What Voldemort Left Behind

Chapter 51 - A New Start

AUTHORS NOTE: as you can see i've started doing chapter titles (i'm also going back to change the old ones, sorry i'm just bad at thinking of them but we'll get there eventually [editors note: WE GOT THERE] please read and review, did you expect Harry to survive? also i'm gonna start editing old chapters soon so they match the newer better, nothing too dramatic but little changes in wording and of course grammar bc now i have accio__horcrux (yes go follow her and read her fanfics) to help me with grammar etc and just make my writing better so i've learned stuff to fix the old chapters with 😂. [Editors note: this chapter's first word used to be "anuary", how did i not notice 😂]

January 24th, 2022.

Harry flicked through the first heap of parchment on his desk at the Ministry, this was not what he wanted when he agreed to return to work. Kingsley didn't want to take any chances with him yet, so he was left correcting the Auror policies for the new year. The Head of the DMLE was still reasonably new to the job and had rose to the occasion when Harry was forced to retire, but he needed to learn to be a bit more sure of himself.

Kreacher apparated into the office carrying a large tray of food, always much more than Harry would buy if he was providing lunch himself.

"Not poisoned, only the best for Master," Kreacher smiled.

One of Kreacher's most important jobs over his time with Harry was safely checking for poison in all of his food. Harry agreed it was necessary as long as Kreacher didn't harm himself or other living things in the process, but it made eating at work a lot more difficult, so Kreacher always cooked his meals. Recently, Minerva instructed two high ranking elves at Hogwarts to perform the same checks for Harry's kids, who were also at great risk of being attacked, but they were allowed to continue eating Hogwarts meals as Harry and Ginny agreed that it was all part of the boarding school experience, the Hogwarts elves would watch them and those around them inconspicuously at every meal.

"Kreacher... um... would you mind checking if the coast is clear outside? I'd sort of like to take a walk in peace," Harry asked awkwardly.

Kreacher slid the door open.

"Kreacher is sorry Master, they are all still wanting to take a look at you."

Harry sighed, word had spread quickly that morning that Harry Potter was in, and the admirers wouldn't leave the corridor. Harry didn't have the heart to tell them to leave but he wished they would treat him like a normal colleague.

"Mr Potter?" Harry heard a knock on the door and Kreacher rushed to open it. "Am I interrupting anything?" He glanced at the house elf.

Harry's assistant and adviser had been a supporter of him since their school days, his main job was to inform him of all news regarding him and issues in the Ministry, since Harry hated reading the Prophet. He did a brilliant job of keeping him up to date and suppressing untrue rumors.

"Nigel, come and sit down, Kreacher was just bringing me lunch, would you like anything?"

"No thank you Mr Potter, it's great to see you back. Are you feeling better?" Nigel enquired.

"Yeah, loads, it took a few weeks after I drank the potion for Gin to let me come back here."

"Luckily, the newspapers are still pretty clueless of anything regarding your personal life, but they're really latching onto the prospect of your return to the Ministry," Nigel answered.

"Yeah I thought that. How is everyone here reacting?"

"They're very intrigued. I heard rumors that the Minister is working hard to conceal something about you, which is true but not what we want the public to know, for your own peace of mind."