Semper Fidelis

Chapter 4.1

salvator mundi (noun)
saviour of the world

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Chapter 4

He kept his baseball cap low over his eyes, not only to block out the glare from the afternoon sun but to also keep his face hidden from the throngs of people milling about the street. He avoided the bodies heading in all directions around him with the skill of a seasoned pro. This wasn't his first rodeo - he had learned not to be trampled on in Diagon Alley after the many years of visiting the street every summer before school.

He fixed his gaze at a gaggle of teenage boys crowding in front of a shop and headed in the same direction. In bolded script atop the large display window the sign read "Broomstix". His latest mission had left his broom a bit worse for wear and unfortunately he had run out of broomstick polish. Since he was already in London, he decided to stop by Diagon Alley to replenish his stock of broomstick care materials and maybe visit a few friends who were working in the surrounding shops.

Looking over the crowd again, he wished he had decided not to go to Diagon Alley that afternoon. Not only was it a weekend, but it was the also the summer holidays and the street was packed with kids of all ages and parents helping them shop. Already he'd noticed an older wizard eyeing him with wonder after recognizing his face and he quickly scurried along before the man could say anything. So much for being in disguise.

Really, Harry should have known better than to come here today but he didn't have a choice. He really needed that broomstick polish and he hardly gets a break between his missions to see friends. Might as well kill two birds with one stone and combine his chores with a little social interaction before he's whisked away to Merlin knows where.

Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a break. His latest mission took him to the Caribbeans for three weeks, and while many would think he'd hit the work travel jackpot, ninety percent of his time was spent under the torturous sun tailing a deranged witch. The only good thing that came out of that mission was that they were able to stop a small cult of islanders from kidnapping tourists for their sadistic rituals and he, Harry Potter, actually got a tan. The one before that was spent in Northern Canada, at the northern tip of the territory of Nunavut. It was long days of no sunlight in -30 degree temperatures where his eyebrows frosted over and his own breath choked him because of the cold. The place nearly drove him mad. But a mission was a mission and he did his job well, finishing what he had to do in only two weeks when he was supposed to stay there for a month. He traced back from assignment to assignment until he remembered the Christmas he spent at the Weasley cottage two years ago. That was the last break he'd had until the one now.

The work of an Auror is hard, yes, but Harry can't imagine doing anything else. Fighting was what he was good at and it always brought him great satisfaction to put another no do-gooder witch or wizard in Azkaban.

As Harry walked towards Broomstix, he couldn't help but think back to that day, during what should have been his seventh year at Hogwarts, when he defeated Voldemort. That day would stay with him forever, he knew. He could still vividly remember the fire and rubble around him as bodies of innocents laid crumpled against the Hogwarts floor. The Battle of Hogwarts raged on and he could see his friends fighting Death Eaters and giants all around him. Voldemort casted the Killing Curse towards him while he yelled out an Expelliarmus and their wands met, again, in Priori Incantatem. Unlike before, this one was short-lived as the Elder Wand refused to hurt its original owner. The Killing Curse rebounded and struck Voldemort, and the monster crumpled to the ground, dead. Without their master, the Death Eaters went into a panic and were quickly apprehended. Harry felt lucky, for a quick look around the hall showed him that his friends and family had all survived. He sank to the floor in relief before he was enveloped in a hug by his two best friends. Harry was no longer The Boy Who Lived but The Man Who Saved.

One would think Harry would have all cause of celebrations at his disposal, but he suffered a loss so unfathomable soon after The Defeat that it still hurt to think about today. As he entered Broomstix, Harry brushed the painful thought aside.

Funny how that loss was what brought him to the path of the Aurors. Being at Hogwarts without her would have been too painful. He could not come back even if he had wanted to, for the halls would be haunted with the memories of her. He couldn't bear it. So even though he was graciously invited back to study by Professor Dumbledore for an eight year, Harry Potter had refused. Instead, he took up Shacklebolt's offer to join the Auror office under the command of Head Auror Winchester. He worked his way from the bottom up, gaining promotion after promotion until he was asked by Trenton Winchester to head his own specialized team of Aurors. The Gryphons, which the team had later been named, consisted of a select few of Aurors whose sole purpose was to stop the rise of another Dark Lord. They operated discreetly, quickly, and cleanly; gathering intel from the many spies the Ministry has in place worldwide and disposing of cults and covens harming the public. They traced leads of unimaginable objects with the powers to cause mass destruction and either disposed of them or hid them away deep in the vaults of the Ministry where they were kept under surveillance 24/7.

This past decade, Harry Potter gave his head and his heart to the Aurors.

Harry quickly found the broomstick polish he needed and paid the required amount of coins at the counter before exiting the busy shop. Still there were boys crowded at the front, ogling the hottest broom currently in the market, the Stormbreaker 360.

One boy in particular caught his attention, for this boy was wearing a denim jacket when all others had self-cooling cloaks. Even though more wizards have chosen to embrace Muggles and Muggle culture more openly, their ways of dress still continued to be quite traditional. 'Must be a Muggleborn,' Harry thought. This was reinforced when he he heard the boy whispering in awe to himself, mumbling about how he never thought wizards would actually ride on brooms. "And this one can apparently go one hundred and fifty miles per hour and has a concealment charm. What would people do with that?" He heard the boy whisper, eyes wide as saucers. Harry gave a little smile since he could very well remember the day Hagrid first took him to Diagon Alley and saw the Nimbus 2000 on display. He had the same reaction.

"James!"

Harry watched as the boy, James, tore his eyes from the broom and looked to his right further down the street. Harry followed his gaze to a woman standing by Flourish and Blotts. He couldn't see her very well since the sun was to her back, but he noticed that she was slender with dark brown hair and what looked to be an armload of books.

The boy, James, gave a grin and yelled, "Coming, mum!" Harry watched as the boy dashed towards his mother, nearly knocking over people on the sidewalk. The boy graciously took hold of some of the books before clutching his mother's hand. The pair turned and walked away.

Harry glanced back to the Stormbreaker 360 on the window. A little plaque on the side noted its abilities: speeds up to one hundred and fifty miles per hour (unnecessary for most rides), heating cushions (useful), handless steering (foolish), rain/snow/hail/sleet bouncing charm (very useful), and indeed, a concealment charm. If one had wanted to fly from London to northern Scotland and back in the middle of a winter storm within a day undetected, then this broom would be perfect. It's quite a strange use case indeed, but Harry is an Auror. With that in mind, he turned around and reentered the shop. Perhaps it's time for a new broom. 

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