Jail Bird Choir

CHAPTER 2

“Potter! Very lazy attempt my boy hit the showers you’re done here!” Harry groaned and split off from the sparing pairs his wand falling loose in his hand as he turned to glare at Auror Hardbroom. The hook nosed old man stared down at him from behind his thick glasses, his arms folded angrily across his chest and his face schooled in a practiced disapproving glared. “You better pull your socks up young man if you want to make the cut this spring or you’ll be outa’ here quicker than your feet can carry you.” Harry glanced back at Ron before shaking his head and heading for the unassuming muggle cow shed that was their training offices. “Just because your name is Potter doesn’t mean you won’t have to work my boy.” With the last barb echoing in his ears Harry strode off to the shed silently fuming to himself. He was tired, cold and wet and having had Dueling specialties all morning was forced to rejoin his group for afternoon dueling as well. The training was ridiculous, he’d missed lunch and was coping flack from his peers over letting Malfoy go the previous night.

Reaching the shower block and locker room, Harry threw his cloak and shoes across the room in disgust taking delight in the fact that they slammed into someone else’s locker showering the wall with mud. Cursing under his breath to himself Harry slammed open his locker and began to peel away his wet training gear cursing his blisters from hand to hand combat and the rash he’d gotten from a curse he’d failed to affectively block this afternoon.

“Bad session?” Harry jumped out of his skin as he heard a voice having thought he was alone. Spinning around Harry sighed visibly as his eyes fell on a familiar pink haired witch.

“This is the men’s locker room Tonks.” Harry muttered as he carelessly stripped off his leathers. Unashamedly naked, Harry picked up his towel and soap bag and headed for the showers; aware that Tonks’ smiling eyes followed his every deliberate move.

“And your point would be Potter, aside from the obvious?” Tonks ran an appreciative gaze down Harry’s body as the boy stepped into the shower and turned on the taps so that he was sprayed with warm water.

“Back off witch, I’m not in the mood.” Harry snapped as he closed his eyes and began soaping his hair and body desperate to relax after a full day of grueling training.

“No one said it was going to be a picnic Harry, you could have waited until after…” Tonks was cut off as Harry stuck his head out of the spray long enough to stare at the witch pointedly.

“No, I’d wasted enough time without putting this off just because of him. He ruined my childhood the least I could do was make my adulthood a little more promising.” Harry washed himself free of grime and dirt then having thoroughly enjoyed the spray stepped out into his waiting fluffy towel. “Besides everyone’s going through it, it just seems bad now but it’ll pass.” Harry sighed as he toddled back over to his locker carelessly scratching himself beneath the towel as he searched his locker for a clean set of Auror robes. Tonks rolled her eyes as she lay down along the bench to watch Harry dress.

“It does get easier Potter but we all thought you’d prefer a quieter career, something less demanding on yourself…” Tonks trailed off as her gaze fell on the deep scar that practically spliced Harry in two from one shoulder down his back to the boy’s opposite hip. Harry glanced over his shoulder and caught Tonk’s gaze, consciously pulling on his shirt quickly so as not to torment his friend any longer than necessary.

“I’m fine Nyphadora, now what are you doing here?” Pulling on his cloak and grabbing his bag Harry made his way out of the locker room knowing that Tonks was following him.

“Something’s come up.” Harry paused and waited for Tonks to catch up in order to see the serious expression on the witch’s face.

“What? It’s not Remus is it? Because I’ve told them already he’s not supplying the general population there’s barely enough for his personal use.” Harry muttered wondering if the Ministry had stopped Remus’ supply of Wolfsbane potion again as they had last month.

“No Lupin’s fine, it’s something else.” Harry frowned as Tonks handed him a folder, having cautiously looked around her to make sure no one saw. Quickly Harry opened the folder and scanned the papers inside not really seeing anything of interest until his eyes fell on a single name.

“Severus.” Harry whispered his eyes snapping up to look at Tonks who silenced him with a curt ‘shush’.

“Those turned up mysteriously in the sorting office yesterday, under some menial reports. Someone obviously didn’t want them noticed.” Tonks whispered as she caught Harry’s arm and made them begin walking again as the corridor began filling with Auror’s both trainee’s and qualified instructors.

“Where is he?” Harry gritted out between his teeth as he smiled at one of his friends who passed him in the hall.

“Azkaban.” Tonks whispered guiltily prepared for what was to come. Harry exploded as he yanked his hand out of Tonks’ grip and turned to glare at her angrily.

“WHAT!” The entire hallway fell silent everyone staring at Harry and the Auror facing off.

“Harry, please don’t show us both up.” Tonks pleaded desperately trying to keep a handle on the situation in front of the audience. By Ministry law, until such time as a trainee Auror graduated he or she was bound by agreement to bow to the Superior Auror’s.

“I asked you to keep a watch for him, how the hell did this happen!” Harry screamed angrily causing the lights to flicker in the hallway. Instinctively Tonks had taken a step back her wand drawn and aimed squarely at Harry’s chest.

“Potter, we didn’t know. This was done in secret. We didn’t even think they were looking for him. Now please calm down.” Tonks gripped her wand tighter as she watched Harry’s gaze narrow and darken into the red stare of a once powerful dark wizard. Yet in a moment it was gone and Harry’s green gaze returned as the boy gained control of himself and took a deep steadying breath in.

“Fudge.” Harry spat out in disgust ignoring the fact that his training supervisors were running along the hall towards him. “I’ll have his head.” Harry muttered under his breath as the two head Auror’s came to a screeching halt beside Tonks, who’d lowered her wand slowly when she was sure Harry was back in control.

“Mr. Potter, what is this display?” Harry schooled his features into an apologetic smile as he turned to the two head Auror’s their crimson robes glittering with jeweled honors from their time in battle.

“A minor disagreement sir.” Tonks spoke up quickly before Harry could reply causing both elder Auror’s to look over the witch with a somewhat critical gaze.

“About?” The gray haired Auror pushed as he glanced between Tonks and Harry suspiciously.

“Dinner sir, I’m taking Miss Nyphadora out for dinner and we were merely arguing over where to go.” Harry confidently reached for the witch’s hand entwining his fingers with hers, and giving them a tight knowing squeeze. There was a silence that hung in the hall for a moment before both senior Auror’s nodded in quiet agreement.

“Very well, but I suggest you keep your private life out of this academy Potter. Romance has no place in these halls.” Harry nodded curtly at the two Auror’s and waited until the two wizards had disappeared down the hall before letting go of Nyphadora’s hand.

“I’m a bit old for you Harry, tongues will start wagging.” Harry rolled his eyes as he turned to continue down the hall towards the apparition point, Tonks close at his heels. If he was quick he had enough time to see Arthur Weasley before his patrol with Ron started.

“Perhaps I like an older witch?” Harry mumbled as he stepped up onto the apparition stand having scanned his wand as key.

“I was under the impression that you didn’t like witches in general.” Tonks smiled cheekily up at Harry who didn’t have time to reply before he was being sucked into the vortex of travel and deposited with a thud inside the Ministry’s main foyer.

It had been a year since Voldemort had gone and in many ways things were still the same as they’d always been. Admittedly Harry had changed, as had many of the lives of the wizards and witches around him but in general life had gone back to how it had been before the war. The Ministry was a hub of activity as usual Auror’s, visitors and staff dashing back and forth through the foyer and security checks. Harry sighed heavily and made his way towards the elevators, pausing briefly at security to have the routine inspection of his wand. Once in the lift Harry leant against the wall patiently waiting for his floor, ignoring the smiling looks the other occupants of the elevator threw him. The elevator stopped with a shudder at floor 106 and Harry pushed his way through the small group and out into the corridor. Half way down the corridor Harry opened a door and stepped inside to smile at the familiar red haired man sitting behind his desk.

“Ah Harry, wonderful to see you. How goes life in Auror Training?” Mr. Weasley stood up immediately and hobbled around the edge of the desk, leaning heavily on his walking stick as he shook Harry’s hand tightly.

“Very well thank-you Mr. Weasley, I see you have your work cut out for you.” Harry chuckled as he pointed at all the muggle artifacts scattered around on the shelves of the room each one labeled with a white tag and numbered. After the war the injured Mr. Weasley had gone back to his old job as head of the ‘Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department.’ The man had been offered a promotion to a different department but he’d refused his love of all things muggle too intriguing to give up. There was a short silence between the two of them as Mr. Weasley perched himself on the edge of his cluttered desk.

“So what do I owe this pleasure Harry, I thought you’d be on patrol?” Mr. Weasley inquired smiling warmly at Harry who was quietly inspecting the contents of one of the shelves.

“How long has he been there?” Harry turned around from his inspection of the shelf to stare directly at Mr. Weasley. The red haired wizard frowned and tilted his head to the side in confusion but Harry wasn’t fooled.

“Who Harry?” Mr. Weasley was playing ignorant but Harry wasn’t in the mood.

“You know exactly who Arthur, now tell me how long he’s been in there?” Harry raised a knowing eyebrow at Mr. Weasley who for a moment considered continuing his façade before shaking his head and sighing heavily in defeat.

“Six months.” Arthur muttered as he shuffled his way back around his desk and sat down with a sigh of relief in his plush armchair.

“Why wasn’t I told?” Harry inquired sharply trying to keep his temper in check. Mr. Weasley didn’t deserve to be shouted at the man had only been doing his job.

“No one was.” Arthur opened his desk draw and pulled out two glasses and a small flash of fire whisky. “The ministry thought it prudent to keep shut about the whole affair. If the other remaining death eaters learnt of Snape’s capture they’d scatter and they didn’t want that.” Harry accepted the glass of fire whisky and downed it in one go, unlike Arthur who nursed his slowly.

“What about his trial?” Harry queried sharply wondering why a trail of this nature hadn’t been on the front page of every newspaper in England by now. Arthur took another sip of his whisky and shook his head.

“There isn’t going to be one Harry.” Instantly Harry sprang to his feet slamming his hands down angrily onto the desk making Arthur jump a little in surprise.

“Why not, the wizard has a right to defend himself against the accusations! If Dumbledore was here…” Harry began but was cut off abruptly by an equally terse Arthur Weasley.

“But he’s not Harry and without Dumbledore’s contradictory evidence Severus Snape is guilty in the eyes of the Ministry. Severus Snape was Voldemort’s closest advisor no matter what he did for our side he still committed all those crimes in the dark lords service. The brand on his arm is enough to condemn him Harry, surely you must have realized that before the war even began?” Arthur finished his fire whisky and put it aside as there was a knock on the door and a bright-faced young witch stuck her head into the room and smiled at the pair.

“Sorry to disturb you Arthur but Ginny’s here to see you, she’s waiting upstairs in the canteen.” Arthur nodded and waved away his secretary as he turned back to Harry sadly.

“Listen Harry, please don’t let your friendship with him cloud the facts. Severus is a murderer Harry and while you might not want to see it, he killed more wizards and muggles during his time as death eater than he ever made up for during his service in the Order. There’s not a lot that can be done. He’s been sentenced to life with no hope of release. He is not permitted visitors and his wand has been snapped. He is a lost cause and it is in your interest that you keep your nose out of it, less you jeopardize your position in Auror training.” Harry stared blankly at Arthur letting the words the man had just spoken settle in his mind. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m joining my daughter for dinner.” With a smile Arthur grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair and hobbled slowly over towards the door. Automatically Harry opened the door for the elder wizard and followed him blindly out into the brightly lit corridor. Arthur hobbled down the hall towards the elevator doors at the end, the elder wizard pausing to address Harry whom he assumed was just behind him. “It was nice seeing you anyway Har….” Mr. Weasley trailed off as the lights flickered and a thunderous crack echoed down the corridor bringing many faces out of their rooms to look around gingerly. Harry was gone in the blink of an eye the only wizard aside from his opposite able to apperate through the Ministry of Magic’s wards without bating an eyelid. Arthur sighed heavily as he leant against the doors of the elevator. Harry was mad, and that was not good for anyone who got in the boy’s way.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>