visited him?" Draco asked curiously.

"No...it's a pity. I've been too busy for several months. Get ready, Draco. We're leaving in a few minutes."

"Why do I need to go?" There was a hint of fear in his eyes. Most people tended to be afraid of Harry.

"Because you're on duty with me."

Draco agreed reluctantly.

Draco and Hermione stood in front of the huge iron gates of Sirocco, Harry's castle. Hermione stepped forward and the gates opened. They walked in. It was quite a long walk to the castle through the grounds, and the dense vegetation made them feel that they were walking through a forest. Which, of course, wasn't far from the truth.

The door opened of its own accord when they reached it. Hermione led Draco to the sitting room, where a roaring fire and Dobby stood ready to greet them.

"Harry Potter sir is coming to meet Hermy. You is to wait here." The house-elf frowned at Draco.

"Don't you remember me, Dobby? You could have been my servant...no?" asked Draco lightly. Dobby's eyes widened and his nose went up indignantly.

"Bad Master your father is. Dobby glad with Harry Potter sir."

The house-elf left. Hermione frowned at her companion.

"Why did you have to rub him up the wrong way? He's a very nice elf, and Harry's very fond of him."

Draco shifted uncomfortably, his eyes on the floor.

"Hello, Hermione," came a soft voice from the doorway and the two Aurors jumped up from their seats.

Harry Potter was standing there, looking every inch of the powerful wizard he was proclaimed to be. You could feel the power radiating off him. Even his black cloak seemed to be shining with a tinge of green...the power of Avada Kedavra.

Draco gulped. Hermione's face broke into a smile and she ran to hug her friend. A slight smile lifted a corner of Harry's lips as she did so. Harry walked to the couch with her and they sat down. Draco resumed his seat.

"Hello, Malfoy," said Harry.

"Hi, Potter," said Draco nervously.

Harry turned to Hermione.

"What brings you here? Is it the new Dark wizard who hails himself as Riftaz?"

Hermione nodded, astonishment apparent on her face.

"How did you know?" she asked.

Harry smiled and shrugged.

"So, it's true, then? He exists?" Draco asked after a long pause.

Harry nodded.

"He does exist. And he is quite powerful. Almost as much as Voldemort. I'd say, within a couple of years, he might achieve Voldemort's power level."

Draco shuddered. Hermione's lips pursed.

"We must destroy him before that," she said grimly.

Harry smiled at her. His smile sent shivers down Draco's spine. He wondered what would happen if Harry turned Dark...

"Aurors are lucky to have you, Hermione. I hope they realize that," Harry said, still smiling.

Hermione blushed. Draco shook his head.

"That Turnbull..." he began, but Hermione silenced him with a look. Harry's brow had furrowed, though.

"Go on, Malfoy," he said. The air pulsed with power. Draco and Hermione were suddenly afraid, for Turnbull.

"It's nothing, Harry," said Hermione hastily, "the boss just has a bad temper. I can handle him quite well."

"Oh, right. Like you did today. Three days of non-stop work and then he drops another assignment on your head! And sends me off to a wild goose chase to Africa!" Draco shot back.

Harry looked thoughtful.

"Taurus Turnbull?" he asked suddenly.

The Aurors nodded.

"He's your Chief?" There was an undertone of anger in his voice.

Draco and Hermione nodded again.

Harry's eyes flashed. Draco shrank back. Even Hermione looked a little uncomfortable. Thankfully, Dobby appeared just then.

"Dinner is served, sir," the elf said, bowing to Harry.

Harry smiled at him.

"Thank you, Dobby."

The elf beamed adoringly at Harry.

Dinner was a magnificent affair, with Hermione doing most of the talking. She told Harry all she'd been doing since she'd last visited him.

After dinner, Harry suggested that they both spend the night at his castle.

"It's rather late, Hermione, and I don't want you outside in this area. It's not safe."

"I've Draco with me."

"There are things around here that you and Malfoy can't defeat, even if you're the best Aurors in the country."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Hermione shot back.

"It's the truth." Harry turned to Draco. "Malfoy, do you have any problem spending the night here?"

Draco shook his head.

"Of course not. This is better than any place I've ever been to, barring Hogwarts."

"Thanks," said Harry simply.

Draco woke up suddenly, sure that he had heard a noise. He had always been a light sleeper. He slid out of bed, put on his dressing gown and stepped out of his room.

His ears had not betrayed him. The sound came again. He quickly walked in its direction. His steps took him to a room whose door stood ajar. He peered in cautiously.

Harry was standing in the middle of the room, in front of a huge mirror. His whole form was covered with a green glow. As Draco watched, the fingers of Harry's outstretched hand moved and a glass lifted itself from the table and smashed into the mirror. The mirror appeared unharmed, though the glass smashed into a million pieces. This was the source of the noise, Draco realized.

He looked at Harry carefully. The wizard was looking murderous. After smashing a few more things against the mirror, Harry slid to the floor into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing. Draco stood transfixed. What was causing such intense emotion? Before he could reflect more upon it, however, Harry glowed green again and the chandelier broke free from the ceiling, hit the mirror and broke, sending its shards flying everywhere. Harry gave one last sob and keeled over, unconscious.

Draco stood unresolved for a while. Then he entered the room, picked up his once arch-rival and carried him to the nearest bedroom. He magically removed all the glass pieces from his skin and performed a few basic healing charms.

He went to the previous room and examined the mirror. I show you not your face but you heart's desire...

The mirror of Erised!

Dazed, he made his way back to him room, but he bumped into Dobby.

"What is you doing outside? You should be in bedroom."

"Listen, Dobby, I just left Potter in that room over there. He broke several things and then fainted. I used a few healing charms, but I don't know much healing, so you'd better go and take a look."

The elf's eyes widened.

"Is Harry Potter sir hurt?" he asked fearfully.

"A little, I think. You'll take care of it?"

Dobby nodded and ran to his Master. Draco heaved a sigh of relief and returned to his room wondering what that was all about.