Chapter Text
Mayhem Week at the Ministry of Magic
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.