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The banner in front of Harry waved lazily proclaiming in purple and sliver that in honor of Ministry Week the Minster for Magic, Madame Bones would be sponsoring interdepartmental games leading up to a final challenge on Friday. These games were to test how the Ministerial departments cooperate and work as a team. Participants would be handpicked by the Minster out of the newest members of each of the seven departments and paired up for the whole week. Harry was not as shocked as the other new Aurors; he had been hearing the fights about this idea for weeks between his parents at home.
James Potter was the Head Auror and Lily Potter the Chief Undersecretary to Minster Bones herself, and both had ideas about weather this would improve interdepartmental cooperation or spell the end of the ministry as they knew it, James arguing the later. Harry’s home had become a battle ground of hexes and insults and he was glad that is was finally about to end. Departmental pride had him siding with his father that the Aurors had no need for working with anyone else. They worked best without oversight, but Lily liked to point out that most of their newest spells and potions came from the Department of Mysteries, where she had worked before her promotion.
But based on the new evidence in front of him, Harry was going to have to play nice with someone from another department. Unfortunately, as the newest Auror and “Golden Boy” of the department plus who his parents were, Harry was going to have to set an example of working with his new partner for the week not matter how difficult they were.
Harry thought to himself, “For Merlin’s sake it had better not be bloody Malfoy.”
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Tom Riddle started his Monday at the Department of Mysteries just like any other, cursing his dependence on coffee. One-time Head Boy and youngest full Unspeakable in a century, yet he could not seem to function without the caffeine and that lead to this awful situation. Every morning he had to stop at the café in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic.
This morning he was annoyed to see a garish sliver and purple banner floating between him and his caffeine addiction. Didn’t those fools know how people depended on this coffee, who cares about interdepartmental cooperation when he had higher more important needs, such as caffeine. Tom brushes the banner aside after glancing at it.
Fools, whoever he gets stuck with had better stay out of his way because they could not possible carry their own weight. After retrieving his coffee, Tom spares the thought that he better not receive Malfoy or a Hufflepuff as his partner. With his bad luck he would probably be suck with the newest slob in Magical Games and Sports.
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The Monday morning Department Head’s meeting was not going smoothly for James Potter, temporary fill in for the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. He was only doing the job for this week as Moody had needed to go in for checkups from his last case. He had arrived ten minutes late, just as his wife had predicted, after stopping for coffee with Sirius Black his best mate. Now he was stuck sitting between Malfoy and Rockwood instead of his usual spot by Weasley and Bagman.
Minster Bones rose after James had taken his seat but not before giving him a dark look for his tardiness. As she began to cover the weekly agenda for the Ministry James was distracted by the murder stare he was getting from his wife. This was worse than the time Lily had caught Harry and him seeking dung bombs into his school trunk.
James focused back on Minster Bones just in time to hear her say, “Which is why this Ministry Week will focus on interdepartmental cooperation. We cannot have something like the Fry problem happen again. In order to avoid a repeat, we will be having a week of challenges that our newest members of departments will team up in order to complete. We will be using the members that you submitted as our next leaders in the ministry because they will not have the same basis as some of our older leaders.”
James could swear she looked at Rockwood and him as she said that. “Furthermore I have already decided teams and challenges. This contest will test skill, knowledge and cooperation of the pairs involved. Each day will be a new challenge focusing on a skill or task vital to the smooth running of this Ministry. I know I can count on everyone’s cooperation and support this week and the rest of the month.” James may be paranoid but yet again he felt the Minster’s gaze sweep towards him.
As Lily starts passing out papers that have the pairs listed by departments, James hopes that Harry gets his friend Ron or Hermione. As Lily slides one to him with a dark glance James looks down to see Harry is matched up with the newest Unspeakable Tom Riddle. Well, he thinks to himself, it could be worst at least it’s not Malfoy.
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While the rest of Harry’s morning went smoothly he was dreading meeting up with his “partner” for the week’s challenges after lunch. Head Auror Potter had called him to his office after the Heads meeting telling him that he would be meeting his partner for the challenges at 1 o’clock that afternoon for a brief introductory session before their first challenge the next morning. Harry felt weird calling him Head Auror Potter in his head but it was better than chancing slipping up and calling him Dad at the Ministry even if it felt weird.
Harry had gotten into the Aurors by hard work and talent but many felt that he had followed Malfoy’s example and gotten in because of his father’s position and connections. If Harry hadn’t felt such a calling to help people he might have taken up professional Quidditch instead. But here he was a first year Auror partnered up with a veteran Auror Tonks for his assignments, though for this week he would be mostly looking a cold case when not working on the Minster’s challenges.
Head Auror Potter had passed on that his partner for the challenges would be Unspeakable Riddle. While Harry was glad that it wasn’t Malfoy. He couldn’t help remembering that Magical Law Enforcement and Mysteries were the two departments that got along the least well. Not to mention that the last memory of Riddle Harry had was the Head Boy dressing him down for a prank he and the Weasley twins had pulled on the Slytherin Quidditch team after Gryffindor had won the House Cup. This was shaping up to be a long hellish week.
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Tom was on his way to the Minister’s Office where he, his partner, and the rest of the participants would be meeting for an introduction of the week’s challenges. While Tom was thrilled he would not be suck with a Hufflepuff, a daddy’s boy who got in on connections was not his speed either. The best chance they had of winning was if Potter stayed out of his way and just coasted along.
Tom could remember Potter as only wanting to play Quidditch and spreading mischief at Hogwarts. He couldn’t imagine why Potter was interested in the Ministry. Oh well, one week and they could go back to pretending the other did not work there.
After being greeted by the Minister’s secretary Tom entered Madam Bone’s office to see surprisingly he was not the first one there. The Minster was already chatting with Potter and a muggleborn, Granger if he was not mistaken. Malfoy was sitting a little apart sneering at the muggleborn with Cedric Diggory leaning back watching Potter and Granger talk. It looked like it was just Wealsey from Games and Sports and Chang from Transportation left to arrive then.
Tom quickly made his way over to greet Madam Bones. “Good Afternoon Unspeakable Riddle, I was just telling your partner Auror Potter how much better his time management skills are that his Father’s. “Madam Bones laughed as she turned back to Potter and Granger.
Tom’s partner seemed to smile slightly as he replied, “Madam Bones, I am sure that my father regrets ever making you wait in the least for him, and if he does not then my mother will insure that he never makes you wait again.”
Tom felt a smidge impressed at how Potter delivered his reply. Out of a Gryffindor that was almost smooth. A moment later saw the arrival of Weasley and Chang and the Minster had everyone gather around.
“Welcome everyone, I am excited to have some of our newest and brightest minds competing in this challenge. As you know you will be competing in pairs. In no particular order we have Miss Granger representing the department of Regulations and Control of Magical Creatures paired with Miss Chang of the department of Magical Transportation. Mr. Weasley with the department of Magical Games and Sports is paired with Jr Ambassador Malfoy of the department of International Magical Cooperation. Unspeakable Riddle of the department of Mysteries will be paired with Auror Potter of the department of Magical Law Enforcement. And finally Investigator Diggory of the department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes will be paired with Miss Lovegood from the department of Regulations and Control of Magical Creatures. Tomorrow’s test will start first thing in the morning and test your abilities to stay calm and think under pressure. You are all welcome to use the rest of the afternoon to acquaint or reacquaint with your selves with your partners, feel free to take your meetings to outside the Ministry. I shall see you all again tomorrow at 9 o’clock sharp in the auditorium.”
And with that Tom and the others were dismissed. Tom nodded to Potter to follow him and he headed down to the café in the lobby not checking to see if Potter followed him.
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Harry hurriedly said his goodbyes and followed Riddle. The prick had not even glanced back after that nod to see if Harry was following. He just seemed to take it as his due that Harry would follow along. Yes, this was shaping up to be a very long week if this was what Harry could expect from his partner.
Riddle was sitting with a large coffee in front of him and barely waits for Harry to sit before starting to talk. “I understand Potter that you are the Aurors newest raising star but if you want to win I suggest that you leave the heavy thinking to me. I am well known for being the youngest Unspeakable in a century and hold many of the highest NEWT scores on record. I trust that you remember me from our shared past at Hogwarts. If there is nothing pressing to discuss then I have an experiment waiting for me that I cannot afford to put on hold all week.”
Harry takes a breath to focus, pissing off his partner before they had even one challenge seems unwise. “Personally Riddle, I’m sure that I remember you well enough from Hogwarts not to need a reintroduction. And while you may hold some of the highest scores I would like to remind you that I bet your Defense Newt Scores by 10 points. So I trust you will leave the offensive magic to me. But if you are so eager to leave please don’t let me get in your way.”
Riddle made a face like he had swallowed a lemon at the reminder the Harry held the highest Newt for Defense but merely contented himself to say. “Then I will see you in the morning Potter. Maybe you go get some beauty sleep since I am to be the brains on our team.”
So saying Riddle rose and stalked off as if he could not stand to be there a moment longer. Yes, Harry thought to himself it was going to be a long hellish week.
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Harry had been right. Between getting poisoned on Tuesday, the press conference on Wednesday about the importance of working together, and yesterday’s challenge in warding spaces to prevent Muggles from finding out about magic, it had been a very hellish week. But it was all about to end with this last challenge.
Tom and he had actually gotten closer after Harry had been poisoned with a combination of a truth potion and a slow acting poison which had Harry admitting to liking Tom’s sarcasm and body. Harry could tell he had impressed Tom with his ability to handle Rita Skeeter’s interview questions without giving her anything she could spin. Yesterday’s warding had taken a ton of magic from both of them but they had worked together to have the strongest wards around their space and it had stayed standing the longest when tested.
Also they had been eating lunch together, going over their performances each day. This was the bright spot in Harry’s day. Tom was smart but also had a dry wit that Harry loved to egg on and both had gotten much closer with each lunch. Tom sharing his goals to keep moving up in the Ministry and becoming Minister. And with Harry sharing how much it bothered him that everyone assumed he got in because of his father’s connections and not his own merit. Both enjoyed mocking Malfoy’s claims of telling everything to his father and how he didn’t seem to be doing well in the competition.
But this was the last challenge and promised to be the toughest. It was a Muggle haunted house that they had to clean out of beasts and creatures. There was a different house for each of the teams to clear out and they would be monitored by teams of Unspeakables and Aurors like for all of the other tests. Harry made his way over to where Tom was waiting with Madam Bones and the front of the house.
Tom gave Harry a nod and smirk, they had agreed yesterday that Harry would go first and be their offense and Tom would guard their rear. Madam Bones started talking as Harry drew up to the pair, “Welcome gentlemen, to the final challenge. You both have shown great skill in the previous tests but do not take this task lightly. There are some of the most dangerous creatures know to wizards here and no room for playing around. Your task is to clear the whole house of creatures so the Muggles can run their ‘haunted’ house this weekend. On my mark you may enter. There are three rooms on the ground floor with two more upstairs. This will be timed and graded on how well you handle the creatures and their danger. Good luck and you may begin.” So saying Madam Bones moved to the side and let Harry and Tom enter.
They first entered a dark creepy hallway where they found pixies flying at them from the fake spiders’ webs in the ceiling. Harry luckily knew Impedimenta, using it to freeze the pixies and then Tom dropped them into a brown sack he had brought with him to collect their creatures.
As they made their way into the front room they could see a fire going and ash trails leaving it. “Ashwinders,” said Tom, “I can call them if you can cast a freezing charm on their eggs.” Harry stared at Tom as a strange hissing noise came from his mouth. It was weirdly erotic and Harry had to look away to focus on finding the eggs before the house burnt down around them.
As Harry looked around he could tell the muggles had already been here decorating to get the house ready for the tours. There were creepy wax figures and spider webs everywhere with lots of places for eggs to hide.
“Harry, there is a nest of eggs behind that chest and under the window,” Tom called. Harry quickly froze the eggs and then cast Aguamenti on the fire before more ashwinders could come out of it.
“So what other talents does your tongue have Tom?” Harry teased. “Well, Harry, after we win you might get to find out.” Tom winked before bowing Harry into the next room.
After searching and finding nothing in that room. They climbed the rickety old stairs to the second floor where there were rooms on either side of the stairs before they twisted and went back down. Harry started for the right room before ducking as a doxy came flying right at his head. He glanced up and shot a stunner at it causing it to aim at him again. Harry got it on the second try before seeing six more coming fast at him and Tom. Luckly Harry was fast on his reaction times and got all but two which were quickly stunned by Tom. They both were quick to start picking up the stunned doxies and put them in Tom’s bag.
Harry was reaching for the last doxy and found himself holding Tom’s hand before hastily dropping it and turning beat red. Tom simply chuckled and said, “Later darling we still have a room or two left.”
Harry moved to exit the room but saw something out of the corner of his eye, it was a bird. As he turned he could see that it was a greenish black vulture that looked sad and scared. “An augurey,” Tom whispered, “They are very shy and usually don’t get close to humans. If we open the window it should fly back to its nest.” Saying he opened the window with a spell causing the augurey to rustle its feathers and fly out. “Weren’t we supposed to have caught that Tom?” “Not necessarily it will not hurt anything back in its nest and besides it could have eggs to watch over.”
Harry nods and finally moves to the next room where he can tell immediately something is wrong. A chest in the corner rattles before popping open and out of it climbs James Potter. Or actually it resembles James Potter frowning and shaking his head looking as Harry like he does Snape or Malfoy.
“Oh Harry,” the thing that looks like his father says, “How could you? Of all the people to have a crush on he’s a Slytherin, we can’t trust him. Besides he’s always with Rockwood, probably one of his lackeys studying black magic. Your mother will be so disappointed. She was hoping you and Ginny could hit it off.”
Harry feels Tom’s hands on his shoulders and his breath in his ear as his says, “It’s a boggart Harry, I know you remember how to defeat it.” Harry pulls himself together. He doesn’t want Tom to see that his biggest fear at the moment is how his family will react to his crush.
Focusing on the memory of when Harry was six and Remus had cursed James in drag for the weekend for eating all the chocolate in the house Harry casts his spell. As Harry shouts riddikulus at the fake James, it turns into his father cursed in a black teddy and heels like Dr. Frank-N-Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture show.
Tom lets out a laugh when he sees the boggart trip on the high heels causing it to burst apart. “Come Harry, we have one more to go and then we can see how the real Auror Potter takes you having a Slytherin boyfriend.”
Harry just about drops his wand at that as he feels Tom pat his ass. He stubbles along as Tom leads him down to the last room of the house.
At first nothing happens and then the scent of decay reaches their noses. Harry knows what their last creature is from helping Sirius and Remus clean their new house. “It’s a bundimun, and if we cast scouring charms at the same time allover the room that will take care of it.”
“Alright on three then. One, two, three.” Tom says as he casts his spell.
After sweeping the whole room with the spell the two exit out the back of the house where Aurors Black and Potter along with Unspeakable Rockwood and Avery are waiting with them.
Sirius is the first to speak, “Well done lads, looks like you’re in first again. With how you did on Tuesday and Thursday plus this you have this competition all tied up. We’ll head back and wait for everyone else to get done before Minster Bones announces the winner.” He nods to James before leaving with Avery.
Rockwood steps up next and tells Tom, “You’ve done the department proud and even managed to carry the dead weight you were assigned.”
Harry clinches his fist before Tom wraps his hand around it and tells his boss, “Actually Harry was a wonderful partner and I would not be as successful without him. If he wanted to he would fit right in with us based on his offense spells talent.” Rockwood doesn’t look happy to hear that but doesn’t say anything more as he too apparited leaving just James left.
Tom squeezes Harry’s hand before he lets go as James comes closer. “Congratulations boys, you both have been very impressive in all of the challenges and hold the top spot no question. But is there something you want to tell me Harry? Your boggart seemed to take an interesting form?”
Harry turned bright red before hissing, “not now” at his father. James chuckled good natured and said, “Well you might want to take some time together to talk before the winner’s ceremony. Your mother has been looking forward to meeting Unspeakable Riddle all week after how you’ve talked about him.” With those embarrassing words James too apparites back to the Ministry.
Harry can tell his face is red and is almost scared to turn and look at Tom. Luckily for him Tom pulls him around to face him.
Harry looks up into Tom’s face and asks, “Was it true? What you said to Rockwood? And about telling my Dad? About us being an us?”
Tom cups Harry’s face in his hands and says, “Yes, it was all true.” And then Tom leans in and is kissing Harry, holding his face like he is special to Tom. Harry kisses back like he had been thinking about the past couple of days. With one more brush of his lips Tom leans back, “I was serious Harry. We have proved that we work great together this week and that we have more common than we thought. I like you. I like learning about you. I like that you are not bothered by my sarcasm or wit and that you have some of your own under your golden boy persona. I look forward to pulling out all your secrets and tell you mine. You’re my boyfriend Harry and I don’t plan on letting you get away now.”
Harry felt relief flood him at that even if Tom did sound a little possessive. Harry reaches up and kisses Tom again before stepping back. “Come on Tom, if we wait too long to show up my dad will come looking for us. We still have to get our prize.” So saying Harry apparites back to the Ministry but not before seeing Tom leer at him.
Once at the lobby Tom and he go stand by Minster Bones making small talk and avoiding Lily Potter who is eyeing them as she talks to James and Sirius. As they were the first ones done they have to wait for the other teams to make it back. The next pair to arrive to everyone’s surprise is Ron and Malfoy but it looks like they had a harder time with the pixies based on how their robes looked. Ron comes to stand on Harry’s other side since Tom was glued to one side. Malfoy sniffs and goes to stand with his father apart from everyone else. Lily comes to stand opposite Tom as pops announced the arrival of Diggory and Luna. Both of them look fine with no noticeable hang ups. Luna goes to stand by her Head Newt Scamander and Diggory comes to talk to Harry and Tom. As Cedric comes closer Tom wraps an arm around Harry and moves closer. This leaves Hermione and Chang last but they arrived not a half hour later. Both are pale and leaning on each other, if Harry had to guess the boggart was their down fall.
With the pairs, their department heads, and reporters gathered Minster Bones starts, “I want to welcome you all back and congratulate you on finishing this hard week of challenges. You all proved that we can expect great things from the next generation of leadership in the ministry. You don’t know it but you were selected by your department heads as who they could see raising into their places. So congratulations on being the future of the ministry. And looking at what you have accomplished here the future is bright indeed. First I should tell you that the prize won is an extra week of paid vacation time for the winning pair that can be used anytime. Now let us go over the winners’ day by day, for Tuesday’s challenge of curing your poisoned partner the winners are Unspeakable Riddle and Auror Potter with the fastest healing time and first correct identification of the poison. On Wednesday’s challenge of the press release about Ministry week the winners are Miss Granger and Miss Chang who had a moving press release about working together to build a stronger magical world. Yesterday’s challenge was to ward a space for keep muggles away and keep it structurally strong, for having the longest standing wards the winners are Riddle and Potter. Which brings me to our last event, each pair was taken to an old abandoned house that had been infested by creatures that needed to be cleaned up. Our first pair to make it through the whole house was Riddle and Potter. As they have won three out of the four events they are our winners for the week. Let’s give them a round of applause.”
Harry and Tom looked at each other and bowed to the crowd at the same time. It was finally over and Harry had won both the competition and his new boyfriend. With Tom looking at him like he would be getting another prize tonight Harry thought, “Maybe it hadn’t been such a hellish week after all.”