Heroes Assemble!

Auxiliary Avengers ... Assemble!

D

"Master! Master must wake up!"

Harry blearily opened his eyes before startling backwards on his bed, his heart suddenly rocketing in his chest.

"Kreacher! Don't do that!" Harry admonished the elf who was still standing right beside his bed, his ancient, bulbous nose only a bare inch from where Harry's head had been a moment before.

"Yes, Master," an unrepentant-sounding Kreacher replied.

"Is there a reason you're waking me up at ..." Harry cast a quick, wandless, wordless tempus, "two thirty in the morning!"

"Yes, Master," Kreacher replied. "Master has a floo call."

Harry stared at the elf. This had better be good.

"Who is it?' he near-growled.

"Auror Robards," Kreacher replied.

Instantly, Harry was rolling out of bed and moving towards the door.

Old habits are hard to break, he grouched to himself.

Indeed, when he was still an auror, there had been numerous times when he'd been awoken in the middle of the night by a floo call from Robards. Then, as now, he'd hurried to answer it; more often than not, this proceeded a return to duty, hours before his shift was due to start.

"Robards," Harry greeted the head floating in the fire.

"Potter. Took your sweet time getting here," Robards retorted.

"I'm not one of your aurors anymore," Harry reminded him.

"There's been an attack," Robards stated, ignoring Harry's comment. "Shacklebolt tells me that you have jurisdiction."

"What?" Harry asked confusedly. "What do you mean that I have jurisdiction?"

"Just what I said," Robards repeated. "I strongly suggest you get down here ASAP."

Harry gave an absent nod and Robards cut the connection. Exactly what kind of attack would give him jurisdiction over the DMLE he couldn't fathom. Unless ...

His eyes widening, Harry took off in a dead run back towards his room.

ooo00ooo

As Harry strode into the offices of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he was met at the door by a young auror, a trainee, judging by their robes.

"Mister Potter," the trainee auror said. "I've been instructed to bring you straight to Interview Room One B."

Harry gave a nod. "Thank you."

Although he could find his way there himself, he let the young man lead him. Interview Room One B was actually a small room to the side of Interview Room One that had special charms placed on one of the walls allowing anyone in the 'B' room to see into the main room without being seen themselves, much like a one-way mirror in a muggle police interview room.

A quick glance as he entered showed Harry that a female auror was sitting with a young boy in the main room, whether or not they were talking was unknown – the silencing wards seemed to be engaged.

The 'B' room was occupied by three people and, although Harry expected two of them, the third wasn't a complete surprise.

"Chief Robards. Kingsley. Susan," he said, nodding to each.

"Thanks for coming, Harry," Minister Shacklebolt replied.

"Hi, Harry," Susan Bones replied with a small smile.